# US 12,120,395 B2 · Systems and methods for using playlists

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- Number: US 12,120,395 B2
- Document ID: US12120395B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/394,066
- Filed: 2021-08-04
- Published: 2022-01-27
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2006-11-10
- Assignees: Rovi Guides, Inc.
- Applicants: Rovi Guides, Inc.
- Inventors: Michael D. Ellis; Jon P. Radloff; Robert A. Knee; Michael L Craner; Joshua Berry
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120395B2

## CPC

- H04N 21/47: End-user applications
- H04N 21/431: Generation of visual interfaces {for content selection or interaction}; Content or additional data rendering
- H04N 21/4312: {involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations}
- H04N 21/4334: {Recording operations (recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27)}
- H04N 21/454: Content {or additional data} filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
- H04N 21/4586: {Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally (deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25)}
- H04N 21/4622: {Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet (web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859)}
- H04N 21/47214: {for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market (stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224)}
- H04N 21/482: End-user interface for programme selection
- H04N 21/4825: {using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists}
- H04N 21/4828: {for searching programme descriptors (retrieval of video data G06F16/739)}
- H04N 21/84: Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors {(systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73)}
- H04N 21/26258: {for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list (retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40)}
- H04N 21/47202: {for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically generating a playlist of series assets and systems and methods for grouping assets of a playlist in clusters are provided. In one embodiment, series assets may automatically be included into a playlist for that series. In another embodiment, an interactive media guidance application may group assets in clusters based on one or more user selected parameters or may group assets in cluster based on automatically determined parameters. In yet another embodiment, the interactive media guidance application may group assets in clusters and display at least one identifier in connection with each cluster to indicate a basis for forming the cluster. The identifier may be a key word or catch phrase that succinctly identifies a trait or characteristic of assets in a particular cluster associated with the identifier.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for playback of media assets using an interactive program guide, comprising:
selecting, by a user, a media asset in the interactive program guide, wherein the selected media asset is an asset that is part of a series;
determining that a threshold number of assets are available, wherein the threshold is greater than one, and in response, automatically generating by the interactive program guide a playlist including episodes from the series;
automatically arranging by the interactive program guide the media assets in the playlist according to a predetermined order;
determining that a first media asset belonging to the series is available from a server, and in response, dynamically updating by the interactive program guide the playlist by adding, to the playlist, the first media asset belonging to the series;
determining that a second media asset belonging to the series is no longer available from the server, and in response, dynamically updating by the interactive program guide the playlist by removing, from the playlist, the second media asset; and
in response to an instruction from the user to playback the media assets in the playlist, seamlessly playing by the interactive program guide the media assets in an order implied by the playlist.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the updating comprises:
changing the representation of a media asset within the playlist when that media asset's accessibility changes state by removing the media asset from the playlist while maintaining the integrity of the rest of the playlist.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
removing a media asset from the playlist when that media asset has been deleted or is no longer accessible.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
preventing playback of a media asset from the playlist when that media asset is not authorized for viewing according to a digital rights management system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
removing a media asset from the playlist when that media asset has been viewed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein generating the playlist comprises automatically creating the playlist in response to a determination that a predetermined number of media assets belonging to the series have been recorded.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the threshold number of assets are available comprises determining that three or more assets that are a part of the series have been recorded.

### Claim 8

A system for playback of media assets using an interactive program guide, comprising:
input/output circuitry configured to receive a selection of a media asset in the interactive program guide, wherein the selected media asset is an asset that is part of a series; and
control circuitry configured to:
in response to determining that a threshold number of assets are available, wherein the threshold is greater than one, automatically generate a playlist including episodes from the series;
automatically arrange the media assets in the playlist according to a predetermined order;
in response to determining that a first media asset belonging to the series is available from a server, dynamically update the playlist by adding, to the playlist, the first media asset belonging to the series; and
in response to determining that a second media asset belonging to the series is no longer available from the server, remove, from the playlist, the second media asset;
wherein the input/output circuitry is further configured to, in response to receiving an instruction to playback the media assets in the playlist, seamlessly play the media assets in an order implied by the playlist.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to dynamically update the playlist by:
changing the representation of a media asset within the playlist when that media asset's accessibility changes state by removing the media asset from the playlist while maintaining the integrity of the rest of the playlist.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
remove a media asset from the playlist when that media asset has been deleted or is no longer accessible.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
prevent playback of a media asset from the playlist when that media asset is not authorized for viewing according to a digital rights management system.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
remove a media asset from the playlist when that media asset has been viewed.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to automatically generate the playlist in response to a determination that a predetermined number of media assets belonging to the series have been recorded.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to automatically generate the playlist including episodes from the series determining that three or more assets that are each a part of the series have been recorded.