Unified Electronic Programming Guide for Authenticated Content Discovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face challenges in discovering and accessing authenticated content across various media presentation devices, particularly with broadband video content, due to the lack of a unified electronic programming guide that integrates both MVPD and non-MVPD sources, leading to complications in content discovery and targeted advertising.

Innovation Solution

A method is provided to receive authentication tokens from media presentation devices, generate an electronic programming guide (EPG) that lists authenticated content from multiple sources, and send it to the devices, allowing users to access and discover content from various authenticated sources, including broadband video sources, using a federated identity service and EPG server that cross-correlates user digital identities with content indexes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If users access content from multiple sources (MVPD and broadband video providers) using different applications and authentication methods, then content accessibility is improved, but device complexity and user operation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent accessibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple content sources (MVPD and broadband video providers) and their authentication mechanisms into a single unified electronic programming guide interface. The EPG server aggregates content listings from different providers and presents them through one application, eliminating the need for users to switch between multiple applications and authentication methods while maintaining access to diverse content sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The electronic programming guide is designed to serve multiple functions: it displays content from both MVPD and broadband video providers, handles different authentication types (set-top box authentication and web browser authentication), and provides a unified interface for content discovery across all sources. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for separate applications for each content source.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If users access content from multiple sources using different applications, then content variety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent varietyVSAvoiduser operation simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges content discovery functionality for multiple sources into a single electronic programming guide interface. Users interact with one unified application that presents content from both MVPD and broadband video providers in a consistent format, eliminating the need to learn and operate multiple different applications while maintaining access to diverse content varieties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If MVPD acts as gatekeeper for both MVPD-delivered content and broadband video content, then content control and authentication are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication reliabilityVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The EPG server acts as an intermediary between users and multiple content sources. It receives authentication tokens from users, cross-correlates them with content indexes, and determines content availability without requiring the set-top box to directly implement complex authentication logic for each content source. This mediator approach maintains authentication reliability while simplifying the set-top box architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the EPG server continuously monitors authentication tokens, cross-correlates user digital identities with content indexes, and updates the electronic programming guide based on authenticated content availability. This feedback loop ensures reliable content control while automating the complexity of multi-source authentication management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11451843B2Authenticated content discovery

Publication Date: 2022.09.20 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Embodiments are disclosed herein that relate to facilitating the discovery of authenticated content from a variety of sources. One embodiment provides a method comprising receiving a plurality of authentication tokens from the media presentation device, where each of the plurality of authentication tokens represents an established authenticated relationship between a user and a corresponding content source. The method further comprises receiving a request from the media presentation device for an electronic programming guide and sending the electronic programming guide to the media presentation device, where the electronic programming guide comprises a listing of content from a plurality of content sources corresponding to the plurality of authentication tokens.