Relationship-Aware Media Content Restrictions for Shared Viewing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing parental control systems fail to account for relationships between multiple users, leading to inappropriate content being played when users are together, causing discomfort and unnecessary system functions.

Innovation Solution

A system that dynamically updates content restrictions based on the relationship between users by detecting proximity and modifying stored relationships, automatically performing actions such as volume adjustment or channel changes to ensure comfortable viewing for all users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the system uses the setting associated with the most restricted user when multiple users are present, then content restriction compliance is improved, but user comfort and system performance deteriorate due to unnecessary control actions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent restriction complianceVSAvoiduser comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments content restrictions by applying different restriction levels to different users based on their individual profiles and relationships. Instead of using a single blanket restriction for all users, the system divides the restriction policy into user-specific segments, allowing each user to access content appropriate to their authorization level while maintaining overall compliance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality by tailoring content restrictions to specific user contexts and relationships. Rather than uniform restriction application, the system adjusts restriction levels locally for each user based on their profile, age, and relationship to other users, ensuring appropriate content delivery without unnecessary limitations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the system uses the setting associated with the most restricted user, then content authorization compliance is improved, but system performance deteriorates due to unnecessary control functions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthorization complianceVSAvoidsystem performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts content restrictions based on real-time detection of which users are present and their relationships. Rather than statically applying the most restricted setting, the system dynamically modifies restriction levels according to the current user composition, eliminating unnecessary control actions and improving system performance while maintaining authorization compliance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from user presence detection and relationship data to automatically adjust content restrictions. By monitoring which users are present and their authorized content levels, the system receives feedback that enables it to optimize restriction settings in real-time, avoiding unnecessary control functions and improving performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If the system applies individual user settings independently, then user autonomy is improved, but content appropriateness deteriorates when users are together

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser autonomyVSAvoidcontent appropriateness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges individual user settings with relationship context to determine appropriate content restrictions. By combining autonomous user profiles with relationship data and presence information, the system creates a unified restriction policy that respects user autonomy while ensuring content appropriateness for the specific group composition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces relationship context as an intermediary layer between individual user settings and content delivery. This intermediary layer processes both user autonomy preferences and group dynamics to mediate appropriate restriction levels, ensuring that content is suitable for the specific combination of users present while maintaining individual user rights.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12432416B2Systems and methods for dynamic content restriction based on a relationship

Publication Date: 2025.09.30 ADEIA GUIDES INC

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided herein to dynamically update content restrictions for multiple users by detecting a first user in the proximity of a media device playing a first content item and detecting a second user entering the proximity of the media device. In response to detecting a second user entering the proximity of the media device and receiving a command from the first user that controls playing the first content, the system modifies a stored relationship between the first user and the second user to track the relationship between the first user and the second user. Thereafter, when the system detects the first user and the second user in the proximity of a media device playing a second content, in response, the system automatically performs an action that controls the playing of the second content (e.g., without user having to issue those commands).