Shared-Device User Profile Switching for Outlier Input Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Media guidance applications fail to recognize outlying user inputs on shared devices, leading to polluted user profiles and inaccurate content recommendations.
Innovation Solution
A media guidance application detects outlying user inputs by comparing them with an active user profile, identifies the inconsistent input, and activates a temporary user profile of a candidate user based on location and profile consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the media guidance application includes all user inputs in the active user profile, then the user profile is comprehensive, but the recommendations become polluted with inconsistent inputs from other users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes outlying user inputs from the active user profile by comparing each input against the profile's statistical characteristics (mean, standard deviation). Inputs that fall outside the defined threshold are identified as outliers and excluded from the profile, thereby preventing recommendation pollution while preserving valid user preferences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring user inputs and comparing them against the active user profile's statistical parameters. When an input is deemed inconsistent (an outlier), the system provides feedback by excluding it from the profile updates, thus maintaining recommendation accuracy while still allowing comprehensive profile building from consistent inputs.
2Device complexity
If the media guidance application uses a single active user profile, then the system is simple, but it cannot distinguish between different users on shared devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic profile selection mechanism where the system automatically switches between different user profiles based on the consistency of inputs. When an outlying input is detected, the system dynamically transitions from the active user profile to a guest profile, allowing the system to adapt to different users on shared devices while maintaining operational simplicity through automated profile management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments user profiles into distinct entities (active user profile and guest profile) with separate data storage and management. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simplicity by using a single active profile most of the time while having the capability to switch to a guest profile when needed, thus supporting multi-user scenarios without significantly increasing complexity.
3Reliability
If the media guidance application activates a guest profile for outlying inputs, then the active user profile is protected from pollution, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts outlying inputs and separates them from the active user profile by activating a guest profile for these inconsistent inputs. This extraction mechanism protects the active profile from pollution while managing complexity through automated detection and separation of valid vs. invalid inputs based on statistical thresholds.
Solution Approach 2:
The guest profile acts as an intermediary mechanism between the user input and the active user profile. Instead of directly modifying the active profile with potentially harmful inputs, the system uses the guest profile as a buffer to store and process outlying inputs, thereby protecting the active profile while managing complexity through this intermediate layer.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for activating a personalized user profile on a device based on the detection of an outlying user input. A media guidance application detects a user input that is inconsistent with an active user profile. In response, the media guidance application identifies a candidate user that both shares a location with the device and has a user profile consistent with the user input. The media guidance application activates the user profile of the candidate user as a temporary active user profile on the device.