TV Gadget Lifecycle Management via Metadata Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing television systems fail to effectively manage the lifecycle of portable program modules, such as gadgets and applications, in synchronization with television content, leading to user dissatisfaction due to lack of multitasking capabilities and vulnerability to broadcaster controls.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that repeatedly identifies metadata related to television programming, sends search requests to select suitable portable program modules, and outputs them concurrently with television content, while ceasing their display when no longer relevant, ensuring synchronization and user preferences are met.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If portable program modules are displayed concurrently with television programming, then user engagement and multitasking capability are improved, but device complexity and control vulnerability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a portable program module manager as an intermediary component that coordinates between the television programming display and portable program modules. This manager handles the complexity of synchronization, metadata processing, and module lifecycle management, thereby enabling multitasking without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is divided into distinct functional components: television programming display, portable program module display, metadata identification, and module management. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently while maintaining synchronization through shared metadata, enabling versatility without requiring complete system redesign.
2Ease of operation
If portable program modules are synchronized with television content, then user satisfaction is improved, but vulnerability to broadcaster controls increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by identifying metadata related to television programming in advance and using this metadata to pre-select relevant portable program modules before they are displayed. This preliminary synchronization process ensures that modules are ready for immediate display when needed, improving user satisfaction while maintaining independent control through metadata-driven selection rather than broadcaster-imposed controls.
3Measurement precision
If search requests are repeatedly sent to select portable program modules, then module relevance to current content is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous identification of metadata related to television programming and continuously sends search requests to select relevant portable program modules. This continuous operation ensures that the displayed modules remain synchronized with current content without interruption, achieving high selection accuracy while minimizing perceptible delays through seamless continuous processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from repeatedly identified metadata to continuously refine portable program module selection. By monitoring changes in television programming metadata and adjusting module selection accordingly, the system maintains high relevance accuracy while optimizing search timing based on actual content changes rather than fixed intervals.
Data Source
AI summary
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes identifying metadata related to television programming. The method further includes sending search requests that include the identified metadata to a search system for selecting at least one portable program module. The method further includes in response to a first one of the search requests, receiving first search results from the search system that identify the selected portable program module and outputting a representation of the selected portable program module to a display device for presentation concurrently with the television programming. The method further includes in response to a second one of the search requests, receiving second search results from the search system that no longer identify the selected portable program module and ceasing the output of the representation of the selected portable program module.