Streaming Renderer Switching via Playback Environment Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users face inconvenience when switching media renderers during streaming playback, as they need to manually search for and set up content formats, playback positions, and additional settings on different devices, disrupting the viewing experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that allow seamless switching of media renderers by transmitting playback environment information, including playback position and access information, between clients, enabling the media server to adapt and stream optimized content to the new renderer without interrupting the playback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users manually search and set up content formats and playback settings on a new renderer, then the content can be played on the new device, but the user experience is disrupted and additional time is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically transmitting playback environment information (including playback position, format settings, and configuration data) from the first renderer to the second renderer before the user needs to use the new device. This preliminary data transfer eliminates the need for users to manually search and set up content formats and playback settings on the new renderer, thereby resolving the technical contradiction between ease of operation and time loss during renderer switching.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the streaming connection is terminated and content is searched on the new renderer, then the content can be accessed with optimized format, but continuous playback is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an intermediary mechanism where playback environment information is transmitted from the first renderer to the second renderer, enabling the new device to immediately access optimized content formats without interrupting the streaming connection. This intermediary data transfer allows the content to be accessed with optimized format for the new device while maintaining continuous playback, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and playback duration.
3Ease of operation
If playback environment information is transmitted between clients, then seamless renderer switching is enabled, but additional data transmission is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential playback environment information (such as playback position, format settings, and configuration parameters) from the complete data set and transmits only this extracted subset between renderers. By taking out only the necessary data elements required for seamless renderer switching rather than transmitting all possible data, the system achieves ease of operation while minimizing the quantity of data transmitted, thus resolving the technical contradiction.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method and a device for switching a media renderer to another media renderer while a client performs streaming playback of content of a server are provided. Accordingly, a first client that performs streaming playback of the content transmits playback environment information and a URL of the content to the second client, and the second client transmits the received information and information about features of the second client to the server and requests the corresponding content which has the optimized format for the second client from the server. Therefore, a user can continue to watch the media content through a new media renderer in existing playback environment setting without additional manipulation.