Custom Series Summaries Based on Shared Viewing History

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current media systems fail to generate dynamic, user-specific summaries for episodes of an ordered series, failing to account for different user preferences and consumption patterns, leading to non-customized summaries for multiple users.

Innovation Solution

A media guidance application determines user consumption histories and user interests to generate customized summaries for unconsumed portions of an ordered series, distinguishing between segments consumed by one user but not the other, and adjusting summary detail based on user-specific criteria.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a pre-created video/audio summary is automatically transmitted to a client device, then the summary is available for consumption, but the summary does not take into account user-specific information and cannot be customized for multiple users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser-specific customizationVSAvoidsummary generation system

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-creates multiple versions of summaries with varying levels of detail before the user needs them. These pre-created summaries are stored and then selectively retrieved based on user-specific consumption patterns, allowing customization without complex real-time generation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system varies the parameter of summary detail level (from detailed to less detailed) based on user consumption patterns. By changing this parameter dynamically, the system provides customized summaries for different users without requiring completely different summary content for each user

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If a summary is generated based on all content preceding an episode, then comprehensive coverage is achieved, but the summary cannot dynamically adjust for different numbers of users and different parts of a series that users have watched

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedynamic adjustment for multiple usersVSAvoidsummary generation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the content into different portions (first portion, second portion, third portion) based on user consumption patterns. Each segment receives appropriate summary detail, allowing dynamic adjustment for multiple users without regenerating the entire summary from scratch

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system generates only the necessary portions of summaries that need customization based on what users have watched. Rather than regenerating complete summaries, it focuses on creating or modifying specific segments that differ between user consumption patterns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS12604071B2System and method for generating a custom summary of unconsumed portions of a series of media assets

Publication Date: 2026.04.14 ADEIA GUIDES INC

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided herein for generating summaries of unconsumed portions of an ordered series of media assets, customized for multiple users. A media guidance application may determine that a given media asset of an ordered series is to be collectively consumed by a first user and a second user. A first portion of an ordered series, that both the first user and the second user have not yet consumed, is identified together with a second portion of the ordered series that the first user has consumed but the second user has not yet consumed. A custom summary including a detailed summary of the first portion (e.g., a two minute summary) and less detailed summary of the second portion (e.g., a one minute summary) is generated.