Electronic Program Guide Tagging for Navigation Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties navigating through lengthy electronic program guides (EPGs) to find specific television programs due to the lack of effective filtering options, which are often too rigid and require extensive browsing through irrelevant content.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for an electronic program guide that allows users to tag media objects, generating a user navigation list of selected media objects based on tag requests, enabling efficient filtering and navigation of tagged content, including live and recorded audio/video content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional EPG filtering is used, then some subset of scheduling information can be presented, but the filters are too rigid and users still need to navigate through many irrelevant programs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary tagging of programs with multiple descriptive keywords before the user search. Programs are pre-tagged with genre, actor, director, and other metadata tags, so when users search, they immediately see relevant results without navigating through irrelevant content. This preliminary classification action resolves the contradiction by preparing the data structure in advance to enable rapid retrieval.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the filtering parameter from rigid categorical filters to flexible keyword-based tagging. Instead of requiring users to navigate through fixed genre categories, the system allows multiple keyword tags per program and enables flexible combination of tags for filtering. This parameter transformation enables users to quickly find programs by combining multiple criteria without being constrained by rigid filter structures.
2Loss of information
If comprehensive program listings are provided, then all available content is visible, but users must browse through extensive listings to find specific programs
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the comprehensive program information into multiple independent tag categories (genre, actors, directors, keywords, etc.). Each program is divided into discrete tagged elements rather than presented as a single undifferentiated listing. This segmentation allows users to filter and search through specific dimensions without being overwhelmed by the full complexity of all program details, resolving the contradiction between information completeness and navigation simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces keyword tags as an intermediary layer between the comprehensive program database and the user interface. Instead of directly presenting all program listings or requiring complex multi-criteria filters, the tag system acts as a mediator that translates user intent into precise program matches. This intermediary tagging structure maintains complete program information in the database while simplifying user access through intuitive keyword-based navigation.
3Productivity
If rigid filters are used to narrow choices, then the number of programs to review is reduced, but the filters cannot cover all shows users might be interested in
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements universal keyword tagging that serves multiple filtering functions simultaneously. Each program receives multiple tags across different categories (genre, actors, directors, themes, etc.), making the same tag set adaptable to various user preferences and search criteria. This multi-functional tagging system resolves the contradiction by enabling a single flexible framework to handle diverse filtering needs, from genre-based browsing to actor-specific searches, without requiring separate rigid filter structures for each use case.
Data Source
AI summary
Described are computerized methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for providing electronic program guide services. The method includes storing an active media object list identifying media objects in an active state, receiving one or more tag requests identifying one or more programs, and updating a tag list to identify the one or more programs identified by the one or more tag requests. Each of the one or more programs are associated with one or more media objects. The method also includes generating a user navigation list comprising source identifiers of a plurality of selected media objects and a plurality of titles associated with each of the plurality of selected media objects. The plurality of selected media objects are each associated with at least one of the one or more programs identified in the tag list and included in the active media object list.