Geographic Enforcement Entity for Content Delivery

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current content distribution networks lack a mechanism to deliver geographically relevant content to IP-enabled mobile devices, as they are not physically tied to specific localities and fail to enforce geographic restrictions effectively.

Innovation Solution

A system that delivers geographically relevant content by obtaining and packaging content versions with geographic-specific triggers, using geographic context information from client devices to provide appropriate content, and enforcing blackout restrictions through a geographic enforcement entity within a managed content distribution network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If content distribution networks deliver content to IP-enabled mobile devices across a broad network footprint, then content accessibility and network coverage are improved, but the ability to enforce geographic restrictions and deliver geographically relevant content deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork coverage areaVSAvoidgeographic restriction enforcement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a geographic enforcement entity as an intermediary component within the content distribution network. This entity receives geographic context information from client devices, determines appropriate geographic restrictions, and enforces them by selecting which content versions to deliver. The intermediary bridges the gap between broad network coverage and precise geographic restriction enforcement by adding a specialized function that operates independently of the network's physical footprint.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent packages content in multiple geographic-specific versions, each tailored to particular locations or regions. Instead of delivering a single universal content version across the entire network footprint, the system provides locally optimized content variants that respect geographic restrictions. This allows the network to maintain broad coverage while ensuring each user receives content appropriate to their specific geographic context.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If the system packages and delivers multiple geographic-specific content versions, then geographic restriction enforcement is improved, but content delivery complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegeographic restriction enforcement precisionVSAvoidcontent packaging and delivery system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments content into multiple geographic-specific versions, each packaged with relevant geographic metadata and triggers. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by dividing content into discrete, location-specific units rather than attempting to manage a single complex universal version. The geographic enforcement entity can then selectively assemble appropriate segments based on user location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary packaging of content in multiple geographic versions in advance, with geographic triggers and metadata embedded during the packaging phase. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex real-time content generation or modification, as the geographic enforcement entity only needs to select from pre-packaged versions based on received geographic context information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If the system obtains geographic context information from client devices, then delivery of geographically relevant content is improved, but information processing requirements and system overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegeographic relevance information accuracyVSAvoidinformation processing energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential geographic context information needed for enforcement from client devices, rather than processing all possible device data. The geographic enforcement entity identifies and extracts specific geographic identifiers or location data, discarding unnecessary information. This extraction approach maintains accurate geographic relevance determination while minimizing processing overhead and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11323539B2Apparatus and methods for ensuring delivery of geographically relevant content

Publication Date: 2022.05.03 TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC

AI summary

Apparatus and methods for ensuring delivery of geographically relevant content to IP-enabled user devices associated with a content distribution network. In one embodiment, the network (or designated content source) determines a geographic context or location of the user device, and uses this information to manage the packaging and delivery of content thereto so as to obey blackout restrictions and/or provide content which is relevant to the geographic context/location. In one variant, the user device comprises a mobile device such as a tablet computer or smartphone, and the content is delivered thereto over either a managed or unmanaged network infrastructure.