Media Stream App-Sync Indicators for Companion Device Launching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to synchronize the launching of applications on companion devices with media content being presented on a display, requiring manual user intervention and resource-intensive efforts.
Innovation Solution
A media server machine generates a datastream that includes an app-sync indicator, which synchronizes the launching of an application on a companion device with media content by embedding it within the datastream, allowing the media device to send a launch instruction to the companion device in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual user intervention is used to launch applications on companion devices, then user control is maintained, but user effort and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic application launching on companion devices by embedding launch instructions within the media content datastream. The media device autonomously extracts these instructions and transmits them to companion devices, eliminating the need for manual user intervention while maintaining precise control over application synchronization with media content playback.
Solution Approach 2:
Launch instructions for companion device applications are embedded within the media content datastream in advance. This preliminary embedding allows the media device to automatically retrieve and transmit the appropriate launch instructions at the precise moment when synchronization is needed, without requiring real-time user input or complex runtime decision-making.
2Measurement precision
If real-time synchronization of application launching is implemented, then synchronization precision is improved, but computational resources and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The launch instructions are merged into the existing media content datastream structure. By combining the application launch information with the media content itself, the system achieves precise synchronization timing without requiring separate communication channels or complex coordination protocols between devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The media device serves as an intermediary that automatically extracts launch instructions from the datastream and transmits them to companion devices. This intermediary role simplifies the overall system architecture by centralizing the synchronization logic in one device rather than requiring complex peer-to-peer coordination between multiple devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A media server machine may be configured to provide media content within a datastream. This datastream may be provided to a media device that is configured to present the media content on a display. Also, this datastream may contemporaneously contain an “app-sync indicator” for the media content. The app-sync indicator is a data structure that signals the media device to launch an application on a companion device. By providing the app-sync indicator contemporaneously with the media content in the datastream, the launching of the application on the companion device may be synchronized with the media content. The app-sync indicator may specify the application to be launched. Also, the app-sync indicator may specify supplemental content to be presented by the launched application on the companion device.