Media Recording System Overlap Cropping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Media devices with limited tuners can't simultaneously record and play multiple streams of media content, leading to scheduling conflicts where programs are either canceled or not recorded at all, especially when overlaps are minor.

Innovation Solution

The system crops overlapping portions of media content, allowing users to record most of the content by selecting one program to crop, based on user input, recording priorities, and threshold values, enabling simultaneous recording of multiple programs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the number of tuners is increased to allow simultaneous recording of multiple programs, then the ability to record overlapping content is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to record overlapping contentVSAvoidnumber of tuners

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the overlapping portion of one program from the recording schedule, allowing the other program to be recorded completely. This resolves the conflict without requiring additional hardware by taking out the problematic overlapping segment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of recording the entire overlapping program, the system records only the non-overlapping portion. This partial recording approach allows the system to work within its tuner limitations while still capturing useful content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Ease of operation

If a program is completely canceled due to scheduling conflict, then the recording conflict is resolved, but the user loses access to that program content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecording conflict resolutionVSAvoidprogram content

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of scheduling conflicts into a beneficial outcome by automatically identifying and removing only the overlapping segments, thereby preserving the maximum amount of desired program content while resolving the recording conflict.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the recording parameters by adjusting the start and end times of program recordings to exclude overlapping portions. This allows programs to be recorded with modified time parameters that avoid conflicts while preserving essential content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of information

If the overlap threshold is set low to minimize cropping, then more program content is preserved, but scheduling conflicts occur more frequently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprogram content preservationVSAvoidrecording efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic threshold mechanism where the overlap tolerance is adjusted based on program characteristics and user preferences. This allows the system to be more lenient with certain programs (preserving more content) while being stricter with others (maintaining recording efficiency).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9565389B2Systems and methods for recording overlapping media content during scheduling conflicts

Publication Date: 2017.02.07 ADEIA GUIDES INC

AI summary

In many aspects, systems and methods for recording overlapping media content using interactive media guidance applications are provided. The systems and methods for recording overlapping media content generally relate to cropping overlapping portions of the media content thereby allowing a user to enjoy most of the recording wile only forgoing a portion of the beginning or the end of a program.