Enhanced video programming system and method utilizing user-profile information
AssigneeOpenTV, Inc.
InventorsCraig Ullman, Jeffrey M. Harrington, Michael R. Abato, Carl R. Duda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Maintaining a file specifying a “donut” of dynamic, hierarchical, shared user-profile information. The donut contains a user profile or acts as a key to a data repository containing it, and it specifies user-profile information such as user characteristics, viewing preferences, hobbies, and spending habits. The donut is accessed by browser programs, associated web server programs, and other applications for use in routing content to the user associated with the donut.
Claims30
A method of compiling and maintaining information for use in routing and transmitting content to a machine via a network, the method comprising:
- receiving user activity information from the machine;
- updating a user profile based on the received user activity information;
- determining a uniform resource identifier for identifying audio or video content to transmit to the machine based on the updated user profile;
- inheriting user profile attributes into the user profile from a group of which the user is a member;
- and
- storing the user profile in a hierarchical attribute value-pair data structure,
- wherein the audio or video content is selected based on the user profile and on examination of at least one other user profile.
A method of accessing information for use in routing and transmitting content to a machine via a network, the method comprising:
- accessing, via a network connection, a user profile comprising at least one hierarchical attribute value-pair data structure stored in a computer-readable medium on a server;
- transmitting, to the server, data comprising an identification of the machine and information of the user profile comprising user activity information for determining a uniform resource identifier, wherein the data is stored on the server in the at least one hierarchical attribute value-pair data structure;
- and
- inheriting user profile attributes into the user profile from a group of which the user is a member,
- wherein the content is selected based on the user profile and on examination of at least one other user profile.
An apparatus to access information for use in routing and transmitting content to a machine via a network, comprising:
- networking means for establishing a network connection from a machine;
- accessing means for accessing via the network connection a hierarchical attribute-value pair data structure stored in a computer-readable medium;
- inheritance means for inheriting user profile attributes into a user profile from a group of which a user is a member;
- and
- transmitting means for transmitting information via the network connection for specifying in the data structure an identification of the machine, and information of the user profile comprising user activity information for determining a uniform resource indicator,
- wherein the content is selected based on the user profile and on examination of at least one other user profile.
An apparatus to compile and maintain information for use in routing and transmitting content to a machine via a network by specifying particular fields within a computer-readable medium, the apparatus comprising:
- a receiver for receiving user activity information for updating a user profile;
- and
- a computer-readable medium comprising information of the user profile for determining a uniform resource identifier for identifying content to transmit to the machine and an identification of the machine,
- wherein the user profile comprises information in a hierarchical attribute value-pair data structure and further comprises inherited user profile attributes from a group of which the user is a member, and
- wherein the content is selected based on the user profile and on examination of at least one other user profile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.