Unified Content Guide Source Selection Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cable networks complicate content retrieval and playback by requiring users to navigate multiple guides and sources, making it difficult to select the best option for viewing or recording content due to varying availability and costs across different sources.
Innovation Solution
A consolidated content guide and content source selector resource that uses priority rules to automatically select the most efficient source for content retrieval and playback, prioritizing local storage and minimizing bandwidth usage, allowing users to select content without manually choosing the source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple content guides are provided for different sources (cable channels, video on demand, IP services, over-the-top content), then content availability and versatility are improved, but guide complexity and user confusion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate content guides (cable channels, video on demand, IP services, over-the-top content) into a single unified content guide. This unified guide presents all available content from different sources in one location, eliminating the need for users to navigate multiple separate guides while maintaining comprehensive content availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified content guide serves multiple functions simultaneously: it displays content from cable channels, video on demand services, IP-based services, and over-the-top content providers. This single guide performs what previously required multiple separate guides, reducing complexity while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users manually select content sources from multiple guides, then source selection flexibility is improved, but user effort and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines the optimal content source and retrieves content without requiring users to manually select sources. The set-top box or service provider automatically selects from available sources (cable, VOD, IP, over-the-top) based on predefined criteria, eliminating the need for users to navigate multiple guides and make source selection decisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes retrieval rules and priority orders for different content sources before content selection is needed. When a user selects content from the unified guide, the system has already prepared the selection criteria and can immediately retrieve from the appropriate source without requiring user intervention in the selection process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If content retrieval options from multiple sources are expanded, then content accessibility is improved, but bandwidth consumption and network load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of source selection by using retrieval rules that prioritize local sources (cable channels, local VOD) over remote sources (IP services, over-the-top content). This parameter change in selection strategy reduces network bandwidth consumption by preferring sources that require less network transmission while maintaining content accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The set-top box acts as an intermediary that manages content retrieval from multiple sources. It applies retrieval rules to select the most efficient source, mediating between the user's content request and the available sources. This intermediary function optimizes bandwidth usage by selecting sources that minimize network load while ensuring content delivery.
4Ease of operation
If automatic source selection using priority rules is implemented, then ease of content retrieval is improved, but system complexity and rule management increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically manages the complexity of multi-source content retrieval through self-service mechanisms. The set-top box or service provider autonomously applies retrieval rules and priority orders to select content sources without user intervention. This automation handles the system complexity internally while presenting a simple interface to users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures retrieval rules and priority orders for different content sources before runtime. These rules are established in advance, allowing the automatic source selection to function with minimal processing during actual content retrieval. This preliminary configuration manages system complexity by organizing selection logic beforehand.
Data Source
AI summary
In response to receiving a watch now command to playback selected content, a content source selector resource identifies one or more sources (e.g., digital video recorder, video on demand, linear television channel, etc.) from which selected content is available. To select amongst multiple possible resources from which to retrieve the selected content, the content source selector resource traverses a decision tree on behalf of the user to select a source from which to retrieve selected content. In certain instances, such as when content is currently not available or the subscriber wishes to watch the content later, a subscriber can select a watch later command to indicate a desire to record content for later viewing. In this latter instance, the decision tree also can be used to select a source from which to retrieve and store selected content for later viewing.