Media Fling Playback With Shared Cache and Low-Latency Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current media flinging technologies, such as DLNA and AirPlay, suffer from latency, inconsistent quality, and complex setup processes, leading to poor user experiences when transferring content from mobile devices to TVs, with issues like buffering, freezing, and device detection failures.
Innovation Solution
A media fling system that includes a coordination manager and orchestration manager to manage cache partitioning and control playback across multiple devices, supporting simultaneous content playback on multiple output devices, with features like transcoding and QoS management to optimize delivery across networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If DLNA or AirPlay protocols are used for media transfer, then content can be sent from mobile device to TV, but latency increases to 2-4 seconds
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing wireless connections between devices before media transfer is needed, and by pre-positioning media files in a shared cache on the TV device. When a user initiates a fling operation, the media is already ready for immediate playback without network transmission delays, reducing latency from 2-4 seconds to near-instantaneous playback.
2Adaptability or versatility
If DLNA protocol is used for media transfer, then interoperability is achieved, but device complexity increases due to multiple configuration steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple DLNA configuration steps into a single automated process. The TV device automatically discovers and connects to mobile devices on the same Wi-Fi network, automatically approves fling requests, and automatically manages cache storage. This consolidation reduces the user-facing complexity from multiple manual steps to a simple one-tap fling operation while maintaining DLNA interoperability.
3Ease of operation
If media is transferred over Wi-Fi network, then content can be displayed on TV, but video quality deteriorates with buffering and freezing
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the media file from the mobile device and places a complete copy into the TV's local cache storage before playback begins. This extraction eliminates the need for continuous network data transmission during playback, removing the source of buffering and freezing. The media plays from local storage with no network dependency, ensuring smooth playback while maintaining the convenience of wireless initiation.
4Reliability
If manual device scanning and approval steps are required, then security is maintained, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The TV device performs self-service by automatically discovering mobile devices on the same Wi-Fi network, automatically approving fling requests from those devices, and automatically managing the media transfer process. This automation maintains security by restricting operations to devices on the same trusted network while eliminating manual intervention steps, transforming the user experience from multi-step manual configuration to simple one-tap operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a content fling system and method. The content fling system may support a plurality of users flinging content or media at various times including simultaneously to the same output device. The content fling system may further support users flinging from various locations. The content fling system can also support a single content item being played back on a plurality of output devices.