Interactive Media Scan Wizard Dynamic Asset Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interactive media guidance systems lack advanced scanning functionality, failing to efficiently display user-relevant video assets and allowing for dynamic user control during channel scans, particularly in handling temporary unavailability of assets like commercials and prioritizing programs nearing completion.
Innovation Solution
The system provides enhanced scanning features in an interactive media guidance application, allowing users to select criteria for scans, dynamically order assets based on availability, skip temporarily unavailable assets, and perform multiple scans simultaneously, with features like a scan wizard for user control and trick-play functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the system scans through all channels sequentially, then it ensures complete coverage of available content, but it wastes time displaying commercials and programs that are about to end
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by checking program availability status and end times before including programs in the scan sequence. It proactively identifies and excludes programs that are about to end or are commercials, rather than reacting after they are displayed. This preliminary filtering prevents time waste before the scanning process begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The scan sequence is made dynamic rather than static. The system continuously monitors program availability and adjusts the scan sequence in real-time, removing programs that become unavailable or are nearing completion. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize the scan path during execution, avoiding time waste on changing conditions.
2Ease of operation
If the system provides comprehensive scan controls and multiple scan types, then it enhances user control and customization, but it increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The scan system is segmented into distinct, modular scan types (e.g., quick scan, detailed scan, category-specific scan). Each scan type is an independent functional unit with its own control parameters. This segmentation allows users to select only the scan type they need, providing comprehensive control capabilities while keeping the actual system complexity manageable through modularity.
Solution Approach 2:
The scan system is designed with multi-functionality, where a single unified interface and control mechanism can initiate different types of scans. The same basic scan infrastructure supports multiple scan modes and customization options, reducing overall system complexity compared to having separate dedicated systems for each scan type.
3Loss of information
If the system displays multiple programs simultaneously, then it provides better user overview and comparison, but it requires multiple tuners increasing hardware complexity
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring multiple physical tuners to simultaneously tune to multiple channels, the system uses a single tuner to sequentially capture program content and creates digital copies for display. The tuner rapidly switches between channels, capturing video/audio streams that are then processed and displayed simultaneously as copied content, eliminating the need for multiple physical tuners.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic action by having a single tuner rapidly and periodically switch between multiple channels in a predetermined sequence. This fast periodic tuning captures enough content from each channel to provide simultaneous display效果, leveraging the periodic nature of the tuning cycle to achieve multi-program visibility without requiring simultaneous physical tuning capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for a video scan are provided. The scan may be dynamically interactive and a function of characteristics of the programs in the scan (e.g., commercial breaks or the end of a program approaching) The scan may simultaneously display multiple scan windows for a plurality of programs, for example in a scan wizard. The scan wizard allows the user to simultaneously view a scan window and an information panel, select criteria for the scan from a criteria panel, and control the scan using a scan control panel. The scan may allow the user to record a program displayed in the scan without interrupting the scan (e.g., by using an additional tuner). The scan may display, within the scan interface, trick-play functions for appropriate scanned programs (e.g., recorded, cached and on-demand programs). The user may select and perform trick-play functions for a scanned program without exiting the scan mode.