Multimedia Content Transcoding for Limited Resource Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Display devices with limited computing resources, such as mobile devices, are unable to render rich multimedia content from SWF files due to insufficient processing power, leading to non-displayable or poorly rendered content.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a thin client to detect non-displayable content and request transcoding services from a multimedia assistance server, converting the content into a format that can be processed by the display device, allowing for the display of multimedia content by decoding transcoded data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rich multimedia content is displayed on mobile devices, then user experience is improved, but device computing resources are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A web server acts as an intermediary between the multimedia content source and the mobile device. The server detects non-displayable content, requests transcoding from a multimedia assistance server, and provides transcoded content to the mobile device. This intermediary system enables rich content display on devices with limited computing resources without requiring the device to directly process complex multimedia formats.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the format parameter of multimedia content through transcoding. Non-displayable content (e.g., SWF files) is converted into displayable formats suitable for mobile devices. This parameter transformation allows the same content to be rendered differently based on device capabilities, resolving the contradiction between content richness and device limitations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If entire websites are reformatted for mobile devices, then compatibility is improved, but storage and processing resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of reformating entire websites, the system extracts only the non-displayable content elements (such as specific multimedia files or objects) from the web page and requests transcoding only for those extracted elements. This selective approach maintains compatibility for mobile devices while avoiding the resource consumption associated with reformating the entire website.
Solution Approach 2:
The web page content is segmented into displayable elements and non-displayable elements. The system processes only the non-displayable segments through transcoding while leaving displayable content unchanged. This segmentation strategy reduces the workload on storage and processing resources while maintaining overall compatibility.
3Ease of operation
If non-displayable content is transcoded, then display capability is improved, but processing time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The web server performs preliminary detection of non-displayable content before the mobile device attempts to render it. By identifying problematic content in advance and requesting transcoding proactively, the system avoids rendering failures and reduces overall processing time compared to attempting to display incompatible content and then correcting the issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where the web server detects non-displayable content, requests transcoding from the multimedia assistance server, and receives transcoded content back. This feedback mechanism ensures that only necessary transcoding operations are performed, optimizing processing time by avoiding unnecessary transformations of already-compatible content.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for displaying multimedia content on a display device is disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method receives a web page comprising multimedia content for display upon a display device and detects non-displayable content within the multimedia content. Upon detecting the non-displayable content, the method requests transcoding for only the non-displayable content and receives multimedia data transcoded from the non-displayable content. The method displays the web page using content decoded from the multimedia data to replace the non-displayable content.