Mobile TV Playback Control Without On-Screen Browser Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Controlling and viewing web media on a television from a distance is challenging, as it often interferes with normal viewing and requires difficult manual interaction with a web browser.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows a personal computing device to control a display device remotely through a server system, enabling content selection, playback control, and media player management across different devices using transmission codes and universal adapters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a web browser is used to control television content playback, then content selection and playback control are enabled, but the operation becomes difficult when the viewer is positioned at a distance from the television
Solution Approach 1:
A mobile device serves as an intermediary controller between the user and the television system. The mobile device transmits control commands (play, pause, stop, next, previous) to the television via wireless communication, enabling distance control without requiring the user to be near the television or manually interact with the web browser on the television screen.
2Ease of operation
If a wireless device is used to control the television from a distance, then remote control is enabled, but it interferes with normal television program viewing by other persons
Solution Approach 1:
The control interface is extracted from the television display and relocated to the mobile device screen. Users interact with playback controls on their mobile devices rather than on the television screen, allowing the television display to remain dedicated to content presentation without overlaying browser controls that would interfere with viewing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the control function from the display function. The mobile device handles all user interaction and control commands, while the television focuses solely on content playback. This segmentation allows multiple users to view content on the television without being disturbed by control interface elements.
3Area of stationary object
If web media is played on a television connected to a computer, then television display capability is utilized, but manual interaction with the web browser becomes difficult from a distance
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device acts as a remote control intermediary, receiving user input and transmitting playback commands to the television system. This eliminates the need for users to manually interact with the web browser interface on the television screen, making operation feasible from a distance while preserving the large display advantage.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling playback of various types of content includes a first computing device that provides a unique identifier to a second computing device to establish an association there between. By virtue of the established association, the second computing device can send one or more messages to the first computing device, the one or more messages referencing a piece of content associated with a first media playing element of a plurality of media playing elements, and one or more commands corresponding to the first media playing element. The first computing device can select the first media playing element based on the received one or more messages, and control how the first media playing element plays the referenced piece of content utilizing the one or more commands.