Device-Specific Feature Recommendations for Television Receivers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of digital devices, such as television receivers and automotive systems, often fail to explore all available features and services due to their complexity, leading to a suboptimal user experience (QoE) as they may not be inclined to navigate through multiple screens to access less frequently used functionalities.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where the device monitors user interactions and identifies features accessed fewer than a predetermined threshold, then outputs a user interface that itemizes these features, providing easy access and notifications about available but unused features, thereby enhancing user experience by simplifying access to infrequently used functionalities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the device provides comprehensive features and services, then device functionality and versatility are improved, but device complexity and difficulty of operation increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice functionalityVSAvoidcomplexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the comprehensive feature set into frequently accessed features and infrequently accessed features. The interface is divided into a primary section displaying frequently used features and a secondary section displaying infrequently used features, allowing users to access comprehensive functionality without being overwhelmed by the full complexity of all available features simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary analysis of user access patterns to identify which features are frequently accessed and which are infrequently accessed. This preliminary categorization is done automatically based on monitoring user interactions, allowing the interface to be pre-organized in a way that anticipates user needs and presents relevant features first, reducing the perceived complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the device provides comprehensive features and services, then device functionality is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice functionalityVSAvoidease of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing different interface presentations for different user groups or contexts. Frequently accessed features receive prominent placement and simplified access paths, while infrequently accessed features are placed in secondary sections. This localized optimization ensures that the most commonly used functionality is easily accessible without compromising the availability of comprehensive features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the device monitors and analyzes user interactions, then user experience is improved, but use of energy and processing resources increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser experienceVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements partial monitoring by focusing only on essential interaction data needed for feature categorization, rather than comprehensively tracking all user activities. The system monitors access patterns to distinguish between frequently and infrequently accessed features, but does not require detailed analysis of every interaction, thus reducing processing overhead and energy consumption while still achieving the desired user experience improvement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10904623B2Device-specific feature recommendations

Publication Date: 2021.01.26 ECHOSTAR UKRAINE LLC

AI summary

Device-specific feature recommendations to enhance end-user quality-of-experience. In one example implementation, end-user interactions with a television receiver may be monitored. If it is discovered that one or more convenience or programming features have not been previously accessed, the television receiver itself may instantiate a process to notify an end-user that a number of features or services are in fact available or accessible, and also possibly provide a simplified method or means for access to such features or services.