Graph Database Content Discovery via Node Traversal

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Solution Overview

Problem

The vast and rapidly growing volume of digital content makes it challenging for users to navigate and discover new content, as existing relational and hierarchical database models are inefficient for searching and presenting related content options.

Innovation Solution

A graph database is created by tagging media content files and associating these tags with nodes, connecting them with edges to define relationships, allowing for traversal to identify and present related content recommendations to users based on their interactions and external data sources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If relational or hierarchical database models are used to store and search digital content, then the system structure is simple and easy to implement, but the efficiency of searching and presenting related content deteriorates as the volume of digital content grows

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent search efficiencyVSAvoiddatabase structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the digital content database into a graph structure where content items are divided into nodes and relationships are divided into edges. This segmentation allows for more efficient traversal and querying of related content compared to traditional relational databases, as the graph structure naturally represents semantic relationships between content items.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from traditional one-dimensional relational database tables to a multi-dimensional graph structure where content items exist as nodes in multiple dimensions of relationships. This dimensional change enables simultaneous traversal of multiple relationship types (e.g., genre, director, actor, tags) from a single content node, dramatically improving search efficiency for related content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the volume of digital content increases exponentially to provide more content options, then user content selection diversity improves, but user navigation and content discovery difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent varietyVSAvoidcontent navigation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a graph database traversal system as an intermediary between users and the vast digital content library. This intermediary automatically navigates the complex relationships between content items by traversing the graph structure, presenting related content recommendations without requiring users to manually navigate through vast amounts of content. The system acts as a smart guide that leverages the graph structure to efficiently discover and present relevant content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by analyzing user interactions with recommended content and using this information to refine future recommendations. The graph database traversal can be dynamically adjusted based on user behavior patterns, ensuring that as content variety increases, the navigation experience remains easeful through adaptive, personalized content discovery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If traditional database models are used to identify related content, then implementation is straightforward, but recommendation accuracy deteriorates in large-scale content environments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent recommendation accuracyVSAvoiddigital content volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of how content relationships are stored and queried by transitioning from relational tables to graph structures. This parameter change enables more accurate measurement of content similarity and relevance through graph traversal algorithms that can efficiently calculate relationships across multiple hops in the content graph, significantly improving recommendation accuracy even as content volume increases to billions of items.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10671670B2Graph based content browsing and discovery
Publication Date: 2020.06.02 DISNEY ENTERPRISES INC
  • US10671670B2 patent drawing
  • US10671670B2 patent drawing
  • US10671670B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems and methods for using graph databases to make digital content recommendations are described. A graph database may be associated with tagged digital content. The graph database may include a node for each content tag and edges identifying a relationship between nodes. When a user accesses or searches a digital content item, the graph database may be traversed to identify and present related content recommendations to the user based on the traversed nodes. Node graph traversal may initiate from a root node associated with a tag of content item being presented to a user. Nodes may be searched based on their proximity to the root node as determined by edge connections of the graph. Initially searched nodes may include nodes in the graph database directly connected by edges to the root node. Subsequently searched nodes may include nodes one edge connected removed from the root node, and so forth.