Contextual Message Delivery in Streaming Media
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing trend of streaming media over the internet has led to viewers watching content at different times, often isolating them from family or friends who may want to watch the same shows or movies together, as existing technologies lack a mechanism to provide contextual messages or interactions during media consumption.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for providing contextual messages during media playback, where a computing device streams media content and allows users to create and send contextual messages to other devices at specific points in the content, using software modules for message creation, delivery, and rule-based display, compatible with various streaming services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users stream media content at different times individually, then convenience of individual viewing is improved, but social interaction and shared viewing experience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces contextual messages as an intermediary element that bridges individual viewers. These messages are delivered at specific points in the media content and enable social interaction without requiring synchronized viewing. The messages act as a mediator between viewers who are consuming content at different times, allowing them to share reactions and comments while maintaining the convenience of individual streaming schedules.
2Adaptability or versatility
If contextual messages are provided during media playback, then social interaction is improved, but risk of content spoilers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining specific points in the media content where contextual messages can be delivered. These points are selected in advance to ensure they occur after critical plot points have already been revealed, thereby preventing spoilers. The system proactively identifies safe message delivery points before the user views the content, eliminating the need for real-time judgment about spoiler risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system monitors the playback position of media content and dynamically determines when to deliver contextual messages based on this feedback. The system adjusts message delivery timing according to the user's viewing progress, ensuring messages are only provided at appropriate points that do not risk spoiling upcoming content. This feedback loop allows the system to adapt to individual viewing patterns while maintaining spoiler prevention.
3Adaptability or versatility
If real-time synchronized viewing is required for social interaction, then shared viewing experience is improved, but flexibility of individual viewing schedules deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the social viewing experience from the time dimension (requiring synchronized viewing) to the content dimension (using contextual messages tied to specific points in the media). By adding the dimension of contextual message delivery at predetermined points, the system decouples social interaction from temporal synchronization, allowing users to engage with each other's viewing experiences at their own pace while maintaining schedule flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a system including a memory and a processor configured to stream a media content for playback to a first media device for viewing by a first user, receive, while streaming the media content, an input from the first media device indicating an insertion point in the media content selected by the first user for inserting a contextual message provided by the first user, receive the contextual message from the first media device, stream the media content for playback to a second media device for viewing by a second user, and deliver the contextual message to the second media device for viewing by the second user when streaming the media content to the second media device reaches the insertion point.