Contextual UI Element Detection for Unified TV and Mobile Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional graphical user interfaces for controlling media playback devices, such as smart televisions, are poorly integrated with secondary displays like smartphones, offering limited functionality and requiring users to manage multiple remotes, and content provider interfaces are non-standardized, making it difficult for operating systems and remote controls to interact effectively with user interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A media playback system that dynamically provides a contextual controller user interface on a secondary device based on the context of the primary display, detecting and mirroring relevant user interface elements to enhance interaction and control capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional graphical user interfaces are used for controlling media playback devices, then basic control functionality is provided, but integration with secondary displays is poor and multiple remotes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple remote controls into a single unified interface by detecting and mirroring contextual UI elements from the primary display to the secondary device. This allows users to control media playback devices through either the TV interface or the mobile device interface, eliminating the need to manage multiple separate remotes while maintaining full control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary device is designed to function as a universal remote control that can interact with various content provider interfaces and media playback devices. By implementing a standardized protocol that works across different providers (Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc.), the system provides multi-functional control capabilities through a single device, improving ease of operation without requiring device-specific remotes.
2Ease of operation
If content provider interfaces are standardized, then interaction with remote controls becomes easier, but adaptability to different content providers is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a standardized protocol as an intermediary layer between the remote control system and various content provider interfaces. This mediator translates generic control commands into provider-specific interface interactions, allowing the system to maintain ease of operation through standardization while preserving adaptability to different content providers through the translation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes interface parameters based on the detected content provider context. When a specific provider's interface is detected on the primary display, the secondary device adapts its control parameters and UI elements to match that provider's interface conventions, maintaining both standardized interaction patterns and provider-specific adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If contextual UI elements are detected and mirrored to secondary devices, then user interaction becomes more intuitive, but processing and detection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates simplified copies of the contextual UI elements from the primary display and transmits them to the secondary device. Rather than implementing full-blown screen mirroring or complex gesture synchronization, the patent copies only the essential control elements and contextual information needed for intuitive interaction, reducing processing complexity while maintaining interaction intuitiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial action by detecting and mirroring only the most relevant contextual UI elements rather than attempting to replicate the entire interface. This selective approach to contextual element mirroring provides intuitive user interaction through the secondary device while avoiding the excessive processing complexity that would result from complete interface replication.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device such as a mobile device can be used as a secondary display to provide a controller user interface (UI) element corresponding to a contextual display user interface element displayed via a television or other device. An example method includes receiving a media data stream from a media content provider and transmitting the media data stream to a display device for playback. After determining that the media data stream comprises a contextual display user interface element, the method involves causing the controller device to present a controller user interface element corresponding to the contextual display user interface element. An indication of a user input via the controller user interface element is received, after which a signal is transmitted to the media provider that corresponds to the received indication of user input.