Set-Top Box Preordering Content via Availability Windows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Satellite television systems face challenges in efficiently managing content delivery, particularly in allowing users to pre-order content that is not yet available, as they typically broadcast content simultaneously to multiple users, leading to resource constraints and limited channel capacity.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that enable users to select future available content, store program guide data, form a future content selection, and communicate a material identification to a content processing system, allowing content to be transferred to the user device within a predetermined availability window.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If satellite television systems broadcast content simultaneously to multiple users, then content delivery is provided to all users, but satellite resources are consumed excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows users to pre-order content in advance before it becomes available for broadcast. The set-top box stores pre-order information and automatically receives content when it becomes available, eliminating the need for continuous satellite broadcasting to all users and reducing satellite resource consumption while maintaining content delivery capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If satellite television systems offer a large selection of channels and pay-per-view programs, then user content variety is increased, but satellite resources are consumed excessively
Solution Approach 1:
Users can browse and pre-order from a large variety of content options including future movie releases and pay-per-view programs before they are broadcast. The system stores pre-order information locally, allowing users to access diverse content catalogs without requiring continuous satellite transmission of all content to all users.
3Ease of operation
If the system allows users to pre-order content, then user convenience is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The set-top box automatically manages pre-order content by storing pre-order information, monitoring content availability, and receiving content when it becomes available. This automated process provides user convenience while the complexity is contained within the set-top box rather than the entire satellite system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service functions including automatic storage of pre-order information, automatic monitoring of content availability windows, and automatic reception of content when available. This reduces the need for complex user intervention and system management.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for preordering content includes a content processing system and a user device in communication with the content processing system. The content processing system receives program guide data for linear channels and receives future available content data at the user device. The future available content data comprises an availability window having an availability start time and an availability end time. The user device stores the program guide data in the user device storing the future available content data in a memory of the user device, forms a future content selection, and stores the future content selection in a queue until the availability window is reached. When within the availability window, the user device communicates a material identification to the content processing system. The content processing system communicates the content corresponding to the material identification to the user device.