Event Table Search Window for Satellite TV Content
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current content search methods in satellite television, such as program guides and keyword searches, are inefficient due to limited processing resources and the vast amount of available content, making it time-consuming for users to find desirable programming.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that generates an event table with event objects and container object identifiers, forms a search window based on content type, and searches for event objects within the table by comparing event times, allowing for rapid content data retrieval and display on user devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If keyword search is used to find content, then users can search by content description, but searching takes a significant amount of time due to sorting through all available content entries
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-generates an event table with event objects containing event times and container object identifiers before the search is executed. This preliminary organization of content data by time allows the search to quickly filter events within a search window without sorting through all content entries, significantly reducing search time while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The content database is segmented into discrete event objects with specific time attributes. By dividing the content into time-based segments (events) rather than treating it as a monolithic collection, the system can efficiently search only relevant time windows instead of processing all content, thus reducing search time while preserving search functionality
2Loss of information
If all available content is processed for search, then comprehensive search results are obtained, but the limited processing resources in set top boxes are overwhelmed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential elements needed for searching (event time and container object identifier) and places them in a separate event table. This extraction allows the search process to work with a lightweight, efficiently structured dataset rather than processing all content data, maintaining search completeness while dramatically improving processing speed on limited resources
Solution Approach 2:
The event table is pre-generated and organized before the search operation. This preliminary action prepares the data in an optimal structure for quick querying, allowing the set top box to perform fast searches without the computational burden of processing all content during the search operation, thus balancing completeness with processing capability
3Loss of information
If a program guide displays all content, then users have access to complete content information, but the limited screen space makes navigation slow and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds a time dimension to content display by organizing content into time-based event objects with start and stop times. This dimensional change allows the program guide to efficiently navigate and display content chronologically, enabling users to find content faster by time rather than scrolling through limited screen space, thus reducing navigation time while maintaining information availability
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for searching using a user device that includes a memory and an event table formation module forming an event table in the memory having event objects comprising an event time and container object identifier for each program event. The user device includes a user interface that generates search criteria associated with a content type. A search module forms a search window based on the content type, searches for event objects within the event table by comparing the event time and the search window, determines content data based from the container object associated with the event object, and displays content data on a display associated with the user device.