Set-Top Box Viewership Tracking via Circular Buffer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital television networks face challenges in accurately tracking viewership data without manual input from viewers, leading to burdensome data collection processes and inefficiencies in rating calculations, which affect advertising pricing and content programming decisions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize set-top boxes (STBs) to automatically track viewership by maintaining cached multimedia frames in a circular buffer, incrementing counters when viewers are receiving programs, and decrementing counters when they change channels, providing real-time viewership data to a viewership statistic server, thereby reducing network traffic and eliminating the need for manual logs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual data collection is used to track viewership, then data accuracy can be maintained, but the process becomes burdensome and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by having the STB automatically track and report viewership data without requiring manual intervention from viewers. The STB autonomously monitors program reception, generates identification signals, and transmits data to the statistics server, eliminating the burden of manual data entry while maintaining accurate viewership tracking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual data collection with an automated electronic system. The STB uses program reception monitoring and automatic signal generation to substitute for manual logging, thereby improving productivity while reducing operational burden on users
2Measurement precision
If real-time viewership tracking is implemented, then accurate rating data is obtained, but network traffic increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential data needed for viewership tracking - specifically, the generation of an identification signal when program reception begins or changes. By extracting only this critical information rather than transmitting continuous detailed data, the system maintains measurement precision while minimizing network traffic and bandwidth consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by transmitting viewership data only at specific trigger events (program start, channel change) rather than continuously. This event-driven approach provides sufficient accuracy for rating calculations while significantly reducing overall network traffic compared to continuous monitoring
3Speed
If cached multimedia frames are provided to client device, then channel change speed is improved, but buffer management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by pre-caching multimedia frames in a circular buffer before they are needed. When a channel change request occurs, the STB can immediately provide cached frames, achieving fast channel switching. The circular buffer structure automatically manages the pre-cached data, reducing the complexity of manual buffer management while maintaining speed
Data Source
AI summary
Channel trending, including determining a number of viewers watching a multimedia program, is achieved in a digital television network. Cached multimedia frames that correspond to portions of the multimedia program are maintained, for example, on a device located on an edge (i.e., in a network edge device) of the digital television network. In response to a request from a client device (e.g., a set-top box) to receive the multimedia program, cached multimedia frames are fed from the edge device to the client device. Upon a seamless transfer or handoff resulting in a simulcast replicator or multicast replicator providing further portions of the multimedia program, a signal (e.g., a simple network management protocol TRAP statement) is sent to a viewership statistic server for incrementing a counter.