IoT-Triggered Scriptlets for Cross-Platform Digital Signage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital signage systems are limited in their ability to support diverse hardware and operating systems, requiring specific instructions for each type, leading to inflexibility and increased development and support efforts.
Innovation Solution
A platform-neutral media player engine and platform abstraction layer that supports multiple media player systems with different hardware and operating systems, utilizing a common set of APIs for communication and content display, along with a platform shim for translation, enabling flexible deployment and updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If specific instructions are created for each hardware and operating system type, then compatibility with specific platforms is improved, but device complexity and development effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a platform abstraction layer (PAL) as an intermediary between the media player engine and the underlying hardware/OS platforms. The PAL provides standardized APIs that translate generic media player commands into platform-specific operations, allowing the media player engine to remain platform-neutral while supporting multiple operating systems and hardware configurations without requiring separate instruction sets for each platform
Solution Approach 2:
The media player engine is designed with universal functionality to operate across multiple platforms through the PAL. By implementing a common set of APIs in the PAL that work across Windows, Linux, macOS, and other operating systems, the system achieves multi-functionality where a single media player engine can serve diverse platform environments without requiring platform-specific versions
2Reliability
If platform-specific implementations are used, then optimization for specific hardware is improved, but ease of deployment and updates deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the media player functionality into distinct layers: the platform-neutral media player engine, the platform-specific PAL implementation, and the underlying hardware/OS. This segmentation allows the media player engine to be updated and deployed independently across multiple platforms without requiring platform-specific compilation or customization, significantly easing deployment while maintaining hardware optimization through the PAL layer
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple platform-specific media player systems are maintained, then support for diverse hardware is improved, but productivity and maintenance effort decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The PAL is designed as a universal layer that provides consistent APIs across multiple operating systems and hardware platforms. By implementing platform-specific PAL modules that all adhere to the same interface contract, the system achieves hardware diversity support without requiring separate development efforts for each platform, as the media player engine interacts with all platforms through the unified PAL interface
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a copying approach where the PAL implementation for each platform is a standardized copy of the abstraction interface adapted to that specific platform. Rather than rewriting the entire media player system for each platform, only the PAL layer is customized per platform, dramatically reducing development and maintenance effort while supporting diverse hardware
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments disclosed herein are related to a method that can include displaying first content on a media display, receiving first data generated from or determined by an Internet of Things (IoT) device, and displaying second content in response to receiving the first data from the IoT device.