Ethernet Catalogs for UPnP AVB Positional Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Ethernet local area network configurations, as defined by AVB and UPnP specifications, face issues such as microphones not being able to send media streams to speakers across partitions, incorrect subscription practices, and insufficient positional information in UPnP advertisements, leading to impractical configurations in real-life applications.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to configure the Ethernet LAN by providing users with catalogs containing positional information about listening devices, allowing users to select devices, sending subscribe-request messages, and enabling media streams directly from talking devices to selected listening devices, using a point-to-point Ethernet LAN with a switch, cataloging device, and smart plugs to manage device connections and subscriptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If UPnP advertisements are used to distribute device information, then device discovery is enabled, but positional information is insufficient for proper network configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs continuity checks and builds a catalog of listening devices with their positional information before the talking device needs to send media streams. This preliminary action ensures that when configuration is needed, complete positional information is already available, eliminating the information deficiency problem while maintaining ease of operation.
2Reliability
If speakers subscribe to microphones according to AVB protocol, then media stream reception is enabled, but subscription practices become impractical in real-life applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional AVB subscription model where speakers subscribe to microphones. Instead, the talking device (microphone) sends subscribe-request messages to the listening devices (speakers), requesting that they subscribe to the media stream. This inversion makes the system more practical for real-life applications where the talking device initiates the communication.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If partitions are used to divide conference rooms, then spatial separation is achieved, but media streams cannot be sent across partitions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cataloging device as an intermediary that maintains a catalog of listening devices with their positional information. The talking device queries this catalog to determine which speakers are in the same partition and can receive media streams. This intermediary enables media streams to be sent across partitions when appropriate while maintaining spatial separation when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and an Ethernet local area network are described herein in which the Ethernet local area network is configured to enable a talking device (e.g., microphone) to send a media stream to one or more listening devices (e.g., speakers). In one embodiment, the method for configuring the Ethernet local area network includes the following steps: (1) providing a user of a talking device with a “relevant” catalog which contains information including positional information about one or more listening devices; (2) allowing the user to interface with the “relevant” catalog so they can select at least one of the listening device(s); (3) enabling the talking device to send a subscribe-request message to the selected listening device(s) requesting that the selected listening device(s) subscribe to the talking device; (4) and sending a media stream from the talking device to the selected listening device(s).