Set-Top Box Bookmarking Data Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current set-top box systems do not provide a convenient mechanism for users to access media content at specific points within recorded video, lacking functionality for selecting and navigating media content effectively.

Innovation Solution

The system receives bookmarking data from a data processing and aggregating server, allowing clients to display bookmarks with titles, lengths, and categories, enabling users to select and play media content at specific points, including commercial skipping and age-restricted content management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If fast-forward/fixed increment jump/rewind functionality is used to access media content, then users can navigate to specific time points, but the navigation is inconvenient and lacks information about the media content at those points

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of accessing media content at specific pointsVSAvoidinformation about media content at specific points

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-generates bookmarking data that identifies specific points of interest in media content before the user needs to access them. These bookmarks include descriptive information about what occurs at each timestamp, allowing users to quickly navigate to relevant segments without manually searching through entire recordings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer (bookmarking data structure) between the user and the raw media content. This intermediary provides metadata including timestamps and descriptions that mediate the user's access to specific content segments, making navigation more informative and efficient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If users manually navigate through recorded video content to find specific segments, then no additional data processing is needed, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of accessing specific media contentVSAvoidtime spent navigating to specific points

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary processing to generate bookmarking data that identifies key segments, commercials, and notable moments in recorded content. This pre-processing creates an index structure that enables users to jump directly to desired segments without manual navigation through entire recordings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical process of manual frame-by-frame or segment-by-segment navigation with an automated information retrieval system. Users input search criteria or select from pre-generated bookmarks, and the system automatically locates and jumps to the desired content segment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If detailed bookmarking information is provided for all media content points, then users can easily navigate to specific segments, but the data processing and storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of selecting media content at specific pointsVSAvoiddata processing and storage requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the most relevant and useful information from media content to create bookmarking data. Rather than processing and storing information about every possible timestamp, the system identifies and extracts key segments such as commercial breaks, program transitions, and notable moments, reducing data volume while maintaining usability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different levels of detail to different portions of media content based on their importance. High-priority segments (e.g., program starts, commercials, key events) receive detailed bookmarking information, while less important segments receive minimal or no bookmarking data, optimizing the balance between navigability and resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11831957B2System and methods for providing bookmarking data

Publication Date: 2023.11.28 DISH NETWORK LLC

AI summary

A client device is configured to receive bookmarking data from a data processing and aggregating server, the bookmarking data referencing a specific point in a media content item playable from the client device. The client the bookmarking data and outputs a first signal which instructs a display device to display at least one bookmark that includes at least a user-selectable portion and a descriptive portion. Upon receiving an input signal at the client device from a user input device, the input signal indicating a user selection of a bookmark displayed by the display device, the client device outputs a second signal to the display device which instructs the display device to display a media content item from a specific point specified by the bookmarking data.