Coordinated Media Stream Aggregation for Synchronized Viewing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulties in simultaneously watching a primary media stream and engaging with multiple supplemental media platforms, such as social media, news, and chat platforms, due to the cumbersome nature of switching between different platforms.

Innovation Solution

A routing system that determines metadata and broadcast time associated with a primary media stream, retrieves supplemental media from various platforms using user authentication credentials, and merges these into an aggregate supplemental media stream, which is then synchronized with the primary media stream for delivery to the user's device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If users switch between multiple supplemental media platforms manually, then they can access diverse content, but the operation becomes cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to supplemental mediaVSAvoidswitching between platforms

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple supplemental media streams from different platforms (social media, news, chat) into a single aggregated stream that is automatically synchronized with the primary broadcast. This eliminates the need for users to manually switch between platforms while maintaining access to diverse content sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary routing system that automatically retrieves, aggregates, and synchronizes supplemental media from multiple platforms. This mediator handles the complexity of coordinating multiple data sources, freeing users from manual switching operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If users manually monitor multiple platforms for supplemental content, then they can engage with diverse media, but they must spend significant time switching and monitoring

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupplemental media engagementVSAvoidtime for switching and monitoring

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The routing system performs preliminary actions by pre-retrieving and pre-aggregating supplemental media content based on metadata from the primary broadcast before the user needs to engage with it. This eliminates the need for users to manually search and switch between platforms in real-time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous synchronization between the primary broadcast and aggregated supplemental media streams. The supplemental content is continuously updated and synchronized without requiring users to pause or switch between sources, ensuring uninterrupted engagement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the system aggregates supplemental media from multiple platforms, then content diversity is enhanced, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent diversityVSAvoidrouting system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The routing system segments the complex task of aggregating supplemental media by processing it in distinct stages: retrieving content from individual platforms, filtering based on broadcast metadata, aggregating into a unified stream, and synchronizing with the primary broadcast. This segmentation manages complexity through modular processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12206950B2Coordinated primary media stream with supplemental media stream

Publication Date: 2025.01.21 CHARTER COMM OPERATING LLC

AI summary

A request, from an end user device associated with a user, for supplemental media is received. Based on the request, metadata and a broadcast time associated with a primary media stream transmitted to the end user device is determined. Based on the metadata and the broadcast time, supplemental media from an account of the user on a platform is retrieved. A supplemental media stream, that includes the supplemental media, is sent in synchronization with the primary media stream.