Wireless Media Device Self-Configuration for Synchronized Playback
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Achieving synchronized and real-time media data playback across multiple wireless devices is challenging due to network latency, jitter, and competition for resources in standard IEEE 802.11 wireless networks, especially when using third-party access points, which makes it difficult to guarantee Quality of Service (QoS) for media streaming.
Innovation Solution
A method for wireless media devices to self-configure and establish a secure, internal private wireless network with optimized parameters for media streaming, using a Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol for mutual authentication and hierarchical identifiers to determine master/slave roles, allowing devices to connect securely and maintain a virtual network for synchronized media playback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If standard IEEE 802.11 wireless network is used, then network coverage and device compatibility are improved, but network latency and jitter increase making synchronized media playback difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wireless network into two distinct segments: a public network for general device compatibility and a private network for synchronized media playback. Devices can switch between these segments based on their operational needs, thereby maintaining both broad compatibility and reliable synchronized playback when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a private wireless network as an intermediary layer between devices that requires mutual authentication and has optimized parameters for media playback. This intermediary network isolates media traffic from the public network, reducing latency and jitter while maintaining device compatibility through the authentication mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If third-party access point is used, then network setup ease is improved, but network parameter control and QoS guarantee become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where wireless devices automatically perform mutual authentication and dynamically establish private network connections without requiring manual configuration of access point parameters. This eliminates the need for complex network parameter control while maintaining ease of setup, as devices autonomously manage their own network relationships.
3Reliability
If secure mutual authentication is implemented, then network security is improved, but configuration complexity and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system operates autonomously without requiring manual user intervention. Devices automatically exchange authentication credentials and establish secure connections through pre-configured credentials or automatic key exchange protocols, thereby maintaining high security while minimizing configuration complexity for end users.
4Reliability
If private wireless network is established, then media streaming quality is improved, but network resource consumption and power usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic network establishment where the private wireless network is created only when media playback synchronization is required, rather than being permanently active. Devices can dynamically switch between public and private networks based on operational context, thereby improving media streaming quality only when needed while reducing overall power consumption during non-media tasks.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method performed by a wireless media device such as a wireless loudspeaker subsystem for configuring and connecting to a media wireless network. The wireless media device first associates to an existing infrastructure based wireless network at a first phase. At a second phase, the wireless media device establishes a secure communications tunnel with a complementary wireless device that has also previously associated to the existing wireless network. Using the secure tunnel, the wireless media device shares with the complementary wireless device data indicative of a set of parameters for a second wireless media wireless network at a third phase. Once this sharing is complete, the wireless media device connects to the second wireless network at a fourth phase.