Media Session Transfer via User Proximity Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users often miss media content while leaving the vicinity of a set-top box or media access device, as their profile remains logged in, potentially causing tailored content meant for another user to be displayed.

Innovation Solution

A content delivery system that detects when a user moves out of range and automatically transfers the media content session to a nearby associated device, such as a mobile device, ensuring seamless access to session management content and media playback.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the user profile remains logged in to the access device while the user is outside the room, then the user can quickly resume media content upon return, but another user in the room experiences content tailored to the first user instead of their own preferences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of resuming media contentVSAvoidcontent personalization for different users

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a proximity detection mechanism as an intermediary between the user's physical presence and the access device's user profile selection. The system detects which user is physically present near the access device and automatically selects their profile, preventing the conflict between maintaining a logged-in state for quick resumption and ensuring content personalization for the current user. This intermediary detection layer resolves the contradiction by adding contextual awareness to the authentication state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the user manually logs out before leaving the room, then content personalization is maintained for the next user, but the user must manually perform the logout action which interrupts the viewing experience

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent personalizationVSAvoidmanual logout requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs the logout action automatically based on detected user absence, eliminating the need for manual user intervention. The access device monitors user presence and autonomously logs out the current user profile when the user leaves the vicinity, thereby maintaining content personalization for subsequent users without interrupting the departing user's experience. This self-service approach resolves the contradiction by automating the profile switching based on contextual cues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs the logout action in advance of the user's actual need to switch devices or content, by detecting when the user has left the vicinity. This preliminary action ensures that when another user approaches the access device, their profile is already selected and ready, maintaining seamless content personalization without requiring the departing user to manually log out.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the user profile is automatically logged out when the user leaves the vicinity, then content personalization is maintained for subsequent users, but the user loses access to their media content session while away from the device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent personalization for subsequent usersVSAvoidcontinuous access to media content session

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extends the media content session from a single access device to multiple dimensions by enabling the session to be accessed from different devices (access device and mobile device). When the user leaves the vicinity of the access device, their media content session is automatically transferred to their mobile device, allowing them to continue viewing while away. Simultaneously, the access device logs out the user profile to maintain personalization for subsequent users. This dimensional extension resolves the contradiction by providing continuous access across multiple devices while maintaining local personalization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS10341717B2Systems and methods for facilitating access to content associated with a media content session based on a location of a user

Publication Date: 2019.07.02 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

An exemplary method includes a content delivery system determining that a user profile of a user is logged in to a first access device during a media content session associated with the first access device in which the first access device presents media content to the user, detecting that the user moves outside a vicinity of the first access device while the user profile is logged in to the first access device during the media content session, identifying, in response to the user moving outside the vicinity of the first access device, a second access device associated with the user and that is within a vicinity of the user, and automatically providing, in response to the identifying, session management content corresponding to the media content session associated with the first access device for presentation by the second access device while the user is outside the vicinity of the first access device. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.