# US 2019/0172498 A1 · Systems and methods for determining playback points in media assets

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- Number: US 2019/0172498 A1
- Document ID: US20190172498A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/198,053
- Filed: 2018-11-21
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-20
- Assignees: Rovi Guides, Inc.
- Applicants: Rovi Guides, Inc.
- Inventors: Arun Sreedhara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190172498A1

## CPC

- G11B 27/102: {Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers (access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816)}
- G06F 16/73: Querying
- G06F 16/74: Browsing; Visualisation therefor (end-user interfaces for requesting or interacting with video content, e.g. video on demand interfaces or electronic programme guides, H04N21/472)
- G11B 27/34: Indicating arrangements {(indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D)}
- H04N 21/435: Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
- H04N 21/44008: {involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream (arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59)}
- 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 21/47217: {for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks (specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312)}
- H04N 21/4828: {for searching programme descriptors (retrieval of video data G06F16/739)}
- H04N 21/8405: represented by keywords
- H04N 21/8547: involving timestamps for synchronizing content
- H04N 21/858: Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
- G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

Systems and methods are described for determining playback points in media assets based on both a keyword and a context of a current playback point in a media asset. For example, in response to user input of a keyword (e.g., “Matt Damon”) while the user is consuming a media asset, a current playback point in the media asset is determined. Context of the media asset at the current playback point is then determined (e.g., the current playback point involves a car chase). Playback points in the media asset are determined that match both the context and the keyword and are presented to the user (e.g., playback points with Matt Damon in a car chase).

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-51. (canceled)

### Claim 52

A method for determining playback points in media assets, the method comprising:
generating for display a first media asset;
receiving, while generating for display the first media asset, a keyword from a user;
in response to receiving the keyword from the user:
determining a current playback point in the first media asset;
retrieving metadata associated with the current playback point; and
assigning a context based on the retrieved metadata associated with the current playback point;
comparing both (1) the keyword and (2) the context with a plurality of keywords and contexts associated with playback points in each of a plurality of other media assets;
determining, based on the comparing, that the keyword and the context correspond to at least one playback point in each of the plurality of other media assets;
generating, for each of the plurality of other media assets, an indication that the keyword and the context correspond to at least one playback point;
detecting a selection of a first indication of the indications, wherein the first indication is associated with a second media asset of the plurality of other media assets; and
in response to the detection of the selection of the first indication, generating for display media guidance data for the second media asset.

### Claim 53 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, wherein the media guidance data comprises a respective content source for the second media asset.

### Claim 54 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, further comprising:
in response to receiving the keyword from the user:
comparing attributes of the keyword with attributes of each of a plurality of keywords related to the first media asset;
determining a subset of the plurality of keywords that have an attribute that matches an attribute of the keyword; and
generating for display the subset of the plurality of keywords.

### Claim 55 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, wherein the keyword is a first keyword, and wherein assigning the context comprises:
receiving, while generating for display the first media asset, a second keyword from the user;
determining, based on characteristics of the first keyword and characteristics of the second keyword, a keyword context linking the first keyword with the second keyword; and
assigning the context based on both (1) the keyword context and (2) the retrieved metadata associated with the current playback point.

### Claim 56 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, wherein assigning the context based on the retrieved metadata associated with the current playback point comprises:
determining, based on the retrieved metadata, that a plurality of contexts correspond to the current playback point;
retrieving, from a user profile, a context preference;
determining that the context preference matches a first context of the plurality of contexts; and
assigning the first context as the context.

### Claim 57 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, wherein assigning the context based on the retrieved metadata associated with the current playback point comprises:
determining, based on the retrieved metadata, that a plurality of contexts correspond to the current playback point;
retrieving, from a server, an indication of popularity for each of the plurality of contexts;
determining, based on the retrieved indication of popularity for each of the plurality of contexts, a most popular context; and
assigning the most popular context as the context.

### Claim 58 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, wherein determining that the keyword and the context correspond to the at least one playback point in each of the plurality of other media assets comprises:
determining a number of the at least one playback point that correspond to the keyword and the context;
comparing the number to a threshold number;
determining that the number exceeds the threshold number; and
in response to determining that the number exceeds the threshold number, =generating for display a subset of the at least one playback point, wherein the subset includes only playback points within a threshold amount of time from the current playback point.

### Claim 59 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, wherein generating the indication of the at least one playback point comprises:
generating for display a progress bar overlaid on one or more of the other media assets;
determining locations on the progress bar corresponding to each of the at least one playback point; and
generating for display, at each of the locations on the progress bar, the indication.

### Claim 60 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, wherein the media guidance data is generated for display on a first device, and wherein generating for display the media guidance data comprises:
determining that a number of the at least one playback point that correspond to the keyword and the context exceed a threshold number to display on the first device;
in response to determining that the number exceeds the threshold number to display on the first device, determining a second device associated with the user; and
transmitting data associated with one or more of the at least one playback points to the second device to be displayed by the second device.

### Claim 61 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, wherein the media guidance data comprises parental controls for the second media asset.

### Claim 62

A system for determining playback points in media assets, the system comprising:
user input circuitry; and
control circuitry configured to:
generate for display a first media asset;
receive, while generating for display the first media asset, a keyword from a user;
in response to receiving the keyword from the user:
determine a current playback point in the first media asset;
retrieve metadata associated with the current playback point;
and
assign a context based on the retrieved metadata associated with the current playback point;
compare both (1) the keyword and (2) the context with a plurality of keywords and contexts associated with playback points in each of a plurality of other media assets;
determine, based on the comparison, that the keyword and the context correspond to at least one playback point in each of the plurality of other media assets;
generate, for each of the other media assets, an indication that the keyword and the context correspond to at least one playback point;
detect a selection of a first indication of the indications, wherein the first indication is associated with a second media asset of the plurality of other media assets; and
in response to the detection of the selection of the first indication, generate for display media guidance data for the second media asset.

### Claim 63 (depends on 62)

The system of claim 62, wherein the media guidance data comprises a respective content source for the second media asset.

### Claim 64 (depends on 62)

The system of claim 62, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
in response to receiving the keyword from the user:
compare attributes of the keyword with attributes of each of a plurality of keywords related to the first media asset;
determine a subset of the plurality of keywords that have an attribute that matches an attribute of the keyword; and
generate for display the subset of the plurality of keywords.

### Claim 65 (depends on 62)

The system of claim 62, wherein the keyword is a first keyword, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when assigning the context, to:
receive, while generating for display the first media asset, a second keyword from the user;
determine, based on characteristics of the first keyword and characteristics of the second keyword, a keyword context linking the first keyword with the second keyword; and
assign the context based on both (1) the keyword context and (2) the retrieved metadata associated with the current playback point.

### Claim 66 (depends on 62)

The system of claim 62, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when assigning the context based on the retrieved metadata associated with the current playback point, to:
determine, based on the retrieved metadata, that a plurality of contexts correspond to the current playback point;
retrieve, from a user profile, a context preference;
determine that the context preference matches a first context of the plurality of contexts; and
assign the first context as the context.

### Claim 67 (depends on 62)

The system of claim 62, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when assigning the context based on the retrieved metadata associated with the current playback point, to:
determine, based on the retrieved metadata, that a plurality of contexts correspond to the current playback point;
retrieve, from a server, an indication of popularity for each of the plurality of contexts;
determine, based on the retrieved indication of popularity for each of the plurality of contexts, a most popular context; and
assign the most popular context as the context.

### Claim 68 (depends on 62)

The system of claim 62, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when determining that the keyword and the context correspond to the at least one playback point in each of the plurality of media asset, to:
determine a number of the at least one playback point that correspond to the keyword and the context;
compare the number to a threshold number;
determine that the number exceeds the threshold number; and
in response to determining that the number exceeds the threshold number, generate for display a subset of the at least one playback point, wherein the subset includes only playback points within a threshold amount of time from the current playback point.

### Claim 69 (depends on 62)

The system of claim 62, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when generating for display the indication of the at least one playback point, to:
generate for display a progress bar overlaid on one or more of the other media assets;
determine locations on the progress bar corresponding to each of the at least one playback point; and
generate for display, at each of the locations on the progress bar, the indication.

### Claim 70 (depends on 62)

The system of claim 62, wherein the media guidance data is generated for display on a first device, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when generating for display the media guidance data, to:
determine that a number of the at least one playback point that correspond to the keyword and the context exceed a threshold number to display on the first device;
in response to determining that the number exceeds the threshold number to display on the first device, determine a second device associated with the user; and
transmit data associated with one or more of the at least one playback points to the second device to be displayed by the second device.

### Claim 71 (depends on 62)

The system of claim 62, wherein the media guidance data comprises parental controls for the second media asset.