Multimedia Player User Identification for Targeted Content

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Solution Overview

Problem

In a shared household subscription scenario, TV network operators face challenges in identifying individual users watching specific programs, as the subscriber profile reflects collective tastes and habits of multiple individuals, making it impossible to deliver targeted content to the correct viewer.

Innovation Solution

A method where a multimedia player discovers connected user terminals on a local network, securely obtains the user's ID, and sends it to the operator, allowing the operator to link the watched program to the actual viewer, enabling targeted content distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a shared household subscription is used for TV network, then multiple users can access the service, but the subscriber profile becomes a mean of taste and habits without identifying the actual viewer

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshared subscription accessVSAvoidviewer identification
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the household subscription into individual user profiles by detecting mobile terminals present at the location. Each terminal is associated with a specific user profile, dividing the collective subscription into separable individual identities that can be tracked and targeted separately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces mobile terminals as intermediaries between the TV service and users. The terminals detect user presence and communicate user identification information to the TV system, serving as a mediator that links the shared subscription to individual users without requiring direct user authentication at the TV.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If device identifiers of nearby terminals are used to customize content, then targeted content can be delivered, but the system complexity increases due to network discovery and secure ID transmission

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent targeting accuracyVSAvoidnetwork discovery mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages the universal functionality of mobile terminals, which already具备 network discovery capabilities for other purposes (messaging, browsing). The terminal uses its existing network interface and discovery protocols to detect the TV system and transmit user identification, repurposing existing multi-functional hardware for content targeting without adding dedicated complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If user ID is obtained and transmitted to the operator, then the link between watched program and actual viewer can be established, but security risks increase during ID transmission

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewer identification accuracyVSAvoidsecurity risk during transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile terminal acts as a secure intermediary that already holds the user's authenticated identification information from mobile network registration. The terminal securely transmits this pre-authenticated ID to the TV system through an established secure channel, avoiding the need for the TV system to directly handle sensitive authentication credentials and reducing security risks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2673937B1Method for interacting between an operator and at least one user
Publication Date: 2019.07.24 IDEMIA IDENTITY & SECURITY FRANCE SAS
  • EP2673937B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2673937B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2673937B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

In the domain of methods for interacting between an operator of telecommunication network and a user, it is described a method that aims to solve the problem of identifying users actually watching a program on a TV set or alike to be able to distribute to them some accurately targeted content. To achieve this, the connected media player discovers the user terminals also connected to the local network. By obtaining the user id in a secured manner, or not, used by the terminal to connect to the mobile network and sending it to the operator, the latter is able to establish the link between the watched broadcast program and who is actually watching it.