Content Rating Filter for Mobile Device Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for filtering content on handheld devices are insufficient in protecting users, particularly children, from objectionable content as they only block downloads and use but not visibility of applications or content with inappropriate maturity levels or information sharing features.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that restricts access to content elements by identifying and blocking content descriptors for elements with ratings outside a specified range, ensuring only content within the acceptable range is displayed and accessible to device users, thereby preventing exposure to inappropriate material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If content descriptors for all content elements are transmitted to the device, then device users can see and choose from all available content, but users are exposed to objectionable content with inappropriate maturity levels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent availabilityVSAvoidexposure to objectionable content

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The content server performs preliminary filtering of content descriptors before transmission to the device. The server identifies content elements with ratings within the acceptable range and transmits only those descriptors to the device, preventing exposure to objectionable content before it reaches the user interface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The content server acts as an intermediary between the content repository and the device. It mediates the transmission by filtering content descriptors based on rating criteria, allowing the device to display only appropriate content while maintaining access to the full content library through the server's filtering mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If content descriptors for content elements outside the rating range are blocked, then users are protected from inappropriate content, but users lose access to potentially appropriate content that could be filtered by device-level controls

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from inappropriate contentVSAvoidcontent access flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary filtering at the server level to ensure only content within the acceptable rating range is transmitted to the device. This preliminary action establishes a safe baseline while allowing device-level filters to provide additional layers of protection and customization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows dynamic adjustment of content rating ranges through device-level controls. Users can modify the acceptable rating range based on their preferences and needs, enabling flexible content access while maintaining protection from inappropriate material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the system filters content at the server level before transmission, then protection from inappropriate content is enhanced, but network bandwidth and server processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent filtering effectivenessVSAvoidnetwork and processing resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the necessary content descriptors (titles, ratings, brief descriptions) from the full content elements and transmits only these filtered descriptors to the device. This extraction approach provides effective filtering while minimizing network bandwidth consumption and server processing requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates and transmits simplified copies of content information (descriptors) rather than full content elements. These lightweight copies contain essential filtering information while consuming minimal network resources, with full content available on-demand for approved elements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS9756395B1Content rating and control

Publication Date: 2017.09.05 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods are disclosed for restricting access to content elements with content ratings. In one method, the content distributor can receive a request from a device to access a set of content elements. The content distributor can then identify at least a content descriptor and a content rating for each content element within the set of content elements, identify a range within the content ratings, and identify content elements with content ratings that are within the range. The content distributor can transmit at least the content descriptors for content elements having content ratings that are within the range to the device for display on the device. This permits a device user to access the content elements by content descriptor. In this method, at least some content descriptors for content elements having content ratings that are outside of the range are not transmitted to the device.