# US 12,003,823 B2 · Smart channel device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,823 B2 - Document ID: US12003823B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/574,343 - Filed: 2022-01-12 - Published: 2022-07-07 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-08 - Assignees: Directv, LLC - Applicants: Directv, LLC - Inventors: Kevin T. Qi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003823B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/4826: {using recommendation lists, e.g. of programmes or channels sorted out according to their score} - G06F 16/735: Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles - G06F 16/78: Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually - H04N 21/4126: {The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones} - H04N 21/41265: {having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device (unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204)} - H04N 21/42204: {User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor (constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205)} - H04N 21/4383: {Accessing a communication channel} - H04N 21/4532: {involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences (monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18)} - H04N 21/4821: {using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time} - H04N 21/4882: {for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders (arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract According to one embodiment, a channel device includes a memory, an interface, and a processor. The memory stores a watch list. The watch list includes n predetermined number of channels, wherein n is an integer and the predetermined number of channels are ranked from one to n. The interface is configured to receive program information for a first channel, wherein the first channel is a channel of a watch list. The processor is further configured to determine a change from a previous channel to a current channel. The processor dynamically updates the watch list to include the previous channel, wherein the previous channel is ranked as one. The processor removes the channel ranked as n from the watch list. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A channel device, comprising: a memory configured to store a watch list, the watch list comprising n predetermined number of channels, wherein n is an integer and wherein the predetermined number of channels are ranked from one to n; and a processor configured to: obtain the watch list from a network database; determine a change from a first program of a first channel to a second program of a second channel; determine a display time associated with the first channel; determine whether the display time associated with the first channel meets or exceeds a threshold amount of time; determine that the first channel is in the watch list; in response to a determination that the display time associated with the first channel meets or exceeds the threshold amount of time, update a rank of the first channel in the watch list to be one, wherein no channels are removed from the watch list; identify a start of a third program on the first channel; and display a notification overlaid on a section of the second program, wherein the notification includes a video of the third program. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The channel device of claim 1, wherein to display the notification, the processor is further configured to: determine program information for the program on the first channel; determine a display time to display the notification, wherein the display time is a threshold amount of time before a start time of the program; and generate the notification for display at the display time, the notification including at least a title and the start time of the program. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The channel device of claim 2, wherein: the program is a first program; the notification is a first notification; and the processor is further configured to: determine program information for a second program on a second channel; determine that an input in response to the first notification is not received for a threshold amount of time; and upon a determination that the input is not received for the threshold amount of time, generate a second notification for display that indicates at least a title and a start time of the second program. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The channel device of claim 3, wherein the first notification and the second notification each further include one or more of the following: a request for user input; and commands for a user to respond to the notification. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The channel device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the first channel has been watched at least a predetermined number of times, wherein updating the rank of the first channel is additionally responsive to the determination that the first channel has been watched at least the predetermined number of times. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The channel device of claim 1, wherein the first channel was ranked a first value before being reranked, further including a third channel in the watch list ranked a second value before the first channel was reranked, wherein the second value is less than the first value and both the first and second values are less than n, wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to updating the rank of the first channel to be one, update a rank of the third channel to be the second value plus one. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The channel device of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to store the updated rankings of the first channel and the third channel in the network database upon a determination that the channel device is powered off. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The channel device of claim 1, wherein the watch list includes a plurality of channel lists associated with a respective plurality of users. ### Claim 9 A method, comprising: storing a watch list, the watch list comprising n predetermined number of channels, wherein n is an integer and wherein the predetermined number of channels are ranked from one to n; obtaining the watch list from a network database; determining a change from a first program of a first channel to a second program of a second channel; determining a display time associated with the first channel; determining whether the display time associated with the first channel meets or exceeds a threshold amount of time; determining that the first channel is in the watch list; in response to a determination that the display time associated with the first channel meets or exceeds the threshold amount of time, updating the rank of the first channel in the watch list to be one, wherein no channels are removed from the watch list; identifying a start of a third program on the first channel; and displaying a notification overlaid on a section of the second program, wherein the notification includes a video of the third program. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein displaying the notification further includes: determining program information for the program on the first channel; determining a display time to display the notification, wherein the display time is a threshold amount of time before a start time of the program; and generating the notification for display at the display time, the notification including at least a title and the start time of the program. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the program is a first program; the notification is a first notification; and the method further includes: determining program information for a second program on a second channel; determining that an input in response to the first notification is not received for a threshold amount of time; and upon a determination that the input is not received for the threshold amount of time, generating a second notification for display that indicates at least a title and a start time of the second program. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first notification and the second notification each further include one or more of the following: a request for user input; and commands for a user to respond to the notification. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further including determining that the first channel has been watched at least a predetermined number of times, wherein updating the rank of the first channel is additionally responsive to the determination that the first channel has been watched at least the predetermined number of times. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first channel was ranked a first value before being reranked, further including a third channel in the watch list ranked a second value before the first channel was reranked, wherein the second value is less than the first value and both the first and second values are less than n, further including, in response to updating the rank of the first channel to be one, updating the rank of the third channel to be the second value plus one. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further including storing the updated rankings of the first channel and the third channel in the network database upon a determination that a channel device is powered off. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the watch list includes a plurality of channel lists associated with a respective plurality of users. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to at least: store a watch list, the watch list comprising n predetermined number of channels, wherein n is an integer and wherein the predetermined number of channels are ranked from one to n; obtain the watch list from a network database; determine a change from a first program of a first channel to a second program of a second channel; determine a display time associated with the first channel; determine whether the display time associated with the first channel meets or exceeds a threshold amount of time; determine that the first channel is in the watch list; in response to a determination that the display time associated with the first channel meets or exceeds the threshold amount of time, update a rank of the first channel in the watch list to be one, wherein no channels are removed from the watch list; identify a start of a third program on the first channel; and display a notification overlaid on a section of the second program, wherein the notification includes a video of the third program. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein to display the notification, the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to: determine program information for the program on the first channel; determine a display time to display the notification, wherein the display time is a threshold amount of time before a start time of the program; and generate the notification for display at the display time, the notification including at least a title and the start time of the program. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein: the program is a first program; the notification is a first notification; and the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to at least: determine program information for a second program on a second channel; determine that an input in response to the first notification is not received for a threshold amount of time; and upon a determination that the input is not received for the threshold amount of time, generate a second notification for display that indicates at least a title and a start time of the second program. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first notification and the second notification each further include one or more of the following: a request for user input; and commands for a user to respond to the notification. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to at least determine that the first channel has been watched at least a predetermined number of times, wherein updating the rank of the first channel is additionally responsive to the determination that the first channel has been watched at least the predetermined number of times. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first channel was ranked a first value before being reranked, further including a third channel in the watch list ranked a second value before the first channel was reranked, wherein the second value is less than the first value and both the first and second values are less than n, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to, in response to updating the rank of the first channel to be one, update a rank of the third channel to be the second value plus one. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to at least store the updated rankings of the first channel and the third channel in the network database upon a determination that a channel device is powered off. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the watch list includes a plurality of channel lists associated with a respective plurality of users.