Media Guidance Alert Timing for Multi-Device Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users often become distracted by alerts from secondary devices while consuming media on a primary device, leading to missed important events due to the inability of existing systems to account for device usage and content consumption on multiple devices.
Innovation Solution
A media guidance application that detects user engagement with secondary devices and generates alerts on the primary device for upcoming important events in the media content, allowing users to end secondary device usage before critical moments, by estimating usage time based on metadata and device activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the user views media content on a first device and receives alerts on a second device, then the user is notified of important events, but the user may become distracted from the first device by content or messages on the second device and miss important parts
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting user engagement with the second device and calculating estimated usage time in advance. It determines the time remaining until the important event and proactively schedules the alert to be displayed on the second device at the optimal moment, before the user becomes too distracted. This preliminary detection and timing calculation ensures the alert is delivered when the user is still likely to return to the first device.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the alert timing based on real-time conditions. It continuously monitors the user's engagement with the second device, calculates the estimated usage time dynamically, and determines the optimal moment to display the alert. The alert is not displayed at a fixed time but rather at a dynamically determined time that accounts for the user's current behavior and the time remaining until the important event.
2Ease of manufacture
If the system generates an alert based on metadata without considering device usage, then the alert is simple to generate, but it fails to account for the user being engaged with another device and unable to see the alert immediately
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by detecting the user's current engagement state with the second device. It monitors whether the user is actively using the second device, calculates the estimated usage time based on this feedback, and uses this information to determine the optimal timing for displaying the alert. This feedback loop ensures the alert timing is informed by actual user behavior rather than generic assumptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary layer between the metadata-based event detection and the alert display. This intermediary component analyzes the user's device usage patterns, calculates estimated usage time, and determines the optimal timing for alert display. It mediates between the simple metadata-driven event detection and the complex requirement of timely alert delivery by adding intelligent timing logic.
3Speed
If the alert is displayed immediately when an important event is detected, then the user receives timely notification, but the user may be deeply engaged with the second device and unable to switch back in time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of user engagement with the second device and calculates the estimated usage time before displaying the alert. It determines how long the user is likely to remain engaged with the second device and schedules the alert to be displayed at the optimal moment, accounting for the time needed for the user to switch back to the first device. This preliminary calculation ensures the alert is delivered with sufficient lead time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines the alert timing based on the user's current engagement state and the time remaining until the important event. It calculates the estimated usage time in real-time and adjusts the alert display time accordingly, ensuring the user has enough time to switch devices without being alerted too early when they might have already returned.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are described herein for a media guidance application on a first device that detects a user's engagement with a second media asset on second device, and alerts the user to an important event in a first media asset presented on the first device, thereby reminding the user to view the first media asset. The media guidance application may determine when the next important event will occur in the media asset and determine an estimated amount of time required to play back the second media asset. The media guidance application may adjust the estimated amount of time based on advertisements and network conditions at the second device. If the media guidance application determines that the estimated amount of time is longer than the amount of time before the next important event in the first media asset, the media guidance application may generate an alert on the second device.