# US 2014/0196069 A1 · Content recommendation method and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196069 A1 - Document ID: US20140196069A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/235,850 - Filed: 2012-06-05 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-04 - Assignees: Thomson Licensing - Inventors: Samir Ahmed; Clayton Alexander Thomson; Joel Fogelson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196069A1 ## CPC - H04N 21/251: {Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies (details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08)} - H04N 21/4516: {involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available} - H04N 21/4524: {involving the geographical location of the client (retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00)} - 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 21/4826: {using recommendation lists, e.g. of programmes or channels sorted out according to their score} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method for making a content recommendation to at least one user commences by first establishing a location for the at least one user. Thereafter a check occurs to determine which devices are available to the at least one user to use (e.g., consume) the content at the location. Next, the content available to the at least one user is determined based on at least the user's location and available devices available to the at least one user. A content recommendation is then made among the available content based on at least one attribute of the at least one user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for making a content recommendation to at least one user, comprising the steps of: establishing a location for the at least one user; determining which devices are available to the at least one user to use content at the present location; establishing which content is available to the at least one user based on the user's location and available devices, and recommending among the available content selected content based on at least one attribute of the at least one user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method to claim 1 wherein the location is established from at least one of GPS data, geolocation data and IP address lookup data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of determining the available devices includes the step of querying all devices at the established location to determine device availability. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of determining the available devices includes querying a database containing information about devices existing at the established location. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of establishing which content is available to the at least one user includes determining device resolution capability. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of establishing which content is available to the at least one user includes determining transmission bandwidth capability to the available devices at the established location. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of recommending selected content occurs in response to a request for a content recommendation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of recommending selected content occurs irrespective of whether a request for a content recommendation is received. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the step recommending among the available content selected content based on at least one attribute of the at least one user takes account of market research data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one attribute of the user includes past content requests made by the user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one attribute of the user includes past Electronic Program Guide (EPG) requests made by the user for content. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one attribute of the user includes past content purchases and rentals made by the user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one attribute of the user includes past content consumed at the established location on a particular device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the recommending step includes recommending auxiliary content for display on an auxiliary screen when available. ### Claim 15 Apparatus for making a content recommendation, comprising: means for establishing a location for the at least one user; means for determining which devices are available to the at least one user to use content at the present location; means for establishing which content is available to the at least one user based on the user's location and available devices, and means for recommending among the available content selected content based on at least one attribute of the at least one user. ### Claim 16 Apparatus for making a content recommendation, comprising, an analytics server for establishing a location for the at least one user and for determining which devices are available to the at least one user to use content at the present location; and a recommendation server responsive to the established location and available devices determined by the analytics server for establishing which content is available to the at least one user based on the user's location and available devices, and for recommending among the available content selected content based on at least one attribute of the at least one user. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the analytics server determines the user's location from at least one of GPS data, geolocation data and IP address lookup data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the analytics server queries all devices at the established location to determine device availability. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the analytics server queries a database containing information about devices existing at the established location. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the recommendation server establishes which content is available to the at least one user in accordance with device resolution capability. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the recommendation server establishes which content is available to the at least one user includes in accordance with the transmission bandwidth capability of the available devices at the established location. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the recommendation server recommends selected content occurs in response to a request for a content recommendation. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the recommendation server recommends selected content irrespective of whether a request for a content recommendation is received. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the recommendation server recommends selected content taking account of market research data. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the means for recommending recommends auxiliary content for display on an auxiliary screen when available. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the recommendation server recommends auxiliary content for display on an auxiliary screen when available.