Media Stream Handoff Using Buffered Summary Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition of media consumption between devices is subject to delays due to streaming latency and connection establishment, leading to a non-seamless experience.
Innovation Solution
A media player client on a first device generates a summary of the media stream using locally stored data and transfers it to a second device over a pre-established local network connection, while establishing a connection with a server to stream the actual media content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a middle server is used to transmit the media stream between devices, then media content can be shared across multiple devices, but streaming latency and connection establishment delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-loads media content into a buffer before the user requests handoff. When handoff is initiated, the buffered content is immediately transferred to the second device, eliminating the need to wait for server streaming during the transition. This preliminary buffering action resolves the contradiction by preparing content in advance so that versatility is maintained while minimizing handoff delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a local buffer as an intermediary between the server and devices. Instead of direct server-to-device streaming during handoff, the buffer acts as a mediator that holds pre-loaded content and enables immediate transfer between devices. This intermediary buffer resolves the contradiction by decoupling the media sharing capability from server-dependent streaming latency.
2Ease of operation
If the entire media stream is transferred from the first device to the second device, then content accessibility is improved, but bandwidth consumption and transfer time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the buffered portion of the media stream from the first device for transfer to the second device, rather than transferring the entire media stream. This extraction principle resolves the contradiction by selectively transferring only the necessary content (the buffer) to improve accessibility while minimizing bandwidth consumption and transfer time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by transferring only the buffered content segment rather than the complete media stream. This partial transfer is sufficient to maintain content accessibility during handoff while significantly reducing the bandwidth and energy resources required compared to transferring the entire stream.
3Loss of time
If a summary of the media stream is generated and transferred, then transfer time is reduced, but information completeness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a copy of the buffered media content and transfers this copy to the second device. This copying approach resolves the contradiction by providing a complete replica of the buffer content (maintaining information completeness) while enabling parallel transfer operations that reduce transfer time. The copy can be transferred independently without waiting for the original stream.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for handing off media content. A media player client receives a request to transfer a media stream, which is playing on a first media device, to a second media device. In response to determining that the second media device comprises a larger screen than the first media device, the media player content determines, based on the genre and resolution of the media stream data, whether the media stream data can be transferred, from the first media device to the second media device.