Display Playback Control for Refund-Aware Cross-Device Viewing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing display devices lack the ability to determine whether purchased content is refundable and control playback accordingly, leading to inefficiencies in content management and increased network traffic due to frequent server communication.

Innovation Solution

A display device equipped with a processor that determines refund eligibility based on playback time and manages content playback, storing relevant information locally and communicating with a control server only at specific intervals, reducing network traffic and enabling seamless playback across devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the display device frequently communicates with the server to check refund eligibility and update playback information, then the accuracy of refund determination is improved, but network traffic increases and server load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverefund eligibility determination accuracyVSAvoidnetwork traffic
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The display device determines refund eligibility in advance by checking playback time against the refund threshold before content is fully downloaded or played. This preliminary determination prevents unnecessary server communications during playback, reducing network traffic while maintaining accurate refund status

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The display device creates a local copy of the refund determination logic and playback time tracking functionality. Instead of constantly querying the server, the device independently calculates refund eligibility based on locally stored playback information, eliminating the need for frequent network communications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If the display device stores detailed playback information locally, then playback resumption across devices is enabled, but device storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplayback resumption capabilityVSAvoiddevice storage
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential playback information (playback time, content identifier, refund status) needed for cross-device resumption, storing only these critical data points locally rather than complete playback histories. This minimal extraction enables playback continuation while conserving device storage space

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If the system checks refund eligibility continuously during playback, then accurate refund status is maintained, but processing overhead and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverefund status accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous monitoring, the system performs refund eligibility checks periodically at predetermined intervals during playback (e.g., every 15 minutes or at scene transitions). This periodic approach maintains adequate refund status accuracy while significantly reducing processor activity and power consumption compared to continuous checking

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP4687346A1Display device controlling content playback
Publication Date: 2026.02.04 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP4687346A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4687346A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4687346A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A display device includes a user input interface through which a playback request for specific content is received from a remote control device, a processor that acquires a content identifier (ID) for the specific content, the previous accumulated playback time for the specific content, and the playback point in time for the specific content based on the playback request, and a display that is configured in such a manner that the specific content is displayed on the display. The processor determines whether or not the purchase of the specific content is refundable. When it is determined that the purchase of the specific content is refundable, the processor stores the accumulated playback time and the current playback point in time at a specific interval of time.