Interactive Broadcast System Dynamic Content Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional television broadcasting and interactive systems fail to provide unique content to viewers, leading to diminished interest and unfair advantages, as pre-recorded programs are broadcast unchanged across time zones and demographics, making competitions unfeasible and potentially reducing interactive game shows to games of chance.

Innovation Solution

Integrating a pool of dynamic content items, such as puzzles, into pre-recorded television programs, allowing different items to be displayed to different viewers through a return channel, ensuring each viewer has a unique experience and preventing unfair advantages by presenting new puzzles during broadcasts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If pre-recorded television programs are broadcast unchanged across multiple time zones and demographics, then broadcasting efficiency and reach are improved, but viewer interest and uniqueness of content deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebroadcasting efficiencyVSAvoidcontent uniqueness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The broadcast content is segmented into a core pre-recorded program and separate dynamic content elements (puzzles, graphics, interactions). This allows the core program to be broadcast efficiently across multiple time zones while dynamic content is selectively added or modified for different viewers based on their preferences, location, or viewing history, thus maintaining both broadcasting efficiency and content uniqueness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transforms static pre-recorded broadcasts into dynamic viewing experiences by overlaying time-varying content elements. Different puzzles, graphics, and interactive elements are dynamically added to the broadcast stream based on viewer characteristics, ensuring each viewer receives customized content while the underlying program remains efficiently broadcastable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of manufacture

If the same pre-recorded program is broadcast to multiple viewers, then production costs are reduced, but viewer engagement and competition fairness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction cost efficiencyVSAvoidcompetition fairness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Different content elements are provided to different viewers based on their individual characteristics. Each viewer receives customized puzzles and content tailored to their preferences, location, or viewing history. This ensures fair competition by preventing viewers from gaining unfair advantages through prior knowledge, while the same core program is efficiently produced and broadcast to all viewers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If interactive content is added to pre-recorded programs, then viewer engagement is improved, but system complexity and implementation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveviewer engagementVSAvoidsystem implementation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A content delivery system acts as an intermediary between the pre-recorded broadcast and the viewer. This intermediary system overlays dynamic content elements onto the broadcast stream, managing the complexity of content integration and delivery. The intermediary handles the technical challenges of synchronizing interactive elements with the pre-recorded program, reducing the implementation burden on individual viewers and devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS7725910B2Interactive broadcast system and method with different content displayed to different viewers

Publication Date: 2010.05.25 SONY CORP TOKYO JAPAN AND SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC

AI summary

In a system and method for providing a television broadcast that displays different content for different viewers, a pool of content items, or particular items from a pool of content items is/are integrated with a signal for a television program. The combined signal is transmitted or broadcast in any suitable way, such as by satellite, antenna, cable, or the like. Once the combined signal has been transmitted, or while the signal is being transmitted, different items from the pool of content items are displayed to different viewers. The items may be displayed to viewers during a broadcast of a pre-recorded television program. Rules may be integrated into the combined signal governing how and when items from the pool of content items are displayed. The rules may also govern which items from the pool of content items are displayed. A return channel may be provided so that a viewer may communicate to a content provider.