Digital Display Schedule Templates for Real-Time Slot Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital display scheduling systems for large networks are inflexible, requiring playlist-style schedules that cannot be easily updated without restarting, limiting user ability to review or modify schedules in real-time, and failing to optimize inventory usage or adhere to industry separation codes.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that generates a schedule template defining a display rotation loop, allowing users to review and modify content and scheduling on a network of digital displays in real-time, using a server to manage inventory and content distribution, enabling dynamic slot assignment and adherence to commercial and regulatory criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If playlist-style schedules are used to control digital displays, then content can be delivered to displays, but the schedule cannot be easily updated without restarting the playlist
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static playlist-style schedules to dynamic rule-based schedules that can be modified in real-time. The scheduling system continuously evaluates current time, location, and other parameters against stored rules to generate updated schedules without requiring system restart, enabling adaptive content delivery throughout the display period.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-loads multiple possible schedules and content options into memory before the display period begins. When a schedule update is needed, the system quickly selects from pre-prepared alternatives based on current conditions, enabling rapid schedule changes without real-time computation delays or system restarts.
2Productivity
If rule-based schedules are generated automatically, then inventory usage can be optimized, but users cannot review or modify the generated schedule
Solution Approach 1:
The system generates an initial schedule based on stored rules, then presents it to the user for review. The user can view the generated schedule, provide feedback through the graphical interface, and request modifications. The system processes this feedback and generates updated schedules, creating an iterative refinement process that combines automated optimization with user control.
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical user interface acts as an intermediary between the automated rule-based scheduling system and the user. It translates complex scheduling rules and generated schedules into visual representations that users can understand and modify, while also transmitting user modifications back to the scheduling system for processing.
3Productivity
If centralized server control is used for large networks, then content distribution is efficient, but real-time modifications require resetting the entire playlist
Solution Approach 1:
The scheduling system divides the overall schedule into independent time segments or slots, each governed by specific rules. When a modification is needed, only the affected segment is updated and re-transmitted to relevant displays, rather than resetting the entire playlist. This segmentation enables localized updates while maintaining efficient centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous schedule operation without interruption. When modifications are made, the updated schedule segments are seamlessly integrated into the ongoing display sequence, allowing content delivery to continue uninterrupted while incorporating real-time changes to the schedule.
4Ease of operation
If manual playlist creation is used for each display, then precise control over each display is achieved, but the system is burdensome to maintain for large networks
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal rule-based scheduling engine that serves all displays in the network through a single interface. Instead of requiring separate playlists for each display, the system stores location information and scheduling rules for multiple displays, automatically generating appropriate schedules for each based on its characteristics and current conditions, thereby simplifying network-wide management while maintaining precise display-specific control.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes identifying, by a server, a content location assigned to a first content slot of a schedule template defining a display rotation loop based on multiple content slots. Each of the content slots in the schedule is associated with slot criteria, and the schedule template is associated with a digital display. The server generates schedule data that indicates the display rotation loop, the content location, and the slot criteria. Dynamic content retrievable from the content location is displayable at the digital display at a first time. The first time is based on the first slot criteria of the first content slot. The server transmits the schedule data via a network to the digital display.