Media Recorder with User Attention Detection for Automatic Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users often miss important parts of television programs or recorded content due to interruptions or inattention, as existing systems lack the ability to automatically detect and record media data when the user is not attending to the presentation, leading to manual rewind and potential missed events.
Innovation Solution
A media recorder and entertainment system that uses a video camera to analyze user attention through image processing, automatically recording media data if the user is not attending and entering a standby mode when the program ends, allowing seamless continuation upon user return.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual pause function is used to store subsequent content, then user can continue viewing programme on return, but user is unlikely to use such function for short absences and may still miss content
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects user absence through video camera monitoring and triggers recording without user intervention. The media recorder autonomously determines when to record based on detected user state, eliminating the need for manual pause operations while ensuring content is captured during user absences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares to record in advance by continuously monitoring user presence. When user absence is detected, recording is automatically initiated before the user returns, ensuring no content is missed. This preliminary detection and preparation resolves the contradiction by making the system proactively ready rather than requiring reactive manual intervention.
2Reliability
If user uses remote control to trigger recording, then programme can be recorded, but user may fumble and accidentally record wrong programme or fail to trigger recording
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-detection of user absence and self-triggering of recording operations. The video camera continuously monitors user presence, and when absence is detected, the system automatically initiates recording without requiring remote control input. This eliminates user error while maintaining simple operation through automated intelligence.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses video camera feedback to continuously monitor user presence and automatically adjusts recording state accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures recording is triggered only when appropriate (during user absence) and stops when user returns, eliminating incorrect recording while maintaining operational simplicity through automated decision-making.
3Extent of automation
If system continuously monitors user attention through video camera, then automatic recording during absence is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The video camera serves multiple functions: it monitors user presence for automatic recording triggering, and can also provide visual feedback to users about their viewing state. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated sensors while achieving high automation, thereby mitigating the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The video camera acts as an intermediary that translates physical user presence into digital signals for the control system. Rather than requiring complex direct detection mechanisms, the camera provides a reliable intermediary interface between the user and the automated recording system, enabling high automation without proportionally increasing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A media recorder is operable to receive broadcast media data from a media data source. The media recorder comprises a storage element for storing at least a portion of the media data, and a receiver for receiving a sequence of video images from a video camera. The media recorder further comprises a user detector for detecting whether a user is attending to a presentation of the media data, and a media presentation status detector operable to detect whether the presentation of the media item has ended. If the user detector detects that the user is not attending to the presentation, the user detector is operable to cause the storage element to store the media data. If the media presentation status detector detects that presentation of the media item has ended, the media presentation status detector is operable to cause the media recorder to enter a stand-by mode.