Segment-Based Media Playback Control for Automatic Scene Actions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing OTT media content systems lack the ability to provide precise control over individual segments based on their content, requiring manual user intervention for skipping or muting scenes, which is cumbersome, especially for parental controls.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that extracts metadata from media content to classify segments and automatically performs display actions based on user preferences and metadata, allowing for precise control over media playback by analyzing and classifying each segment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual user intervention is required to skip or mute scenes, then users can control content viewing, but the operation becomes cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of content controlVSAvoidtime for manual scene control
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary classification of media content into segments with metadata describing content nature (e.g., violent, adult, educational) before playback. User preferences and restrictions are pre-configured, allowing the system to automatically determine and execute appropriate actions (skip, mute, allow) during playback without requiring manual user intervention for each scene change.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If metadata is extracted and analyzed for each media segment, then precise content control is achieved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision of content analysisVSAvoidcomplexity of metadata processing system
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The media content is divided into discrete segments with associated metadata portions, each describing the nature of that specific segment. This segmentation allows the system to analyze and control content at a granular level without requiring complex continuous analysis of the entire media stream, simplifying the processing architecture while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If automatic display actions are executed based on metadata classification, then user control over content is enhanced, but the system requires more sophisticated processing capabilities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability of content controlVSAvoidlevel of automated playback control
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically executes display actions (skip, mute, allow) based on comparing metadata classifications against pre-configured user preferences and restrictions. The media player autonomously determines which segments to play, skip, or mute without requiring continuous user input, thereby enhancing adaptability while managing automation through rule-based decision-making rather than complex AI processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4701199A1Method of displaying media content
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 NAGRAVISION SRL
  • EP4701199A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4701199A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4701199A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A computer-implemented method of displaying media content is provided, the media content comprising video content and corresponding audio content. The method comprises: extracting metadata from the media content, and, during playback of a media segment of the media content, automatically executing a display action. The metadata comprises one or more metadata portions, each metadata portion describing a respective media segment of a plurality of media segments of the media content and a classification of the respective media segment; each classification indicating a category related to the nature of the media content in the media segment. The display action is determined based on: (i) the category indicated by the classification of the metadata portion describing that media segment; and (ii) control data comprising an association between the category and a respective display action.