Content Version Management Server for Seamless Playback Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face challenges in seamlessly switching between different versions of digital content, such as e-books, due to the lack of available versions that precisely match their preferences, requiring manual navigation and disrupting their consumption experience.

Innovation Solution

A content version management server enables synchronization and customization of multiple content versions, allowing users to switch between versions while preserving their progress, by generating mapping information and modifying content to align with user preferences, thus creating a customized playback path that combines portions of various versions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If users manually navigate between different content versions, then they can access multiple versions, but their consumption experience is disrupted and time is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to access multiple content versionsVSAvoidtime lost due to manual navigation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a content version management server as an intermediary between the user and multiple content versions. This server automatically manages version switching, synchronization, and playback coordination, eliminating the need for users to manually navigate between versions while preserving their progress across all versions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing synchronization relationships between content versions and pre-configuring playback paths. When a user wants to switch versions, the system has already prepared the necessary mappings and can seamlessly transition without requiring manual navigation or losing user progress.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If a single content version is provided, then simplicity is maintained, but it cannot precisely match diverse user preferences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of content consumptionVSAvoidability to match user preferences

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic content delivery system where the content version presented to the user is not fixed but can change based on user preferences and progress. The system dynamically selects and switches between different content versions (abridged, unabridged, different formats) while maintaining a unified playback experience, making the system adaptable to diverse user needs without compromising simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters of content delivery by offering multiple versions with different characteristics (length, detail level, format) and automatically selecting the appropriate version based on user preferences. This allows the system to maintain simplicity for the user while adapting to diverse preferences through parameter changes in the background.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple content versions are managed without synchronization, then version diversity is available, but user progress cannot be preserved across versions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveavailability of multiple content versionsVSAvoidpreservation of user progress

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The content version management server implements feedback mechanisms by continuously tracking user progress across different content versions and using this information to maintain synchronization. When a user switches between versions, the system receives feedback about their current position and adjusts the playback of other versions accordingly, ensuring progress is preserved reliably across all versions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates equipotential conditions by establishing synchronization relationships where all content versions are aligned to the same user progress state. This ensures that regardless of which version the user is currently consuming, their progress level is maintained consistently across all versions, making the system reliable for progress preservation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #12Equipotentiality

Data Source

PatentUS9158765B1Managing content versions

Publication Date: 2015.10.13 AUDIBLE INC

AI summary

Items of content may be available in any of a number of versions. Major aspects of each content version, such as overall plot and major characters, may generally overlap. However, minor aspects, such as level of description, minor characters, or sub-plots may vary between versions. Accordingly, systems and methods are provided for managing playback of multiple content versions, and enabling users to switch between such content versions. In some embodiments, a playback path including portions of multiple content versions may be provided, such that a user may consume only desired portions of each content version. In other embodiments, a determined playback path may be utilized to create a customized content version, which may be provided to a user.