Guest Device Content Tracking via Wireless Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing content delivery systems fail to accurately track and update viewing histories for guests consuming content on devices associated with host subscribers, leading to incomplete or inaccurate records of content consumption, which can result in misinformed recommendations and user experience issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a tracking engine within interactive content guidance applications that enables devices to share data wirelessly, allowing guest devices to discover and communicate with host devices to update viewing histories securely and efficiently, even when the guest is not logged in, using protocols like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, ensuring accurate progress tracking and profile updates across multiple subscription services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If content consumption is tracked only on devices associated with subscriber accounts, then data security and account privacy are maintained, but viewing histories become incomplete and recommendations are less accurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a content consumption tracking system that acts as an intermediary between guest devices and content delivery systems. This mediator captures consumption data from guest devices without requiring full account integration, thereby maintaining system security while improving tracking accuracy. The intermediary component bridges the gap between restricted account-based tracking and open guest device tracking.
2Ease of operation
If guest devices can access and update viewing histories without logging in, then user experience is improved and viewing histories become complete, but data privacy and security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by applying different access control policies to different devices. Guest devices are granted limited, specific permissions to update viewing histories for consumed content without obtaining full account access. This selective authorization approach enables easy tracking for guests while maintaining security boundaries, allowing each device type to have appropriate access levels tailored to its specific needs.
3Measurement precision
If manual labeling of content as watched is required, then data accuracy can be maintained, but user convenience decreases and time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables viewing history tracking to operate autonomously through automated detection mechanisms. The system automatically detects when content is consumed on guest devices and updates viewing histories without requiring manual user intervention. This self-service approach maintains measurement precision through automated verification while eliminating the time loss associated with manual labeling, allowing the system to handle updates independently and efficiently.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are described for tracking content consumed by a guest subscriber consuming content with a host subscriber. A host device accessing content transmits a discovery request to identify nearby devices. A guest device in the vicinity receives the discovery request and transmits a response to the host device. As content is played back on the host device, the guest device may receive a content identifier and a progress time from the host device. Using the content identifier and the progress time, a guest device may transmit a request to a server to update a viewing history or subscriber profile associated with the guest subscriber and/or device. A guest subscriber may later resume a program or series from where the content was left on his or her own home or mobile device(s). Communications between a host device and guest device may be direct or via network server and may be secured as private.