Media Guidance Application Duplicate Detection and Storage Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing media systems fail to efficiently identify and manage duplicate copies of the same media program, leading to wasteful storage of identical recordings across different media sources, as they utilize unique media asset identifiers without proper comparison of attributes.

Innovation Solution

A media guidance application compares attributes such as title, description, and casting members to detect duplicate media assets and determines actions like deletion or transfer to optimize storage across user devices, using a similarity metric and confidence level to automate decisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If media asset identifiers are used to identify and manage media recordings, then media programs can be uniquely identified and organized, but duplicate copies of the same media program from different sources cannot be detected, leading to storage waste

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemedia program identification accuracyVSAvoidstorage space waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a digital copy or representation of media asset attributes (metadata, description, casting members) and compares this copy against existing recordings to detect duplicates. This allows the system to identify duplicate content without re-analyzing the entire media file, efficiently resolving the contradiction between reliable identification and storage waste prevention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the identification approach by changing from using only unique media asset identifiers to comparing multiple attributes including title, description, and casting members. This parameter change enables the system to detect duplicates that share the same identifier but represent different content, or vice versa, thereby preventing storage waste while maintaining identification reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of substance

If duplicate media assets are detected and managed by comparing multiple attributes, then storage efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional comparison operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage space optimizationVSAvoidattribute comparison system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the duplicate detection process into distinct components: extracting attributes (title, description, casting members), comparing each attribute separately, and aggregating results. This segmentation reduces system complexity by breaking down the complex comparison task into manageable, independent operations that can be processed sequentially or in parallel

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts only the essential attributes (title, description, casting members) needed for duplicate detection, rather than analyzing entire media files. This extraction approach simplifies the comparison process while maintaining effective duplicate identification, reducing system complexity without compromising storage optimization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If automatic deletion or transfer of duplicate copies is implemented, then storage management efficiency is improved, but risk of incorrect actions increases without user confirmation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage management efficiencyVSAvoidaction accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system presents detected duplicates to the user for review before executing deletion or transfer actions. The user can confirm or reject the proposed actions, providing feedback that ensures accuracy. This feedback loop maintains high productivity by automating the detection process while ensuring reliability through user verification of critical actions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3725085B1Systems and methods for managing storage of duplicate copies of a media asset at a storage device
Publication Date: 2023.12.20 ADEIA GUIDES INC
  • EP3725085B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3725085B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3725085B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for detecting duplicate copies of a media asset and deleting or offloading one of the duplicate copies to different user devices. Specifically, a media guidance application, implemented at user equipment, may be used to record or store media assets from different media sources. The media guidance application may detect a duplicate copy of a previously stored media asset by comparing various attributes of the media asset. After detecting a duplicate copy of a media asset, the media guidance application may determine which of the duplicate copies of the same media asset is to be deleted, or to be transmitted for storage at a different user device.