Television Reception Latency Cohorts for Fair Synchronized Skill Games
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Games of skill synchronized with live or taped television events face latency issues due to systemic propagation delays, arbitrarily imposed delays, and variances in broadcast times, leading to unfair competitive advantages and unsatisfactory user experiences.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that equalize latency differences by grouping participants into cohorts based on their television signal reception paths, determining and adjusting delays through various methodologies, including participant feedback, GPS location determination, and automated signal sampling, to synchronize the receipt of television signals and prevent unfair advantages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If participants are allowed to play games of skill simultaneously across different regions, then user engagement and competition are improved, but latency differences create unfair competitive advantages
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides participants into multiple cohorts based on their television signal reception paths (e.g., satellite, cable, over-the-air). Each cohort is assigned a specific latency compensation value, allowing fair competition within each group while maintaining simultaneous play across all groups. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling broad participation while ensuring fairness within segmented groups.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the timing parameters of game data transmission and lockout signals based on measured latency values for each cohort. By changing transmission timing parameters according to each cohort's specific latency characteristics, the system maintains fair competition conditions while allowing simultaneous gameplay across different regions.
2Reliability
If the system measures and compensates for latency differences, then fairness of competition is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically measures latency values by having participants mark their perceived start times of television events and comparing these against actual broadcast times. The system then autonomously calculates and applies latency compensation without requiring manual configuration or complex user intervention. This self-service approach reduces operational complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors participant responses and adjusts latency compensation values based on feedback from participant timing data. By using feedback loops to refine latency measurements and compensation algorithms, the system improves fairness while managing complexity through adaptive rather than static compensation methods.
3Reliability
If participants are grouped into cohorts based on signal reception paths, then fairness is improved, but measurement and classification complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses television broadcast timing information as an intermediary reference to measure and equalize network latency. By having participants synchronize with the television broadcast clock and using broadcast timing signals as a common reference point, the system simplifies latency measurement and cohort classification without requiring complex direct measurements between all participants.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of and system for handling latency issues encountered in producing real-time entertainment such as games of skill synchronized with live or taped televised events is described herein. There are multiple situations that are dealt with regarding latencies in receiving a television signal with respect to real-time entertainment based on the unfolding games played along with the telecasts. Systemic delays, arbitrarily imposed delays of a broadcast signal and variances in the precise broadcast times of taped television programs have to be equalized so as to provide fair entertainment.