Content Sharing Service Synchronization via Management Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Video On Demand (VOD) services fail to satisfy users' demands for content sharing and synchronized control during content reproduction, limiting user convenience and service quality.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for providing content sharing services that allow a content sharing requester and sharer to synchronize and share content control, using a management server to facilitate requests and notifications between content reproducing apparatuses and a streaming server, with messages formatted in XML to manage content transmission and control commands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If current VOD services are used, then basic content delivery is provided, but user convenience and service quality deteriorate due to inability to share content and synchronize control
Solution Approach 1:
The VOD service system is extended to perform multiple functions: not only content delivery but also content sharing and synchronized control. The management server coordinates between requester and sharer devices, enabling the system to serve both individual viewing and shared viewing needs through a unified platform
Solution Approach 2:
The management server acts as an intermediary between the content reproducing apparatus of the requester and the sharer. It receives sharing requests, generates notify messages, and coordinates the content transmission through the streaming server, enabling seamless content sharing without requiring direct peer-to-peer communication
2Ease of operation
If content sharing is enabled, then user convenience improves, but system complexity increases due to additional servers and message protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides functionality into distinct components: the management server handles sharing logic and coordination, the streaming server handles content delivery, and the content reproducing apparatus handles playback. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its function, reducing overall system complexity despite added capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The management server pre-generates notify messages containing all necessary information (content information, reproducing duration, authority acquiring server URL) before content transmission begins. This preliminary preparation simplifies the actual content sharing process and reduces real-time coordination complexity
3Reliability
If synchronized control is implemented, then service quality improves, but information management complexity increases due to control command coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes bidirectional communication between requester and sharer devices through the management server. Control commands sent by the requester are received, processed, and forwarded to the sharer device, with status information flowing back to ensure proper synchronization. This feedback mechanism maintains reliable synchronized control while managing information flow systematically
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for providing contents-sharing services are provided. The method for providing contents-sharing services includes: receiving a contents-sharing request message for a contents sharer from a first contents reproducing apparatus of a contents sharing requester; transmitting a contents-sharing notify message generated using the received contents-sharing request message to a second contents reproducing apparatus of the contents sharer; and transmitting the received contents-sharing request message to a streaming server, wherein the transmitted contents-sharing request message requests the streaming server to transmit contents to the second contents reproducing apparatus of the contents sharer.