Relationship-Based Content Restriction for Shared Media Playback

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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 adjusting settings automatically, using user profiles and social media data to modify content playback actions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the system uses the most restricted user's setting when multiple users are present, then content compliance with parental control policies is ensured, but content enjoyment is reduced and unnecessary system functions are triggered

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent complianceVSAvoidcontent enjoyment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments content restrictions by user relationships rather than applying a single global restriction. It divides the audience into different user groups (e.g., family members, friends, colleagues) and applies appropriate content filters based on each group's relationship to the content consumer, allowing nuanced control that preserves enjoyment while maintaining compliance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts content restrictions based on real-time detection of user proximity and identity. Instead of static restrictions, it continuously monitors who is present and modifies content playback accordingly - allowing restricted content when alone, automatically switching to appropriate content when certain users are detected nearby, thus balancing compliance with user experience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system applies individual parental control settings for each user, then user-specific content preferences are respected, but relationship-based comfort levels are ignored

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser-specific controlVSAvoiduser discomfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces relationship data as an intermediary layer between individual user settings and content selection. This intermediary contains pre-defined comfort levels and restrictions based on user relationships (e.g., grandmother-grandchild, colleague-colleague), allowing the system to mediate between what an individual user could technically access and what is socially appropriate given who else is present.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary setup by collecting relationship information and defining comfort level policies before content playback scenarios occur. Users pre-configure which relationships trigger which content restrictions, so when situations arise during content consumption, the system can immediately apply the appropriate filters without requiring real-time decisions, thus preventing discomfort before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the system defaults to the most restricted setting for multiple users, then parental control policies are maintained, but system performance decreases due to unnecessary function executions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepolicy adherenceVSAvoidsystem performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback loops where user responses to content playback situations are captured and used to refine relationship-based restrictions. When users encounter content that should be restricted based on their relationships, the system learns from these interactions and adjusts its behavior, reducing unnecessary restriction applications over time while maintaining policy adherence for appropriate scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20260006292A1Systems and methods for dynamic content restriction based on a relationship

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 ADEIA GUIDES INC

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided herein to automatically perform an action that controls the content based on analyzing a computed age difference between the viewers of the content. The system detects a first user, who is individually authorized to view the content item, and a second user, who is individually authorized to view the content item, in proximity of a media device playing a content item. The system identifys a first age of the first user and a second age of the second user and computes an age difference between the first age of the first user and the second age of the second user. The system automatically performs an action that controls the content based on analyzing the computed age difference between the first user and the second age, who are each individually authorized to view the content item.