Self-Adaptive Program Guide for Multi-User Set Top Boxes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for personalizing media content listings in multi-user households are often complex and require significant user involvement, failing to dynamically adapt to individual user preferences and viewing habits.

Innovation Solution

A media access device, such as a set-top box or DVR, optimizes content listings by using past viewing history to prioritize content choices and recording requests specific to the current user, employing user identification methods like voice recognition and biometrics to tailor the content display.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If existing methods are used to personalize media content listings, then user-specific content prioritization is achieved, but system complexity and user setup involvement increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser-specific content prioritizationVSAvoidsystem setup complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects user presence through cameras and microphones, logs viewing history, and dynamically generates personalized program guides without requiring manual user configuration. The device serves itself by collecting data and adapting content listings autonomously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-logs viewing history and user preferences in advance, building personalized profiles proactively so that when a user accesses the program guide, the content is already optimized for their preferences without requiring real-time setup

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual user configuration is required for personalization, then user preferences can be captured, but ease of operation deteriorates due to setup complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent personalizationVSAvoiduser setup involvement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors user viewing behavior and provides feedback by automatically adjusting content listings to reflect observed preferences, creating a closed-loop system that learns and adapts without user intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If viewing history is logged for multiple users, then dynamic personalization is enabled, but data processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-user personalizationVSAvoiddata processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system separates user identification, viewing history logging, and content listing generation into distinct functional modules. Each user's data is processed independently through the same streamlined pipeline, reducing overall system complexity while enabling multi-user personalization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20250142152A1System and method for a self adaptive, multi-user program guide

Publication Date: 2025.05.01 UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

A programming access device such as, for example, a cable or satellite set top box (STB), a digital video recorder (DVR), a personal computer, and/or a digital media receiver automatically optimizes an order of content choices presented in a content listing, such as a program guide display, favorite channel display, and/or a recording listing display based on the past viewing and/or recording history of an identified user.