Home Audio Video Stream Distribution with Peripheral Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solutions for distributing audio and video streams within a dwelling require users to reprogram the server when moving between rooms, which is tedious and inconvenient, especially since active peripherals are not mobile and users need to change their audiovisual context accordingly.

Innovation Solution

A simplified interface using a single key on active peripherals to manage stream assignments, allowing users to start, join, stop, or resume streams without a complex interface or external remote control, enabling rapid reconfiguration and intuitive control of audiovisual contexts across rooms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users control stream selection from the centralized server using conventional remote controls or smartphone applications, then stream distribution control is achieved, but the operation becomes tedious and complex, especially when users move between rooms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestream selection operationVSAvoidcontrol interface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the stream selection control function from the centralized server interface and relocates it to the active peripheral devices. Each active device now has its own control interface that can independently select and control streams, eliminating the need for users to return to the server or use complex remote controls when moving between rooms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The active peripheral devices are empowered to autonomously manage stream selection and assignment. When a user activates an active device in a different room, the device automatically detects the stream assignment and allows the user to control it locally without requiring server reconfiguration or complex external controls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system requires reprogramming the server when users move between rooms, then stream assignment can be updated, but the process becomes very tedious and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudiovisual context adaptationVSAvoidreconfiguration time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-configures multiple streams on the centralized server and maintains them in a ready state. When users move between rooms and activate different active devices, the system can quickly assign pre-prepared streams to the new active device without requiring time-consuming reprogramming or reconfiguration of the server.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The stream assignment becomes dynamic and automatically adapts to user movement. The system continuously monitors which active devices are activated in different rooms and automatically updates stream assignments in real-time, eliminating the need for manual reconfiguration when users move between spaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Stability of the object's composition

If active devices remain fixed in each room, then device stability is maintained, but users cannot easily follow their preferred audiovisual context when moving between rooms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveactive device position stabilityVSAvoidaudiovisual context portability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the active devices universally controllable across different rooms. Each active device can receive and play any stream from the centralized server, and users can control any active device from any location in the home. This multi-functionality allows users to follow their preferred audiovisual context regardless of which room they are in, while the devices themselves remain stationary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2744129B1System for distributing and selecting multiple audio and/or video streams to active peripheral devices from a home server device
Publication Date: 2019.01.09 FREEBOX
  • EP2744129B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP2744129B1 patent drawingFigure 5a~5d
  • EP2744129B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

The system has multiple active peripherals (14), where each peripheral includes a reception unit for reception of diffusion channels of corresponding audio/video stream. A control unit includes a selection unit for selection of one of the diffusion channels. An audio/video stream amplification unit amplifies the audio/video in the selected channel. Each active peripheral includes a control interface to begin the diffusion of the audio/video stream of a group to which the peripheral belongs, join an existing group, create a fresh group or delete the group to which the peripheral belongs.