Back Channel Communication via XMPP Mediator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Television system operators face difficulties in configuring primary devices to notify secondary devices of operation changes due to proprietary configurations and limited processing or communication capabilities, making it challenging to facilitate back channel communications effectively.
Innovation Solution
A back channel communication system utilizing an Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) server to facilitate messaging between primary devices, such as set-top boxes, and secondary devices, allowing for asynchronous notification of changes without requiring the primary device to be aware of the secondary devices' addresses or processing capabilities, using a bi-directional RF network and headend application server to process and relay messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the primary device is configured to provide notifications to secondary devices, then the notification capability is improved, but the device complexity and configuration difficulty increase due to proprietary configurations and limited processing capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network device as an intermediary between the primary device and secondary devices. The network device receives notifications from the primary device and forwards them to appropriate secondary devices, eliminating the need for the primary device to directly manage complex communication protocols and device addresses. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining notification capability while reducing the configuration burden on the primary device.
2Productivity
If the primary device directly communicates with secondary devices, then the communication efficiency is improved, but the processing demands on the primary device increase beyond its limited capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The network device serves as a mediator that handles the processing-intensive tasks of notification routing and device management. The primary device simply sends notifications to the network device, which then manages the distribution to multiple secondary devices. This approach maintains communication efficiency while offloading processing demands from the resource-constrained primary device to the more capable network device.
Solution Approach 2:
Secondary devices autonomously register with the network device and receive notifications intended for them. The network device maintains a registry of secondary devices and their characteristics, allowing efficient routing without requiring the primary device to query or manage each secondary device individually. This self-service mechanism reduces processing demands on the primary device while maintaining efficient communication.
3Measurement precision
If the primary device is made aware of secondary devices' addresses and capabilities, then the notification accuracy is improved, but the information management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network device acts as an intermediary that manages the registry of secondary devices, including their addresses and capabilities. The primary device sends notifications to the network device without needing to know secondary device details. The network device uses this information to accurately route notifications to the appropriate secondary devices, maintaining notification accuracy while eliminating information management complexity from the primary device.
Solution Approach 2:
Secondary devices automatically register themselves with the network device, providing their addresses and capabilities information. This self-registration mechanism ensures the network device has accurate information for routing notifications while eliminating the burden of information collection and management from the primary device. The network device maintains this registry and uses it for precise notification routing.
Data Source
AI summary
Back channel communications are contemplated. The back channel communications may relate to facilitating signaling from a primary device to one or more secondary devices. One contemplated type of back channel communication may include a service provider carrying the desired signaling to the secondary devices. This may occur without the primary device being aware of the secondary devices and/or without requiring the primary device to identify the secondary devices to the service provider.