Ebook Supplemental Content Filtering via Manifest Metadata

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic book devices lack a mechanism to seamlessly link and provide relevant supplemental content, making it difficult for readers to find and access additional media related to the book they are reading, such as movie adaptations, reviews, or other related content.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that allows users to select text in an ebook, parse keywords, and use metadata from the ebook file to generate a query for supplemental content, which is then retrieved from a media guidance application, filtering results based on title, chapter, and user preferences to display relevant supplemental content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a user performs a search for supplemental content related to ebook text, then the user can find additional related content, but the search results may be voluminous or irrelevant

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequantity of supplemental contentVSAvoidrelevance of search results

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the supplemental content search results by organizing them into different categories (e.g., video content, audio content, web content, purchased content, borrowed content). This segmentation allows the system to present a large quantity of content while maintaining relevance through structured organization and filtering mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary filtering system that acts between the user's search query and the supplemental content results. This intermediary processes the search results using multiple criteria (content type, availability, user preferences) to filter and rank results, ensuring that voluminous content is presented in a relevant and manageable manner.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the ebook device provides mechanisms for linking text with other related content, then the reading experience is enhanced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to link ebook text with supplemental contentVSAvoidcomplexity of content linking mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal content access mechanism that handles multiple types of supplemental content (video, audio, web, purchased, borrowed) through a single integrated system. This multi-functional approach enhances adaptability while managing complexity by providing a unified interface and consistent processing logic across different content types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs self-service mechanisms where the ebook device automatically manages content linking, filtering, and retrieval without requiring complex manual configuration. The device autonomously processes search queries, filters results based on available content types, and presents relevant supplemental content, thereby enhancing versatility while minimizing the complexity burden on the user.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If the system filters search results based on multiple criteria (title, chapter, user preferences), then the relevance of supplemental content is improved, but the processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverelevance of supplemental contentVSAvoidprocessing time for filtering results

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-organizing supplemental content into categorized groups (video, audio, web, purchased, borrowed) and pre-establishing filtering criteria. This preliminary structuring allows the system to quickly filter results based on multiple criteria without performing complex real-time analysis, thereby improving relevance while minimizing processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If the ebook interface includes selectable options for supplemental content, then the ease of accessing related content is improved, but the interface complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of accessing supplemental contentVSAvoidcomplexity of ebook interface

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing context-specific access options within the ebook interface. Instead of a uniform complex menu system, the interface presents relevant supplemental content options locally at or near the specific text passages that trigger them. This localized approach improves ease of operation by making content access intuitive and context-relevant while avoiding the need for a globally complex interface structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10909193B2Systems and methods for filtering supplemental content for an electronic book

Publication Date: 2021.02.02 ADEIA GUIDES INC

AI summary

Supplemental content related to an electronic book may be obtained by creating a search query using a keyword in selected text of the electronic book. The results of the search may be filtered to refine the result list using details about the electronic book obtained from a manifest file for the electronic book, including the location of the selected text.