Automatic Content Recognition for Seamless Media Resumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current media devices lack the capability to detect interruptions of media programs and resume playback from the exact point of interruption, regardless of the source of the television broadcast.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an automatic content recognition (ACR) system that fingerprints media content, identifies the channel, media program, and location of interruption, and provides a selectable indicator to resume viewing upon return to the channel, allowing seamless continuation of the media program from the original source or a buffered version.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If media devices access broadcast digital content and streaming media, then users can view content from multiple sources, but the devices cannot detect interruptions or resume playback from the exact interruption point
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors media content by comparing fingerprints of current content against a database of known content fingerprints. This feedback mechanism detects when content changes or is interrupted, enabling the system to identify the interruption point and offer resume functionality when the original content is detected again.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-computes and stores fingerprints for media programs in a database before they are broadcast. When content is being viewed, the system continuously compares current content fingerprints against this pre-prepared database, enabling rapid detection of content changes or interruptions without requiring complex real-time analysis.
2Reliability
If the system implements automatic content recognition with fingerprinting, then interruption detection becomes possible, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of implementing complex real-time content analysis, the system creates simplified digital fingerprints (copies) of media content that can be rapidly compared. These fingerprints capture essential content characteristics in a condensed form, enabling reliable content identification without requiring the full complexity of the original content analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-computes content fingerprints and stores them in a database before broadcasting. This preliminary action shifts the computational complexity from real-time operation to offline preparation, allowing the actual content recognition during viewing to use simple comparison operations rather than complex analysis.
3Ease of operation
If the system overlays a selectable indicator to resume viewing, then user convenience is improved, but the interface complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential information needed for resume functionality - the content identifier and interruption timestamp - and presents it through a simple overlay indicator. This extraction approach avoids presenting users with complex content metadata while still providing the necessary resume capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects interruptions, identifies the content and interruption point, and presents the resume option without requiring user initiation. When the user selects the indicator, the system automatically resumes playback from the detected interruption point, eliminating the need for manual navigation or complex user interactions.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a method for employing automatic content recognition to allow resumption of watching interrupted media program from television broadcast. The method includes detecting a viewing cessation of a media program on a channel of a media device. A television broadcaster provides media content including the channel. The channel includes the media program. The method also includes, in response to detecting the viewing cessation of the media program, identifying the channel, the media program, the television broadcaster, and a location of the viewing cessation within the media program. The method further includes detecting a viewing recommencement of the channel of the media device. In response to detecting the viewing recommencement, the method includes overlaying a selectable indicator on the channel. The selectable indicator is configured to receive a selection input to resume viewing of the media program starting at the location of the viewing cessation of the media program.