Metadata Management for Content Delivery via Automatic Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for delivering supplementary content related to primary media content struggle when users consume media on various devices at user-selected times, as they lack the ability to determine the timeline of the media content being reproduced, leading to irrelevant or confusing data during periods of low audience engagement, such as extended scenes or data lulls.
Innovation Solution
A computer system and method that identifies context data for primary media content by sampling data from the reproduced content, searching a graph of relationships between context data, and selecting relevant facts based on a relevance factor, allowing for synchronized supplementary content delivery without requiring a known timeline, using automatic content recognition (ACR) to identify media content and provide supplementary data adapted to the primary content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional scheduled broadcast systems are used to deliver supplementary content, then content delivery is simplified, but the system cannot adapt to user-selected viewing times and devices, leading to loss of information relevance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automatic content recognition (ACR) system as an intermediary between the media content and the supplementary content delivery system. The ACR system analyzes the media content to generate identifiers and metadata, which then enable the supplementary content system to adapt to user-selected times and devices without requiring direct complex timeline determination. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by handling the complexity in a dedicated subsystem rather than the entire delivery system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by generating ACR identifiers and metadata about the media content before supplementary content is delivered. This advance preparation of content information allows the system to later deliver relevant supplementary content regardless of when or where the user views the primary content, thus adapting to user-selected times and devices without real-time complexity.
2Ease of operation
If supplementary content is delivered without timeline information, then system operation is simplified, but irrelevant or confusing data is provided during periods of low audience engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of timeline-based content synchronization with an ACR-based identification system. Instead of relying on precise timing and sequence information to deliver relevant supplementary content, the system uses content-derived identifiers and metadata to match and deliver appropriate supplementary content. This substitution maintains ease of operation while preserving information relevance through content-based matching rather than time-based matching.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses ACR analysis to provide feedback about the actual content being viewed, which then informs the selection and delivery of supplementary content. This feedback mechanism ensures that supplementary content remains relevant even when delivered without precise timeline information, as the content selection is based on what is actually being viewed rather than when it is being viewed.
3Device complexity
If ACR sampling is used to identify media content, then timeline determination is avoided, but data lulls during extended scenes reduce user engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic ACR sampling to continuously identify and track media content throughout playback. Rather than relying on continuous timeline data, periodic content sampling maintains awareness of what is being viewed, enabling supplementary content delivery even during extended scenes or data lulls. This periodic action preserves user engagement by ensuring supplementary content can be delivered at any point based on content identification rather than timeline continuity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Primary media content played on a media device, such as a television, handheld device, smart phone, computer, or other device, is sampled and data is derived from the sample for identification of the primary media content. Supplementary digital content is then selected and transmitted to the media device, or to another device, based upon the identified primary media content. The supplementary digital content may be adapted in layout, type, length, or other manners, based upon the platform and/or configuration of the media device or any other device to which the supplementary digital content is transmitted.