Dongle Device Mediates Content Sharing for Non-Networked Televisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sharing content from a device with network access, such as a smartphone, to a device without network access, like a television, is challenging due to the latter's limited connectivity and identification issues on networks.
Innovation Solution
A dongle device connects to the television, registering with a content sharing service and receiving content through a content sharing device that identifies the dongle using its MAC address, enabling seamless content sharing between devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a television is connected to a network for content sharing, then content sharing capability is improved, but device complexity and identification difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dongle device as an intermediary between the television and the content sharing network. The dongle handles all network communication, identification, and protocol management, while the television remains simple and unchanged. This mediator approach allows content sharing capability without increasing television complexity or requiring network identification from the TV itself.
2Productivity
If direct network connection is used for content sharing, then sharing speed is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to identification issues
Solution Approach 1:
The dongle device performs self-service by automatically generating and managing its own network identity, handling authentication, and maintaining connections. The user simply needs to plug in the dongle and select content - no manual network configuration or device identification is required. The system autonomously resolves all identification and connectivity issues while maintaining fast content transfer speeds.
Data Source
AI summary
A content sharing device may receive, from a content providing device, information that identifies content to be shared with a dongle device via a content sharing service. The content sharing device may receive, from the content providing device, information that identifies a contact with which the content is to be shared. The content sharing device may determine, based on the information that identifies the contact, a dongle device identifier. The dongle device identifier may include a network address associated with the dongle device. The content sharing device may provide, to the dongle device and based on determining the dongle device identifier, information that identifies the content. The information that identifies the content may cause the content to be accessible by a content receiving device connected to the dongle device.