Hierarchical Media Rendering Nodes for Spatially Extended Wireless Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless network topologies are spatially limited, preventing effective media playback over extended distances due to interference, multipath issues, antenna quality, channel congestion, and device processing delays, resulting in reduced data throughput and range.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for media distribution and rendering on spatially extended wireless networks, where media rendering devices form a hierarchical tree arrangement with a root node, minimizing latency and data collisions, and synchronize media playback across overlapping wireless zones using synchronization zones and a synchronization manager.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If wireless network range is extended to cover large areas, then spatial coverage is improved, but data throughput and synchronization reliability deteriorate due to interference and multipath effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the extended wireless network into multiple overlapping zones, each managed by a synchronization manager. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliable data throughput within each zone while collectively covering large spatial areas, resolving the contradiction between extended coverage and maintained throughput reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces synchronization managers as intermediary devices that coordinate media distribution within each zone. These intermediaries handle the complexity of data routing and synchronization, allowing the overall system to maintain reliability across extended spatial coverage by managing data flow at the zone level rather than requiring direct peer-to-peer connections across the entire network span.
2Length of moving object
If media content is distributed across extended wireless networks, then spatial range is improved, but playback synchronization deteriorates due to varying data paths and latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the extended network into synchronization zones, each with its own synchronization manager that independently controls playback timing. This allows the system to accommodate varying data path lengths across the extended network while maintaining synchronization within each zone, resolving the contradiction between extended range and synchronized playback.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization managers perform preliminary actions by pre-calculating and adjusting playback timestamps based on expected data path latency. This allows devices to compensate for varying transmission times before playback occurs, ensuring synchronized reproduction across the extended network despite different data path lengths.
3Loss of time
If hierarchical tree arrangement is used to optimize data paths, then latency is reduced, but device complexity increases due to dynamic topology management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where devices automatically discover their optimal positions in the hierarchical tree and dynamically adjust their routing paths without centralized control. This reduces data latency by enabling real-time topology optimization while avoiding the complexity of manual network configuration, as the system self-organizes based on local conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The hierarchical tree arrangement is made dynamic, allowing the network topology to automatically reconfigure in response to changing conditions such as device mobility or environmental interference. This dynamic adaptation optimizes data paths and reduces latency while the distributed nature of the topology management prevents complexity from concentrating in a single control point.
4Area of stationary object
If multiple wireless zones overlap to extend range, then spatial coverage is improved, but data collisions increase reducing effective throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the overlapping wireless zones into distinct synchronization zones with dedicated synchronization managers. This segmentation allows each zone to manage its own data traffic independently, reducing data collisions that would otherwise occur in the overlapping regions and maintaining effective throughput while achieving extended spatial coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
Synchronization managers act as intermediaries that coordinate data traffic at the boundaries of overlapping zones. They manage data collisions by controlling transmission timing and routing, allowing the network to maintain high effective throughput across the extended coverage area despite the presence of overlapping wireless zones.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for media distribution and rendering over a spatially extended wireless network, comprising a plurality of media rendering devices configured as nodes in a spatially extended wireless network. The media rendering devices dynamically establish a hierarchical arrangement wherein a first media rendering device acts as a root node of the hierarchical arrangement. The first media rendering device receives media content over a network and distributes the media content to the remaining media rendering devices using the hierarchical arrangement. The media content is rendered synchronously by each of the plurality of media rendering devices.