Interactive Program Guide Using Content Identifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current broadcast technologies do not support interactive communications between recipients and sources related to broadcast content, limiting users' ability to initiate requests for items or services associated with the content they are receiving in real-time.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a content management device capable of receiving content and supplemental data from providers, generating an interactive program guide, and enabling users to initiate requests for activities related to the content using unique content identifiers, allowing real-time interactions such as downloading songs or purchasing concert tickets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional broadcast technology is used, then content delivery is simple and straightforward, but interactive communication between recipients and content sources is not supported
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the broadcast content into multiple components: audio content, supplemental programming data with content identifiers, and guide programming data. This segmentation allows interactive features to be added to specific components without complicating the entire broadcast system, enabling recipients to interact with content identifiers while maintaining simple audio delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
Content identifiers act as intermediaries between the broadcast content and the recipient's device. These identifiers link the audio content to additional information and services without requiring direct complex communication between the broadcast source and the recipient, thus enabling interaction while maintaining system simplicity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If broadcast content is delivered without additional information, then the transmission is simple, but users cannot access related services or purchase items during the broadcast
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts essential interactive elements (content identifiers) from the broadcast stream and delivers them as supplemental programming data. This extraction allows users to access related services and purchase items without transmitting the entire service catalog or product database through the broadcast channel, thus enabling service access while minimizing additional data transmission.
3Ease of operation
If no content identification system is implemented, then the broadcast system remains simple, but users cannot determine if content is already stored on their device
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses content identifiers as digital copies or references to the actual broadcast content. These identifiers allow the recipient's device to check local storage against the broadcast content without transmitting or storing the entire content database, enabling content management capabilities while keeping the tracking mechanism simple and efficient.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for presenting content to a user through a content management device. The method includes receiving at a content management device content from a plurality of content providers. The content management device generates a supplemental programming data from the content providers. The content management device receives guide programming data from a content-independent programming data source. The content management device generates an interactive program guide in response to the supplemental programming data and the guide programming data, the interactive program guide presenting content available to the user.