Synchronizing Broadcast Timeline Metadata via Content Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pay TV users face challenges in accessing consistent and high-quality timeline metadata across different instances of content, whether watched live or recorded, due to varying ad patterns and promotional materials across channels and services.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for synchronizing timeline metadata between different instances of a content item using a synchronizing processor that determines a synchronization point by matching synchronization information, allowing for the transmission of previously aggregated metadata to client devices, ensuring continuous access to growing metadata.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If timeline metadata is aggregated from multiple broadcast instances, then the quantity and quality of metadata improves, but the complexity of synchronizing metadata across different instances increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by aggregating and storing timeline metadata from multiple broadcast instances in advance. The metadata is collected, synchronized, and stored in a database before being needed, allowing the system to quickly retrieve and deliver comprehensive metadata without performing complex synchronization operations in real-time during playback.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary component - a centralized database and metadata aggregation service - that mediates between multiple broadcast instances and the client device. This intermediary handles the complex task of collecting, synchronizing, and storing metadata from various sources, presenting a unified interface to the client device and eliminating the need for the device to perform complex synchronization itself.
2Reliability
If metadata is synchronized from earlier broadcasts, then the quality of viewing experience improves, but the time required to synchronize and transmit metadata increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary synchronization and aggregation of metadata from multiple broadcast instances in advance, storing it in a ready-to-deliver state. When a client device requests metadata for a specific broadcast instance, the system can immediately retrieve and transmit the pre-synchronized metadata without performing time-consuming synchronization operations in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates and stores copies of timeline metadata from multiple broadcast instances in a centralized database. These pre-copied metadata records can be quickly retrieved and transmitted to client devices without requiring real-time access to or synchronization with the original broadcast sources, significantly reducing transmission time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If ad patterns and promotional materials vary across channels, then the adaptability of content delivery improves, but the difficulty of matching and synchronizing metadata across instances increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the content into distinct components - separating the core program content from variable elements like advertisements and promotional materials. By identifying and matching only the stable, invariant segments of content across different broadcast instances, the system can synchronize metadata effectively while accommodating the adaptability needed for different regional ad patterns and promotional content.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different matching strategies to different parts of the content. Stable, invariant segments (such as program content, scene transitions, and key events) are used for precise metadata synchronization, while variable segments (advertisements and promotions) are either excluded from matching or handled with more flexible, region-specific matching rules, allowing local adaptation without compromising overall synchronization accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
In one embodiment, a first content item having synchronization information, the first content item being a first instance of a reference content item, a candidate content item, which is a second instance of the reference content item, having synchronization information, a synchronizing processor which determines a synchronization point between the first content item and the candidate content item, on the basis of matching the synchronization information of the first content item and the candidate content item, a timeline metadata transmitter, which transmits stored timeline metadata to a device on which the first content item is playing, the transmission of the stored timeline metadata beginning from the synchronization point, wherein the stored timeline metadata includes timeline metadata that has been previously aggregated from earlier broadcasts of instances of the reference content item. Related systems, apparatus, and methods are also described.