Media Device Placeshifting via Pre-established Peer-to-Peer Sessions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media content placeshifting technologies require significant manual interaction and delay, limiting the ability to seamlessly transfer media programs from a primary display device to a secondary device during a placeshifting session.
Innovation Solution
A media device that establishes a peer-to-peer communication session with a client device over a network using stored identification information, allowing for the automatic transfer of a media program in a different format suitable for the secondary device, initiated by detecting a placeshifting request gesture or command.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional placeshifting methods are used, then media content can be transferred to secondary devices, but significant manual interaction and delay are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing peer-to-peer communication sessions between the media device and potential client devices before placeshifting is actually needed. The media device proactively discovers available client devices, establishes communication channels, and prepares transfer capabilities in advance, so that when a user wants to placeshift content, the transfer can begin immediately without manual setup or configuration delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by enabling the media device to automatically manage the placeshifting process without requiring manual user intervention. The media device autonomously discovers client devices, establishes peer-to-peer sessions, formats and encodes content streams appropriately, and manages the entire transfer process. Users simply need to initiate a placeshifting request, and the system handles all technical complexities automatically, significantly reducing manual interaction requirements.
2Speed
If peer-to-peer communication sessions are established for each placeshifting request, then real-time transfer is enabled, but network overhead and connection management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary connection establishment by proactively creating peer-to-peer communication sessions with potential client devices before placeshifting requests occur. The media device continuously discovers available clients and pre-establishes communication channels, so that when actual placeshifting is needed, the connection infrastructure is already in place and ready for immediate content transfer, enabling real-time speed without connection management overhead during the transfer itself.
3Adaptability or versatility
If media content is transferred in different formats for different devices, then device compatibility is improved, but encoding and format conversion processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary format preparation by determining the appropriate content formats and encoding parameters for each discovered client device before actual placeshifting occurs. The media device proactively identifies client device capabilities and pre-configures the encoding settings, so that when placeshifting is initiated, the content can be rapidly encoded in the appropriate format without time-consuming format detection and conversion during the transfer itself.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, devices, and systems are provided for placeshifting a media program. An exemplary method involves a media device storing identification information for a client device coupled to a network and receiving a request to transfer a media program available for presentation on a primary display device in a first format via the media device. In response to the request, a peer-to-peer communication session with the client device over the network is established using the identification information and an encoded content stream corresponding to the media program is transferred to the client device via the peer-to-peer communication session.