Search Parameter Aware Thumbnails for Video-on-Demand Program Guides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media program search systems fail to provide users with search parameter-aware thumbnails, leading to inefficient selection of media programs, as they often display random or inappropriate frames that do not accurately represent the search query, especially when dealing with a vast number of available media programs.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves searching video frames of media programs to identify frames depicting specific objects, generating thumbnail metadata, and associating it with the media program database, allowing for the display of thumbnails that match the user's search parameters, such as actor appearances, enabling dynamic generation of video clips or thumbnails that accurately represent the search query.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional program guides display random or default thumbnails for media programs, then the system complexity remains low, but the user efficiency in finding relevant content deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of video frames to identify key objects and generates thumbnail metadata in advance, storing it in the database. When a user searches for media programs featuring specific objects (e.g., actors), the pre-generated thumbnails can be quickly retrieved and displayed without requiring real-time analysis, thus improving user efficiency while managing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces thumbnail metadata as an intermediary layer between the video content and the user interface. This metadata contains information about key objects detected in video frames, allowing the system to efficiently match user search queries with relevant thumbnails without requiring complex real-time video analysis during user interaction
2Measurement precision
If the system analyzes all video frames to identify objects for thumbnail generation, then the accuracy of search parameter-aware thumbnails improves, but the processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential information from video frames - specifically identifying key objects and their positions - rather than analyzing entire frames in detail. This extraction approach generates sufficient thumbnail metadata for accurate search matching while significantly reducing processing time and computational resources required
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by analyzing only sufficient portions of video content to identify key objects for thumbnail generation, rather than performing exhaustive analysis of all frames. This partial analysis achieves the necessary accuracy for search parameter-aware thumbnails while avoiding excessive processing time
3Loss of information
If the system stores detailed metadata for each video frame, then the ability to provide search parameter-aware thumbnails improves, but the database size and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and stores only the essential metadata elements needed for search functionality - specifically object identification information and frame identifiers - rather than storing complete video frame data. This selective extraction maintains the completeness of search information while significantly reducing database size and storage requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for presenting a program guide for a video-on-demand system describing a plurality of media programs, each media program having a plurality of video frames. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of accepting a search request from a user, the search request comprising a search parameter having a search value; searching the media program database for the search value, the media program database having first metadata associated with a first individual video frame of the media program; and providing the program guide comprising a thumbnail depicting the first individual video frame of the media program associated with the first metadata to the user if the first metadata includes the search value.