Interactive Media Player Synchronization via Self-Correcting Clock

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing content delivery systems require content providers to insert metadata into transport streams, increasing processing overhead, bandwidth consumption, and costs, while users lack control over delivered data and graphics, and these systems are not interactive.

Innovation Solution

Synchronizing content and data with graphics overlays downstream of the content and data providers, using timing metadata and a self-correcting clock to ensure accurate timing across devices, allowing users to select and customize the data and graphics displayed, thereby reducing metadata insertion and providing an interactive experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If content providers insert metadata into transport streams to synchronize content and graphics overlays, then synchronization accuracy is improved, but processing overhead and bandwidth consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization accuracyVSAvoidprocessing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the synchronization function from the content provider's metadata insertion process and relocates it to the user device. The content provider sends only essential timing information in the transport stream, while the user device's media player independently performs the synchronization of content and graphics overlays using this timing information, eliminating the need for extensive metadata insertion by the content provider.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces timing information as an intermediary element that enables synchronization without requiring direct metadata insertion for each graphic overlay. This timing information acts as a mediator that allows the user device to autonomously synchronize content and graphics, reducing the processing burden on content providers while maintaining synchronization accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If content providers insert metadata into transport streams to synchronize content and graphics overlays, then synchronization accuracy is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization accuracyVSAvoidbandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the synchronization function from the content provider's metadata insertion process and relocates it to the user device. The content provider sends only essential timing information in the transport stream, while the user device's media player independently performs the synchronization of content and graphics overlays using this timing information, eliminating the need for extensive metadata insertion by the content provider.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by sending only the essential timing information needed for synchronization rather than complete metadata for every graphic overlay element. This partial information transfer is sufficient for the user device to perform autonomous synchronization, significantly reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining synchronization accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If content providers insert metadata into transport streams to provide synchronized graphics overlays, then synchronization capability is improved, but system complexity and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the synchronization function from the content provider's metadata insertion process and relocates it to the user device. The content provider sends only essential timing information in the transport stream, while the user device's media player independently performs the synchronization of content and graphics overlays using this timing information, eliminating the need for extensive metadata insertion by the content provider.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements self-service by enabling the user device to autonomously synchronize content and graphics overlays using the timing information received in the transport stream. The media player on the user device independently performs the synchronization function without requiring complex metadata processing or coordination from the content provider, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining synchronization capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11025982B2System and method for synchronizing content and data for customized display

Publication Date: 2021.06.01 W S C SPORTS TECH LTD

AI summary

An interactive media player includes an input interface configured to receive a user input signal, a receiver configured to receive content and data from a server, a synchronizer configured to synchronize the content and the data based on timing information and a self-correcting clock of a user device upon which the media player is included, a graphics overlay processor configured to generate information indicative of a graphics overlay based on the data, and a render engine configured to render the graphics overlay indicating the data synchronized to the content for display on a user interface. The data synchronized to the content is selected based on the user input signal.