Location-Based Tethering for Remote Content Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tethered connections between computing devices require physical proximity to maintain a solid wireless connection, limiting the ability to share digital content across different geographical locations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes location sensors to determine if a computing device is within a defined geographical area, allowing access to shareable digital content and instantiating a tethering object to enable content sharing with remote devices through endpoints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If wireless tethered connection is established between computing devices, then content sharing capability is improved, but physical proximity requirement limits geographical flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that receives content from a first computing device and transmits it to a second computing device. This mediator enables content sharing between devices that are not in physical proximity, resolving the contradiction by allowing geographical flexibility while maintaining the content sharing function through the server's mediating role.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the content sharing process into separate components: content generation at the first device, content storage/transmission through the server, and content consumption at the second device. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently, enabling the second device to access content without being physically proximate to the first device.
2Adaptability or versatility
If location-based content access is implemented, then content availability is improved, but system complexity increases due to location sensing and verification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the location sensing and verification functionality from the computing devices themselves and places it within the server. The server receives location information from devices and determines content availability based on predefined geographical criteria, thereby reducing the complexity burden on individual devices while maintaining content availability based on location.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service location-based content access where the server automatically receives location data from computing devices, determines whether the devices are within predefined geographical areas, and provides content accordingly without requiring manual intervention or complex local processing on the devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for sharing digital content includes determining whether a first computing device is physically located within a defined geographical area, if the first computing device is physically located within the defined geographical area, providing access of shareable digital content to the first computing device, instantiating a tethering object associated with the shareable digital content, the tethering object including at least a first endpoint at the first computing device and a second endpoint at a second computing device remote from the first computing device, and providing access of at least a portion of the shareable digital content, via the tethering object, to the second endpoint at the second computing device remote from the first computing device. Other example methods and computer systems for implementing content sharing methods are also disclosed.