Master Device Synchronization for Digital Signage
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Solution Overview
Problem
In digital signage systems, ensuring synchronized display of content across multiple players is challenging, especially when one player is unable to display the content, leading to contract breaches and requiring a more sophisticated synchronization method beyond simple server commands.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where a master computing device determines the need for synchronized display, transmits synchronization requests to slave devices, and adjusts based on negative responses, re-requesting if a threshold is reached, ensuring content is displayed across all devices in a decentralized architecture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple server command is used to request synchronized display, then the system is easy to operate, but it fails to address players unable to display content, leading to contract breaches
Solution Approach 1:
The master player sends synchronization requests to slave players and receives capability responses. Based on these feedback signals, the master player determines which players can actually display the content and adjusts the synchronization accordingly, ensuring reliable contract compliance while maintaining ease of operation through automated capability detection
Solution Approach 2:
Before initiating synchronized display, the system performs preliminary capability detection by sending synchronization requests to all slave players and evaluating their responses. This preliminary action identifies players unable to display content before the actual synchronized display begins, preventing contract breaches
2Device complexity
If a decentralized architecture with master-slave players is used, then system complexity is reduced compared to centralized server, but new coordination challenges arise
Solution Approach 1:
Each slave player autonomously evaluates its own capability to display content and sends this information back to the master player. The master player then uses this self-provided information to determine synchronization parameters, eliminating the need for complex centralized control while maintaining effective coordination
Solution Approach 2:
The decentralized system uses feedback loops where slave players respond to synchronization requests with capability information. This feedback mechanism enables the master player to adapt synchronization parameters based on actual player capabilities, resolving coordination challenges without increasing overall system complexity
3Reliability
If the master player repeatedly requests synchronization, then all non-functional devices are identified, but time is lost due to multiple requests
Solution Approach 1:
The master player sends synchronization requests at periodic intervals until a sufficient number of slave players respond with negative capability indicators. This periodic action ensures reliable identification of non-functional devices while limiting the total time spent on repeated requests through predefined termination conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from slave players' capability responses to determine when to stop requesting synchronization. Once the master player receives enough negative responses to confidently identify non-functional devices, it terminates the repeated request process, balancing reliability with time efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
Master computing device and method for synchronizing display of a digital content (for example a digital signage content) on the master computing device and on one or more slave computing device. The master device transmits a synchronization request, comprising a digital content identifier for identifying the digital content, to the slave device(s). The master device determines a number of negative responses received from the slave device(s) in response to the synchronization request. Each negative response is indicative of one among the slave device(s) not being capable of displaying the digital content. The master device transmits a new synchronization request to the slave computing device(s) if the number of received negative responses reaches a threshold. The master computing device transmits a display command to the slave device(s) for displaying the digital content on their respective display(s) if the number of received negative responses does not reach the threshold.