Media Asset Access Motivated by Channel Tuning Duration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media guidance systems fail to effectively motivate viewers to watch television channels for extended periods while preserving the entertainment value, as they often require users to continuously view multiple advertisements, which is less desirable than intermittent commercial breaks, and lack a mechanism to provide effective advertising without disrupting the viewing experience.
Innovation Solution
Systems and methods that provide media assets concurrently with television programming, dividing them into portions to fit available bandwidth and requiring users to stay tuned to a channel for a predetermined time to access these assets, thereby increasing the value of advertisements for advertisers while maintaining the viewing experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If users are required to continuously view multiple advertisements to access media content, then the value of advertisements to advertisers is improved, but the entertainment value of the television viewing experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the advertising experience from the content access requirement. Instead of requiring continuous advertisement viewing, the system divides access into segments based on channel tuning duration. Users receive different levels of media asset access (full access vs. partial access) based on whether they remained tuned for the complete program duration or only part of it, thereby maintaining advertising value while preserving viewing experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by providing media assets to users in advance of their actual consumption need. Media assets are made available for download or streaming before users would naturally want to access them, based on the prediction that users who tune in for entertainment may want related content. This preliminary provision of content removes the need for continuous advertisement viewing as a barrier to access.
2Quantity of substance
If users are forced to view advertisements intermittently during commercial breaks, then the advertising value is improved, but the user motivation to stay tuned deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic conditional access to media assets based on real-time monitoring of user channel retention. The system dynamically adjusts what media assets users can access based on whether they remain tuned to the channel for the predetermined period. This dynamic approach creates a positive reinforcement mechanism where staying tuned (productivity) directly benefits the user through improved media asset accessibility, rather than punishing them with forced advertisement viewing.
3Productivity
If media assets are provided only after users complete a predetermined viewing period, then channel retention is improved, but user access flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of media asset access from a binary state (accessed/not accessed) to a graded state based on viewing duration. Instead of a single threshold requiring complete program viewing, the system recognizes partial viewing durations and provides corresponding partial access to media assets. This parameter change maintains the incentive for channel retention while significantly improving user access flexibility, allowing users to access some media content even if they don't complete the full predetermined period.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for motivating a user to watch a television channel for a predetermined period of time and enabling access to a media asset related to a program provided on the channel. A tuner is tuned to a transmission channel and a program is received concurrently with a portion of a media asset. The viewing behavior is monitored to determine whether the user tunes to a different transmission channel before a predetermined time period elapses. When the user tunes to a different transmission channel before the predetermined time period elapses, access to the media asset is prevented. When the user stays tuned to the particular transmission channel for the predetermined time period, access to the media asset is enabled. The media asset may be transmitted to a portable user device, such as a mobile phone.