Control Device Thumbnail Display for DLNA Target Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
In home networks with DLNA specifications, it is difficult for users to identify the currently controlled target device, leading to operational errors, and existing solutions that display thumbnail images on the operation panel can consume controller resources and limit visibility to only that panel.
Innovation Solution
A control device and method that displays a content list and device list on a screen, including thumbnail images of reproduction devices, allowing easy identification of the current target device across multiple screens and reducing resource consumption by storing thumbnail images on reproduction devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If thumbnail images are stored by the controller to display on the operation panel, then the current target device can be identified, but the controller resources are reduced and operation may be interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the thumbnail image storage function from the controller and relocates it to the reproduction devices. The controller only retrieves and transmits thumbnail images when needed, rather than storing them permanently. This extraction principle resolves the contradiction by maintaining the identification function while reducing controller resource burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a network as an intermediary between the controller and reproduction devices. Thumbnail images are stored on reproduction devices and transmitted through the network when the controller needs to display them. This intermediary approach allows the controller to access thumbnail images without permanently storing them, resolving the resource consumption issue.
2Ease of operation
If thumbnail images are displayed only on the operation panel, then controller resources are conserved, but the current target device cannot be easily identified on other screens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the thumbnail image display capability universal across multiple screens including the operation panel, content list screen, and other display areas. The same thumbnail image data can be transmitted to and displayed on any screen where the controller has display output capability, resolving the contradiction between resource conservation and identification visibility.
3Loss of information
If multiple thumbnail images are stored on the controller to support multiple devices, then device identification is improved, but controller memory resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having reproduction devices prepare and store their own thumbnail images in advance. When the controller needs to display thumbnail images, it simply retrieves them from the reproduction devices through the network rather than maintaining a local library of all thumbnails. This resolves the contradiction by shifting the storage burden to the devices themselves.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device includes a communication unit communicating via a network with a content supply device and reproduction devices, an operation unit, a display unit, and a control unit receiving a signal from the operation unit and controlling the communication unit and the display unit. The control unit has a content list display state displaying on a screen of the display unit a content list received from the content supply device, a device list display state displaying on the screen thumbnail images of the reproduction devices in accordance with device information received from the reproduction devices, and an operation panel display state displaying an operation panel for having a content item of the content list reproduced by one of the reproduction devices set in the device list display state. The thumbnail image of the reproduction device is displayed in the content list display state and the operation panel display state.