Media Handoff Token for Bidirectional Content Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current screen sharing and casting techniques between media devices are not user-friendly and only allow content to be shared from a mobile device to a TV, not vice versa, limiting seamless media content transitions between devices.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where a first media player device can transmit an encryption key, such as a handoff token, to a second media player device, allowing the second device to authenticate and play content from a remote media server, enabling seamless content transfer between proximate devices without requiring users to log in or locate the content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If screen sharing or casting techniques are used to share content from mobile device to TV, then content can be transmitted to larger screen, but the technique only works in one direction and is not user-friendly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements bidirectional content sharing by allowing content to be transmitted from TV to mobile device, reversing the traditional unidirectional casting model. The TV can share its displayed content with the mobile device, enabling users to view TV content on their mobile devices when leaving the room.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables a single casting mechanism to serve multiple functions: content can flow from mobile device to TV and vice versa. The TV and mobile device can both act as content sources and content recipients, making the system versatile and adaptable to different usage scenarios.
2Productivity
If user manually logs in and locates content on second device, then content can be accessed on different device, but the process is time-consuming and interrupts viewing experience
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication by establishing trust between devices beforehand. When content sharing is initiated, the receiving device is pre-authenticated through the casting connection, eliminating the need for manual login at the time of content access.
Solution Approach 2:
The casting connection acts as an intermediary that carries both content and authentication information. The handoff token transmitted through this intermediary channel enables automatic authorization, replacing the traditional manual login process.
3Reliability
If casting connection is used for authentication, then secure content transmission is achieved, but the connection must be maintained for content access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication information from the active casting connection and embeds it in a handoff token. This token can be transmitted through other channels (such as NFC or other short-range communications) independent of the casting connection, allowing authentication to occur even when the casting connection is not active.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for handing off media content between proximate display devices are provided. Based on a first media player device currently playing media content from a remote media server receiving a request to hand off the media content to a proximate second media player device, the first media player device may send a handoff token to a second media player device to enable the second media player device to play the media content from the remote media server. The handoff token may include an indication of the media content, an indication of a point within a stream of the media content, and/or credentials associated with the user of the first media player device. The second media player device may send the handoff token to the remote media server, which may send the media content to the second media player device based on verifying the information provided in the handoff token.