Content Receiving Device Thumbnail Distribution via Peer-to-Peer Link

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing content receiving systems face challenges in managing storage capacity and channel capacity requirements for servers and communication lines, particularly when handling multiple content receiving devices, as they need to store and transmit thumbnails for multiple content items, leading to increased storage and bandwidth demands.

Innovation Solution

The system allows content receiving devices to directly transmit generated thumbnails to display devices without passing through the server, reducing the need for large storage capacity and high channel capacity in servers, by using peer-to-peer communication and thumbnail generation based on user requests, thereby minimizing the storage and bandwidth requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the server stores thumbnails of content items from multiple content receiving devices, then the content display functionality is improved, but the storage capacity requirement of the server increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent display functionalityVSAvoidstorage capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the thumbnail storage function from the server and assigns it to individual content receiving devices. Each device generates and stores its own thumbnails locally, eliminating the need for the server to store thumbnails from multiple devices. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining content display functionality while reducing server storage requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Content receiving devices perform self-service by generating and storing their own thumbnails independently. The thumbnail generation unit in each device creates thumbnails from received content items, and these thumbnails are stored locally in the device's storage unit. This eliminates the dependency on server storage capacity while maintaining the ability to display content thumbnails.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If the server transmits thumbnails to display devices, then the content browsing capability is improved, but the channel capacity requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent browsing capabilityVSAvoidchannel capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the thumbnail transmission function from the server and implements direct peer-to-peer transmission between content receiving devices and display devices. The thumbnail transmission unit in each receiving device directly sends thumbnails to connected display devices, eliminating the need for server-mediated transmission and reducing channel capacity requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a local intermediary mechanism where content receiving devices act as intermediaries for their own thumbnail data. Instead of the server being the intermediary for all thumbnail transmissions, each device serves as its own intermediary, generating and transmitting thumbnails directly to display devices, thereby reducing overall network traffic and channel capacity needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the server holds all thumbnails from multiple content receiving devices, then the system supports multiple devices, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-device supportVSAvoidserver complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized thumbnail management function into distributed individual units. Instead of one server managing all thumbnails, each content receiving device has its own thumbnail generation and storage capabilities. This segmentation reduces server complexity while maintaining multi-device support through distributed architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes each content receiving device multi-functional by incorporating both content reception and thumbnail generation/storage capabilities within the same device. This eliminates the need for a separate server dedicated to thumbnail management, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the ability to support multiple devices through their individual thumbnail management capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3203753B1Content reception system, content reception device, display device, content reception system control method, and program
Publication Date: 2020.05.27 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3203753B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3203753B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3203753B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A content receiving device includes: a first receiver that receives a content item; a list transmitter; a thumbnail generator; and a thumbnail transmitter. The list transmitter transmits a list, which includes information indicating the content item received by the first receiver, to a display device through a server. The thumbnail generator generates a thumbnail of the content item received by the first receiver. The thumbnail transmitter transmits the thumbnail generated by the thumbnail generator, to the display device. The display device includes: a second receiver; and a display. The second receiver receives the list transmitted by the list transmitter, and the thumbnail transmitted by the thumbnail transmitter. The display displays an image in which a thumbnail of a content item among a plurality of the thumbnails received by the second receiver is associated with the information included in the list received by the second receiver, the thumbnail of the content item corresponding to the information.