TV Signal Latency Equalization for Fair Live Skill Games
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Solution Overview
Problem
Games of skill that rely on television signal reception for real-time entertainment face latency issues due to systemic propagation delays, arbitrarily imposed delays, and variances in broadcast times, leading to unfair competitive advantages and user dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that equalize latency differences by grouping participants based on their television signal reception paths, determining and adjusting delays through various methodologies, including participant feedback, GPS location determination, and automated signal sampling, to synchronize the receipt of television signals and lockout signals across all cohorts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If participants are allowed to play games of skill simultaneously across different regions, then user engagement and competition are improved, but latency differences create unfair competitive advantages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments participants into multiple cohorts based on their television signal reception paths (e.g., cable, satellite, over-the-air). Each cohort is assigned a specific latency compensation value, allowing fair competition within each segment while maintaining simultaneous play across all segments. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by ensuring fairness within groups while preserving overall user engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the timing parameters of game data transmission and lockout signals based on each cohort's measured latency. By changing the temporal parameters dynamically according to reception path characteristics, the system maintains fairness without sacrificing simultaneous participation, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
2Reliability
If latency compensation is applied to ensure fair competition, then reliability of fair play is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by having participants automatically identify their television signal reception path and provide feedback on latency conditions. The system uses this self-provided information to assign cohorts and determine compensation values, reducing the need for complex centralized measurement and manual configuration. This self-service approach improves reliability while limiting the increase in system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where participants provide information about their signal reception and latency conditions, which the system uses to adjust game timing parameters. This feedback loop ensures accurate latency compensation without requiring overly complex predictive models or measurement systems, thus improving reliability with moderate complexity increase.
3Reliability
If participants are grouped into cohorts based on signal reception paths, then fairness is improved, but measurement and detection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by having participants self-identify their reception path type (cable, satellite, over-the-air) and provide feedback on latency conditions. This intermediary information simplifies the measurement process compared to direct technical measurement, enabling accurate cohort assignment while reducing detection and measurement difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes complex technical latency measurement mechanisms with simpler participant feedback and self-identification processes. Instead of requiring sophisticated network-level measurement systems, the invention uses user-provided information about their reception conditions to determine cohorts, thereby improving fairness while significantly reducing measurement complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of and system for handling latency issues encountered in producing real-time entertainment such as games of skill synchronized with live or taped televised events is described herein. There are multiple situations that are dealt with regarding latencies in receiving a television signal with respect to real-time entertainment based on the unfolding games played along with the telecasts. Systemic delays, arbitrarily imposed delays of a broadcast signal and variances in the precise broadcast times of taped television programs have to be equalized so as to provide fair entertainment.