Remote Media Guidance Access for Accurate Program Scheduling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing remote access systems for interactive media guidance applications face challenges in accurately identifying programs for recording due to disparities between program listings data used by remote access servers and in-home media guidance applications, leading to incorrect scheduling and frustrating user experiences, especially for series that build on previous episodes.

Innovation Solution

Implement algorithms and techniques to manage and correct disparities in program listings data by using location positioning functionality to select the appropriate data source, comparing program information, and employing flexible matching algorithms to find alternate scheduling information, ensuring accurate program identification and scheduling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If remote access server uses regional programming information while interactive media guidance application uses local programming information, then remote access functionality is enabled, but program identification accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveremote access capabilityVSAvoidprogram identification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component that acts as a bridge between the remote access server and the interactive media guidance application. This intermediary receives program identification requests, compares regional and local programming information, and resolves discrepancies by selecting the appropriate program identifier. The intermediary enables remote access functionality while maintaining program identification accuracy by mediating the data flow between systems using different information sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes parameters based on location information. When a remote access request is received, the system determines the user's location and switches between using regional programming information and local programming information accordingly. This parameter change allows the system to adapt to different operational contexts, maintaining both remote access capability and program identification accuracy by selecting the appropriate data source based on current conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If remote access system generates action requests based on regional programming information, then remote scheduling is enabled, but recording accuracy for local programs deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveremote scheduling capabilityVSAvoidrecording accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-comparing regional and local programming information before generating action requests. When a user initiates remote scheduling, the system proactively identifies potential discrepancies between regional and local program data and resolves them in advance. This preliminary comparison and correction ensures that when the action request is ultimately generated, it contains accurate program identification information, thereby maintaining both remote scheduling ease and recording accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If different data sources are used for program identification in remote access and in-home applications, then system flexibility is improved, but data consistency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem flexibilityVSAvoiddata consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors and compares program identification data from both regional and local sources. When discrepancies are detected, the system provides feedback to correct the data inconsistency. This feedback loop maintains data consistency across the distributed system while preserving the flexibility of using multiple data sources, as the system adaptively adjusts to ensure uniform program identification throughout.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3790269B1Systems and methods for providing remote access to interactive media guidance applications

Publication Date: 2026.03.18 ADEIA GUIDES INC

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AI summary

Systems and methods for providing remote access to interactive media guidance applications are provided. In particular, the systems and methods for providing remote access to interactive media guidance applications provided herein generally relate to enhancing remote access capabilities by providing algorithms and techniques for managing and correcting disparities that may be found between program listings data used by the interactive media guidance application and the remote access server.