OTA Integration Module for Seamless Broadcast and Streaming Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face inefficiency when switching between over-the-air (OTA) and over-the-top (OTT) streaming services, as they need to change devices or systems, making it cumbersome to access both types of programming simultaneously.

Innovation Solution

An integrated OTA viewing system with a streaming media player device that includes a wireless network interface, video output interface, and an OTA integration module, which provides a standardized set of APIs to request and receive OTA television channels from various tuner devices, allowing seamless switching and presentation of both OTA and OTT content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a user switches between OTA programming and OTT programming, then the user can access different types of content, but the user needs to change the receiving system which makes the process cumbersome and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent access capabilityVSAvoidsystem switching operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines OTA and OTT receiving capabilities into a single integrated system. The media player device includes both an OTA tuner module for receiving broadcast television channels and an OTT application for accessing streaming content, allowing users to access both types of programming without switching devices or systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The media player device is designed with multi-functionality to handle both OTA and OTT content reception and playback. The device can simultaneously support broadcast television channels via antenna and streaming media via network connection, providing universal content access through one device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple OTA tuner devices with different types are used, then the system can receive more channels, but the complexity of integrating different tuner types increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetuner device compatibilityVSAvoidintegration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an OTA integration module as an intermediary layer between the media presentation application and multiple OTA tuner devices. This module provides a standardized set of APIs that abstract away the differences between various tuner types, allowing the system to work with multiple tuner devices without increasing integration complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The OTA integration module is designed with universal functionality to work with different types of OTA tuner devices through a common interface. It provides standardized APIs that can interface with various tuner implementations, enabling multi-device support without requiring separate integration code for each tuner type.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11469842B2Over-the-air programming integration with over the top streaming services

Publication Date: 2022.10.11 SLING MEDIA INC

AI summary

Various arrangements for integrating over-the-air (OTA) television programming with streaming media are presented. An OTA integration module may request, from an OTA tuner, a stream of an OTA television channel, wherein the OTA television channel is broadcast over a geographic region on the VHF band or UHF band. The OTA integration module may receive, from the OTA tuner, the stream of the OTA television channel. The OTA integration module may provide, to a media presentation application, the stream of the OTA television channel. The media presentation application executed by the streaming media player device may output the steam of the OTA television channel for presentation.