Event-Triggered Live Video Pause Feature Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for promoting features or services, such as DVR functionality, face challenges in effectively engaging users without overburdening infrastructure, especially when dealing with on-demand services that require significant resource allocation.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that selectively enables a feature, like Live Television Pause, only upon occurrence of a specific trigger event, such as a Caller ID message, allowing for targeted promotion and reduced infrastructure demands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If a free preview period is offered to promote a service, then customer evaluation and consideration time is extended, but infrastructure resource requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the feature access by creating different access modes: a limited free preview mode for new customers and a full-featured mode for subscribers. The free preview is segmented in time (limited duration) and in functionality (restricted features), allowing promotion without committing to unlimited resource allocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts feature availability and infrastructure allocation based on customer status. New customers receive temporary preview access that automatically expires or converts to full access upon subscription, allowing the infrastructure to scale dynamically with actual paying customers rather than anticipating peak preview demand.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a free preview is made available to many customers simultaneously, then promotional reach is expanded, but service quality deteriorates due to insufficient infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different service levels to different customer groups. Preview customers receive a limited version of the service with restricted features and concurrent user limits, while subscribing customers receive full-service quality. This allows broad promotional reach without compromising service quality for paying customers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a simplified copy of the full service for preview purposes. Rather than providing the complete service infrastructure to all preview users, a reduced-functionality version is deployed, maintaining promotional effectiveness while preserving infrastructure for full-service customers.
3Ease of operation
If DVR functionality is made available to all users, then user convenience is improved, but infrastructure complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal headend-based DVR system that serves multiple functions: it provides recording capabilities to both preview and subscribing customers, manages different access levels, and consolidates infrastructure requirements. This single multi-functional system replaces what would otherwise require separate infrastructure for different customer tiers.
Solution Approach 2:
The headend acts as an intermediary between the recording infrastructure and end users. Rather than requiring complex local DVR hardware at each customer premises, the headend mediates recording operations, storing content centrally and providing access to authorized users, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A cable provider could offer a promotional feature, such as live pause of video, above and beyond a tier of service to which the customer subscribes, limiting the feature to being activated only upon occurrence of one or more events. In a network video delivery context, a set-top box plays live video, including an ability to pause live video upon the occurrence of an event. The system can detect an event, including an event unrelated to video, and prompt a user to pause. The system can include configuration settings enabling, for example, detection of various events, prompting the user to pause live video, and/or automatically pausing the live video. The system enables the user to play a time-shifted video corresponding to resuming the paused video playback. The system can include a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) local to the user, to facilitate the time-shifted video. The system is also compatible with a RS-DVR, where DVR functionality and time-shifted video is provided remotely from a head-end of a network video system. Additionally, the system is compatible with non-DVR network video delivery systems configured to provide live pause.