Content Availability Notification System for EPG Scheduling Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in accessing content of interest that is not available for current or future presentation as indicated by their electronic program guide (EPG), such as missed episodes or unavailable movies, due to the limitations of the EPG in providing scheduling information beyond its predefined period.
Innovation Solution
A content availability notification system that allows users to request notifications for specific content, searches current EPG information, monitors a content database for availability, and generates reminders when the content becomes available, enabling users to be informed of scheduled presentation times and sources, and even automatically records or tunes to the content when available.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the EPG provides content schedule information for a future predefined time period, then users can plan their content viewing, but users cannot access content of interest that is not available within the EPG time period
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring content databases for the availability of user-requested content before users check the EPG. When content becomes available, the system proactively generates notifications to inform users, eliminating the need for users to manually check beyond the EPG time period.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by establishing a request-notification loop: users submit content availability requests, the system monitors databases for availability changes, and automatically sends notifications when content becomes available. This closed-loop feedback extends EPG functionality beyond its predefined time period.
2Reliability
If the EPG displays scheduled content information, then users can identify available content, but users miss content that is not scheduled or re-presented
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by automatically monitoring content databases for the availability of user-requested content without requiring user intervention. The automated notification system serves users proactively, reducing the time and effort users spend searching for content availability information.
3Ease of operation
If users manually search for content availability beyond EPG, then they may find unavailable content, but this increases user effort and time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system acts as an intermediary between users and content databases by automatically querying and monitoring content availability. This intermediary service shields users from the complexity of manual searching across multiple databases, providing a simple request-notification interface that saves user time and effort.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are operable to notify a user of content availability. An exemplary embodiment receives a content availability notification request that specifies at least one content of interest, searches current electronic program guide (EPG) information to identify the content of interest, determines that the information identifying the specified content of interest is unavailable based upon the search of the current EPG information, generates a content availability reminder that is associated with the specified content of interest, monitors a content database to determine an availability of the specified content of interest identified in the content availability reminder, determines that the specified content of interest is available when the monitored content database indicates availability of the specified content of interest, and generates a content availability reminder notification that indicates at least a title of the specified content of interest.