Multicast Media Synchronization via Master Player Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for synchronizing media content display across multiple devices in a geographical area are complex, costly, and lack flexibility, particularly when adding new media players or dealing with network failures.

Innovation Solution

A method where a server transmits configuration data and media content to media players, selects a master player to send a multicast media stream, allowing synchronized display without complex synchronization techniques, enabling easy scaling and flexibility by using a multicast address and entry port, and allowing for immediate display triggering and seamless addition or replacement of media players.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If clock synchronization techniques are used to synchronize media content display across multiple devices, then synchronization accuracy is improved, but system complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that distributes media content to a selected media player, which then acts as a time source for other players. This mediator approach achieves synchronization without requiring complex clock synchronization between all devices, reducing system complexity while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having all media players synchronize their clocks to a central time source (traditional approach), the patent inverts the approach by having one media player receive content directly from the server and use its clock as the reference for distributing synchronized content to other players. This reduces the synchronization burden on the overall system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If complex synchronization techniques with central entities are implemented, then synchronization reliability is improved, but adaptability and ease of scaling deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization reliabilityVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the synchronization function by selecting one media player as a local time source rather than relying on a central entity for all synchronization. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability through the selected player's clock while improving adaptability, as new players can join by simply receiving the multicast stream without complex integration with central entities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The selected media player serves itself as a time source for the network, providing synchronization services to other players without requiring continuous intervention from a central entity. This self-service approach enhances both reliability (local autonomy) and adaptability (easy addition of new players).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If media content data is transmitted to all media players, then display flexibility is improved, but network overhead and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay flexibilityVSAvoidnetwork overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the media content distribution function by sending content data only to a selected media player rather than to all players. This selected player then distributes the content via multicast stream to the network. This extraction approach maintains display flexibility while significantly reducing network overhead and processing requirements for other players.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Speed

If real-time processing of media content is performed by each media player, then display speed is improved, but processing load and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay speedVSAvoidprocessing energy

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the heavy processing function of media content decoding and preparation into a single selected media player that receives the content directly from the server. Other players only need to perform light processing on the received multicast stream, significantly reducing their processing load and energy consumption while maintaining real-time display capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11589133B2Media content display synchronization on multiple devices

Publication Date: 2023.02.21 S A VITEC

AI summary

A method for displaying media content on devices respectively linked to media players from a group of media players. The method includes the acts of: transmitting to the media players configuration data including data; transmitting data corresponding to the media content to at least one of the media players; transmitting to the media players data corresponding to a multicast address and to an entry port; selecting by the server a master media player among the at least one media player which received the data corresponding to the media content; sending by the master media player a multicast media stream using the multicast address and the entry port, the multicast media stream being obtained by the master media player from the data corresponding to the media content.