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US 12,047,655 B2Granted
Character based search and discovery of media content
AssigneeTiVo Inc.
InventorsJohn Hinman, Ray DeRenzo, Timothy Chan, Allen Billings, Stephen Coney, David Brubeck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Mechanisms are provided for character-based and image-based media content search and discovery. Character images or entity images are mapped to corresponding media content. Selection of an image or a portion of an image may trigger or search for corresponding media content or begin playback of relevant media content. Character images or entity images need not correspond to a primary program character or object but may correspond to minor characters or tangential entities depicted periodically on particular programs.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- associating a plurality of media segments to at least a first character image;
- determining, for each of the plurality of media segments, a relevance score associated with the first character image, including a first relevance score for a first media segment from the plurality of media segments, based on:
- (i) a percentage or a time amount that a viewer has watched for each of the plurality of media segments;
- and
- (ii) scanning through each of the plurality of media segments to determine a prominence level by which the first character image is depicted in each of the plurality of media segments;
- receiving, from the viewer, a viewer selection of the first character image;
- identifying, in response to the viewer selection, the plurality of media segments;
- selecting, based on the receiving the viewer selection of the first character image and the first relevance score of the first media segment, the first media segment for playback;
- and
- providing, based on the selection of the first media segment, the first media segment for playback on a display.
7 more elements
A system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory, storing instructions to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- associating a plurality of media segments to at least a first character image;
- determining, for each of the plurality of media segments, a relevance score associated with the first character image, including a first relevance score for a first media segment form the plurality of media segments, based on:
- (i) a percentage or a time amount that a viewer has watched for each of the plurality of media segments;
- and
- (ii) scanning through each of the plurality of media segments to determine a prominence level by which the first character image is depicted in each of the plurality of media segments;
- receiving, from the viewer, a viewer selection of the first character image;
- identifying, in response to the viewer selection, the plurality of media segments;
- selecting, based on the receiving the viewer selection of the first character image and the first relevance score of the first media segment, the first media segment for playback;
- and
- providing, based on the selection of the first media segment, the first media segment for playback on a display.
10 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for:
- associating a plurality of media segments to at least a first character image;
- determining, for each of the plurality of media segments, a relevance score associated with the first character image, including a first relevance score for a first media segment from the plurality of media segments, based on:
- (i) a percentage or a time amount that a viewer has watched for each of the plurality of media segments;
- and
- (ii) scanning through each of the plurality of media segments to determine a prominence level by which the first character image is depicted in each of the plurality of media segments;
- receiving, from the viewer, a viewer selection of the first character image;
- identifying, in response to the viewer selection, the plurality of media segments;
- selecting, based on the receiving the viewer selection of the first character image and the first relevance score of the first media segment, the first media segment for playback;
- and
- providing, based on the selection of the first media segment, the first media segment for playback on a display.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.