Mobile Voice Search for TV Media Playback Sessions

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Solution Overview

Problem

The inefficiency and user inconvenience of typing search queries on virtual keyboards for media content on devices like TVs, which consumes processing resources and network bandwidth, and the error-prone nature of navigating virtual keyboards, leading to diminished user experience.

Innovation Solution

Utilizing a mobile device's microphone for voice search of media items, enabling search results optimized for TV display, with minimal interaction required on the mobile device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a user manually navigates through media items and adjusts playback settings, then the user can control playback on different devices, but the process becomes time-consuming and complicated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of media playback controlVSAvoidtime for manual navigation and adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-establishes user profiles with stored playback settings and media preferences before playback is needed. When a user initiates playback, the system automatically retrieves and applies these pre-configured settings, eliminating the need for manual navigation through media items and adjustment of playback parameters during the actual playback process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables automatic device selection and playback configuration based on user profiles and device capabilities. The playback system autonomously determines which device to use and applies appropriate settings without requiring user intervention, making the system serve itself in the playback control process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If playback settings are device-specific, then each device can be optimized for its capabilities, but transferring settings between devices becomes complicated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice-specific playback optimizationVSAvoidcomplexity of setting transfer between devices
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates universal user profiles that can be applied across multiple devices with different capabilities. Each profile stores playback settings that are adapted to the specific device being used, allowing the same user profile to universally control different media players, smartphones, or computers while maintaining device-optimized playback parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically adjusts playback parameters based on the target device's capabilities. When transferring settings between devices, the system modifies parameters such as bitrate, resolution, and format to match the receiving device's specifications, enabling seamless adaptation without manual reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If media files are stored locally on each device, then playback can occur without internet connection, but device storage space is consumed and media synchronization becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplayback availability without internetVSAvoiddevice storage space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and stores only essential playback metadata and configuration information locally on each device, while the actual media files remain stored centrally on the media server. This allows the playback system to function with minimal local storage requirements while maintaining the ability to retrieve full media files when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces a media server as an intermediary between the user and media files. The server handles file storage, management, and delivery, allowing users to access their media library across multiple devices without duplicating large media files on each device. The server acts as a shared repository that provides both local caching capabilities and remote access functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3994591B1Mobile-enabled voice search of media items for displaying on alternative playback devices
Publication Date: 2026.05.06 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP3994591B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3994591B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3994591B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method includes detecting a session between a mobile device and an alternative playback device. In response to detecting that the session has been established, the method also includes presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) on a screen of a mobile device of a user including a voice search GUI element representing a voice search, receiving a user selection of the voice search GUI element, receiving an audio input of the user to request a search of one or more media items, the audio input specifying one or more search criteria for the search, and submitting a textual search query derived from the audio input for processing, wherein a result of the search is to be presented to the user on a screen of the alternative playback device.