Dynamic Streaming Slates for Blackout Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing streaming media systems incur high costs and infrastructure requirements to manage blackouts of media programs due to licensing restrictions, leading to inefficient use of resources and lack of informative content for viewers during blackouts, especially with the advent of mobile devices that can move across geographic regions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that determine the current transmission state of a media program based on the device's location and user identifier, terminating the streaming and providing alternative content when a blackout is detected, using an entitlement map to manage streaming rights and offer interactive user interfaces with information and recommendations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If streaming media servers are used to deliver media programs to large audiences, then the media can be delivered continuously with high quality, but the bandwidth requirements and infrastructure costs increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audience into different geographic regions and delivers different content segments (media programs or alternative content) to different regions. This allows the system to optimize bandwidth usage by not delivering blacked-out content to restricted regions, thereby reducing overall bandwidth consumption while maintaining reliable delivery to authorized regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the content parameter being delivered based on geographic location and licensing conditions. When a blackout condition is detected, the system transitions from delivering the primary media program to delivering alternative content (such as news, sports highlights, or promotional material), thereby adapting the delivery parameters to reduce bandwidth waste while maintaining service reliability.
2Ease of operation
If streaming media servers are deployed to support large numbers of concurrent users, then user access is improved, but the infrastructure complexity and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal content delivery system that can deliver multiple types of content (primary media programs, alternative content, news, sports highlights) through the same streaming infrastructure. This multi-functionality allows the system to serve diverse user needs without requiring separate infrastructure for each content type, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining ease of user access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a content selection intermediary that determines whether to deliver the primary media program or alternative content based on geographic location and licensing conditions. This intermediary layer simplifies the infrastructure by centralizing the decision-making logic, eliminating the need for complex regional server deployments, and maintaining simple user access through a unified interface.
3Loss of information
If traditional streaming slates are used during blackouts, then viewers receive notification of the blackout, but transmission costs are not reduced and the content is not informative or interactive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential notification function from the traditional continuous streaming slate and delivers it as discrete alternative content. Instead of maintaining a continuous transmission of blackout notification slates that consume bandwidth, the system delivers targeted alternative content (news, sports highlights, promotions) that inherently communicates the blackout status while providing valuable information, thereby reducing transmission costs while maintaining informative content delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful aspect of blackout transmissions (wasted bandwidth on uninformative slates) into a benefit by delivering valuable alternative content during blackout periods. The alternative content serves dual purposes: it notifies viewers of the blackout condition while simultaneously providing engaging, informative content that justifies the transmission cost and improves user experience.
4Loss of information
If static blackout slates are transmitted during blackouts, then viewers are informed of the blackout status, but the content lacks interactivity and user engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces static blackout slates with dynamic alternative content that adapts to user preferences and contextual information. The system dynamically selects and delivers content such as news, sports highlights, or promotional material based on user profile, geographic location, and current events, thereby providing interactive and engaging content during blackout periods that maintains user interest while conveying the blackout status.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intelligent content selection intermediary that mediates between the blackout notification requirement and user engagement needs. This intermediary analyzes user preferences, device capabilities, and contextual factors to select and deliver appropriate alternative content that is both informative about the blackout and highly engaging, thereby resolving the contradiction between information delivery and interactivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus, and system for presenting a program guide in response to a user request to stream a broadcast subject to a blackout is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system receives a media program request, and if the requested media program is blacked out, provides information from the requesting to device to present a program guide or other information available to the user in lieu of the unavailable streamed media program.