Set-Top Box NAS Auto-Mount via Discovery Protocol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital home solutions, such as set-top boxes, lack the capability to support content sharing across devices without local storage, limiting the sharing of personally-recorded video contents and downloaded media due to their non-professional storage functions.
Innovation Solution
A method for automatically mounting a network attached storage (NAS) device using a digital media player (DMP) by broadcasting discovery messages, parsing configuration responses, and mounting the NAS device, enabling the sharing of personally-recorded video contents and downloaded media across devices without relying on local storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a STB is equipped with local storage capability to support recording and download, then local recording and playback functions can be achieved, but the device complexity increases and the STB loses versatility for other devices in the home network
Solution Approach 1:
The storage function is extracted from the STB and separated into an independent NAS device. The STB retains only its core function of multimedia playback, while the NAS device provides dedicated storage and content sharing services to multiple devices in the home network, resolving the contradiction between local recording capability and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The NAS device serves multiple devices (STB, computer, hand-held terminal) simultaneously, providing universal content sharing services. This allows any device in the home network to access recorded and downloaded contents without requiring each device to have its own storage capability, achieving multi-functionality and versatility
2Device complexity
If a STB without hard disk is used, then the device simplicity and multimedia playback function are maintained, but the capability to support local recording and download is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The NAS device acts as an intermediary between the STB and the content storage function. The STB maintains its simplicity without hard disk, while the NAS device serves as a mediator that provides storage, recording, and sharing services to the STB and other devices in the home network through network connectivity
3Reliability
If manual configuration of NAS device is required, then the mounting process becomes complex and time-consuming, but the system can ensure precise connection
Solution Approach 1:
The STB automatically performs device search, information acquisition, and mounting of the NAS device without requiring manual user configuration. The system uses automatic discovery protocols to find available NAS devices and automatically mounts them, achieving self-service functionality that eliminates manual configuration steps while maintaining reliable connections
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automatic feedback mechanisms where the STB continuously monitors the mounting status of the NAS device. If the NAS device is not mounted or becomes unavailable, the system automatically remounts it, ensuring continuous availability without user intervention and maintaining connection reliability through automated feedback loops
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for mounting a network attached storage (NAS) device, and a corresponding set-top-box (STB) are provided. The corresponding method includes broadcasting, by a STB, in a network a discovery message for searching a NAS device; parsing, by the STB, a configuration response message, which is sent by the NAS device according to the discovery message, and obtaining configuration information of the NAS device; and mounting, by the STB, the NAS device according to the configuration information. Thereby personally-recorded-video-contents or downloaded media contents, where the personally-recorded-video-contents or the downloaded media contents are stored in the NAS device, can be played according to the selection of a user in the case that local data storage is not supported, so as to enable a digital home user to obtain a better user experience.