Media Guidance Application Ratings Source Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face inefficiency in accessing personalized television ratings from preferred sources within electronic program guides, as existing systems do not allow integration of user-selected rating sources, requiring manual searches outside the guide.
Innovation Solution
A media guidance application that enables users to select a preferred ratings source, such as Metacritic.com, and integrates those ratings into the electronic program guide, allowing for informed viewing decisions by retrieving and displaying ratings alongside program listings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If ratings are provided from a fixed third-party source in the EPG, then ratings are available to users, but the ratings may not reflect user preferences and expectations
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static fixed ratings source to a dynamic user-selectable ratings source. Users can choose different ratings sources (e.g., Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, IMDb) based on their preferences, making the system adaptable rather than fixed. This resolves the contradiction by allowing customization without fundamentally changing the system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
Users independently select and configure their preferred ratings source through the EPG interface. The system provides the capability for users to make their own choices about which ratings source to use, eliminating the need for manual configuration or complex setup procedures. This self-service approach maintains simplicity while enabling adaptability.
2Loss of information
If users manually search for ratings on external websites, then they can find ratings from preferred sources, but it consumes excessive user time
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the ratings data from external sources directly into the EPG interface. Instead of requiring users to navigate to separate websites, the ratings are integrated and displayed alongside program listings within the same application. This combines multiple functions (program guide and ratings lookup) into a single unified interface, eliminating the time required for manual external searches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-loads and makes available ratings data from multiple sources within the EPG application before users need them. Ratings are retrieved and stored in advance, so when users view program listings, the ratings are already available for immediate display without requiring real-time external web access. This preliminary preparation eliminates waiting time and improves accessibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the EPG displays ratings from multiple sources, then users have more options, but the interface becomes more complex and harder to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows users to specify different ratings sources for different contexts or preferences. Rather than forcing a single global ratings source or displaying all sources simultaneously, the system enables localized selection where users can choose which ratings source to display based on their current needs. This maintains interface simplicity while providing adaptability through context-specific customization.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are presented for selecting a preferred source of ratings (e.g., Metacritic.com) and integrating the ratings into the electronic program guide (EPG) such as displaying the ratings alongside program listings. By allowing the user to select the source of ratings, the media guidance application ensures that the ratings provided are meaningful to the user. The media guidance application retrieves the ratings from the source of ratings selected by the user and displays the retrieved ratings in the corresponding program listing so that the user may make an informed decision about his or her television viewing. The media guidance application may also incorporate the retrieved ratings into media guidance functions such as setting reminders, scheduling recordings, or recommending programs.