Content Moving Device Transcoding for Mobile Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumers face challenges in transferring high definition or standard definition video and audio content from digital video recorders (DVRs) to mobile devices due to format and coding mismatches, resulting in lengthy transcoding times that exceed user patience.
Innovation Solution
A content management device that automatically transcodes content from a DVR to a mobile device at predetermined intervals or during inactivity, converting formats like MPEG2 to MPEG4 and AC-3 to AAC, enabling seamless transfer without user request.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If content is transcoded from DVR format to mobile device format, then compatibility with mobile devices is improved, but transcoding time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs transcoding operations in advance before the user actually requests the content. The device manager continuously monitors the DVR for new content and automatically initiates transcoding to mobile-compatible formats beforehand, so that when the user requests content, it is already prepared and ready for immediate transfer, eliminating waiting time.
Solution Approach 2:
A content moving device acts as an intermediary between the DVR and mobile devices. This intermediary handles all format conversion operations, receiving content in various DVR formats (MPEG2, AC-3) and converting it to mobile-compatible formats (MPEG4, AAC), thereby resolving format incompatibility without requiring the mobile device itself to perform complex transcoding.
2Speed
If content is transferred immediately upon user request, then user patience is satisfied, but format mismatches prevent successful transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively converts content to mobile-compatible formats before transfer is requested. The device manager monitors DVR content and pre-transcodes it, ensuring format compatibility is established in advance so that when the user requests transfer, the content is already in the correct format and can be transferred immediately without conversion delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The content moving device serves as an intermediary that handles format conversion, receiving content from the DVR in various formats and converting it to mobile-compatible formats. This intermediary layer ensures that format compatibility issues are resolved automatically, enabling immediate transfer upon user request without manual format matching.
3Loss of time
If transcoding is performed in real-time upon request, then user waiting time is reduced, but processing resources are overwhelmed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs transcoding operations in advance during periods when processing resources are more available, rather than waiting for user requests. The device manager continuously checks for new DVR content and initiates transcoding proactively, distributing the processing load over time and avoiding resource overload when users actually need the content.
Solution Approach 2:
The content moving device automatically monitors the DVR for new content and initiates transcoding operations without requiring user intervention. This self-service approach allows the system to manage its own processing workload, performing conversions during low-demand periods and making converted content ready for immediate transfer when users request it.
Data Source
AI summary
A content moving device which enables providing content stored on a first user device, such as a DVR, in a first format and resolution to be provided to a second user device, such as a portable media player (PMP) in a second format and resolution. The content moving device identifies content on the first user device as candidate content which may be desired by the PMP and receives the candidate content from the DVR. The content moving device transcodes the candidate content at times independent of a request from the PMP for the content. The content moving device may provide a list of available transcoded content to the PMP for selection, and provide selected content to the PMP. The content moving device may also provide information relating to any protection schemes of the content provided to the PMP, such as DRM rights and decryption keys. The content moving device performs the often computationally intense and time consuming transcoding of user content to enable the user to move content between different user devices in a convenient manner.