Media Content Reference Object for Multi-Location Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in providing seamless access to media content stored in multiple locations without requiring the accessing entity to know the storage location, particularly in devices with limited memory where redundant storage can cause malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method generates an object representing media content with metadata and a reference that identifies both memory and storage locations, allowing applications to access media content without knowing its storage location, thereby avoiding unnecessary duplication and ensuring efficient storage management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If media content is stored in multiple locations for easy access, then accessibility of media content is improved, but storage redundancy increases causing memory issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary object that acts as a mediator between the application and the actual media content storage. This object contains a reference (not a copy) to the media content location, allowing the application to access content without directly managing storage locations. The intermediary resolves the contradiction by enabling access while preventing redundancy - the reference structure allows multiple access paths without creating multiple copies of the actual media data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a lightweight copy in the form of a reference object that points to the actual media content. Instead of copying the entire media file to multiple locations, the system creates a small reference structure that can be duplicated and shared. This reference copy enables multiple access points while the actual media content remains stored in a single location, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and storage redundancy.
2Ease of operation
If the system manages multiple storage locations transparently, then ease of access is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage management system into distinct components: the application layer, the intermediary object layer, and the storage layer. The intermediary object is segmented to contain specific fields (reference to content, metadata about location). This segmentation allows each layer to handle its own complexity independently - the application doesn't need to understand storage details, and the storage system doesn't need to expose its complexity to the application.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediary object serves as a mediator that encapsulates the complexity of multi-location storage management. It provides a simplified interface to the application while handling the complex logic of resolving references to actual storage locations. The mediator pattern allows the system to manage multiple storage locations transparently by hiding the complexity within the intermediary layer.
3Speed
If media content is duplicated across memory and storage, then access speed is improved, but available memory decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different storage locations (memory vs. persistent storage) to be used based on the specific needs of each media content item and access pattern. Instead of universally duplicating all content in both memory and storage, the system selectively places content in appropriate locations. The intermediary object enables fast access to frequently used content while allowing less frequently accessed content to remain in persistent storage, optimizing the balance between access speed and memory availability.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for providing access to media content in multiple locations includes: storing media content in a system that has a memory and another storage; generating an object that represents the media content, the object including media content metadata and a media content reference configured to identify each of a memory location and a storage location; and making the object available to an application, the media content reference providing access to the stored media content at the memory location or at the storage location.