# US 8,752,103 B2 · Personal television channel and system and method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,752,103 B2 - Document ID: US8752103B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/972,478 - Filed: 2008-01-10 - Published: 2009-07-16 - Granted: 2014-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2008-01-10 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Applicants: Ankur Mukerji; Charles V. Scott; Scott White - Inventors: Ankur Mukerji; Charles V. Scott; Scott White - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8752103B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/2668: Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles {(information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063)} - H04N 21/25875: {involving end-user authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06)} - H04N 21/25891: {being end-user preferences (retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18)} - H04N 21/431: Generation of visual interfaces {for content selection or interaction}; Content or additional data rendering - H04N 21/472: End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content {(end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612)} - H04N 21/47202: {for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand} - H04N 21/6581: {Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media processor having a controller to transmit to a media source a request to access media content of a personal television (TV) channel composed by a subscriber of a media communication system, transmit to the media source a communication identifier, and receive from the media source media content in the personal TV channel adapted according to the communication identifier. Other embodiments are disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-readable storage device, comprising computer instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: arranging a plurality of media content items for presentation via a personal television channel into a plurality of media content groupings, wherein each of the plurality of media content groupings is associated with one of a plurality of communication identifiers of a plurality of requesting devices, wherein at least two of the plurality of requesting devices are associated with different media content groupings, and wherein the plurality of requesting devices share access to the personal television channel for presentation of one of the plurality of media content groupings associated therewith; arranging the plurality of media content groupings for display during one or more time slots, each of the one or more time slots being assigned a plurality of media content options according to the plurality of communication identifiers; receiving a first group of requests from a first group of requesting devices of the plurality of requesting devices for access to the personal television channel; identifying a first group of communication identifiers of the plurality of communication identifiers, the first group of communication identifiers associated with the first group of requests; detecting a first group of matches between the first group of communication identifiers and the plurality of communication identifiers to detect a first matched group of communication identifiers; selecting a first media content grouping of the plurality of media content groupings corresponding to the first matched group of communication identifiers; receiving a second group of requests from a second group of requesting devices of the plurality of requesting devices for access to the personal television channel; identifying a second group of communication identifiers of the plurality of communication identifiers, the second group of communication identifiers associated with the second group of requests; detecting a second group of matches between the second group of communication identifiers and the plurality of communication identifiers to detect a second matched group of communication identifiers; selecting a second media content grouping of the plurality of media content groupings corresponding to the second matched group of communication identifiers; and presenting the first media content grouping in the personal television channel for presentation at the first group of requesting devices by transmitting to the first group of requesting devices a first group of multicast signals comprising the first media content grouping while presenting the second media content grouping in the personal television channel for presentation at the second group of requesting devices by transmitting to the second group of requesting devices a second group of multicast signals comprising the second media content grouping, wherein the first group of multicast signals differs from the second group of multicast signals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the first group of communication identifiers and the second group of communication identifiers are received from the first group of requesting devices and the second group of requesting devices responsive to submit the first group of communication identifiers and the second group of communication identifiers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication identifiers comprises authentication data; or an identifier of the requesting device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer-readable storage device of claim 3, wherein the authentication data comprises identification data of a subscriber and wherein each communication identifier of the plurality of communication identifiers comprises one of a static Internet Protocol address, a media access control address or a serial number. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of requesting devices comprises a media processor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer-readable storage device of claim 5, wherein the media processor comprises a set-top box. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of media content groupings comprises one of audio content, moving image content, or still image content. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving opinion data from each of the plurality of requesting devices consuming portions of the plurality of media content groupings presented in the personal television channel; producing media content ratings for the plurality of media content groupings according to the opinion data; and presenting in the personal television channel the media content ratings. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the media content ratings are presented as metadata, and wherein the metadata is utilized by a device consuming media content supplied in the personal television channel to trigger parental controls that limit consumption of a portion of said media content. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication identifiers are stored in an address book, and wherein the personal television channel is identified according to a character string, a number, and an alphanumeric string. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the personal television channel is shared by a plurality of subscribers supplying portions of the plurality of media content items, and wherein the operations further comprise: identifying a plurality of time slots for presenting the plurality of media content groupings in the personal television channel; associating a select one of the time slots with a select one of the plurality of communication identifiers; and arranging the plurality of media content groupings according to the associations. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the time slots are statically assigned. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the time slots are dynamically assigned. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is used in one of a set-top box or a network element of a media communication system, and wherein the media communication system comprises one of an internet protocol television communication system, a cable television communication system, a satellite television communication system, a public switched telephone network, a voice over internet protocol communication system, or a internet protocol multimedia subsystem combining the public switched telephone network and voice over internet protocol communication systems. ### Claim 15 A method, comprising: arranging a plurality of media content items for presentation via a personal television channel into a plurality of media content groupings each associated with one of a plurality of communication identifiers of a plurality of requesting devices; arranging the plurality of media content groupings in one or more time slots, each of the one or more time slots comprising a plurality of media content options assigned to the plurality of communication identifiers; receiving a first group of requests from a first group of requesting devices of the plurality of requesting devices for access to the personal television channel; identifying a first group of communication identifiers associated with the first group of requests; detecting a first group of matches between the first group of communication identifiers and the plurality of communication identifiers to detect a first matched group of communication identifiers; selecting a first media content grouping of the plurality of media content groupings corresponding to the first matched group of communication identifiers; receiving a second group of requests from a second group of requesting devices of the plurality of requesting devices for access to the personal television channel; identifying a second group of communication identifiers associated with the second group of requests; detecting a second group of matches between the second group of communication identifiers and the plurality of communication identifiers to detect a second matched group of communication identifiers; selecting a second media content grouping of the plurality of media content groupings corresponding to the second matched group of communication identifiers; transmitting to the first group of requesting devices a first group of multicast signals comprising the first media content grouping for presenting the first media content grouping in the personal television channel; and transmitting to the second group of requesting devices a second group of multicast signals comprising the second media content grouping for presenting the second media content grouping in the personal television channel, wherein the first group of multicast signals differ from the second group of multicast signals. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second group of communication identifiers are received from the first and second group of requesting devices responsive to directing the first and second group of requesting devices to submit the first and second group of communication identifiers. ### Claim 17 A server, comprising: a memory to store instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein executing the instructions causes the processor to perform operations comprising: arranging a plurality of media content groupings in one or more time slots, each of the one or more time slots comprising a plurality of media content options assigned to a plurality of communication identifiers; receiving a first group of requests from a first group of requesting devices for access to a personal television channel; identifying a first group of communication identifiers associated with the first group of requests; detecting a first group of matches between the first group of communication identifiers and the plurality of communication identifiers to detect a first matched group of communication identifiers; selecting a first media content grouping of the plurality of media content groupings corresponding to the first matched group of communication identifiers; receiving a second group of requests from a second group of requesting devices for access to the personal television channel; identifying a second group of communication identifiers associated with the second group of requests; detecting a second group of matches between the second group of communication identifiers and the plurality of communication identifiers to detect a second matched group of communication identifiers; selecting a second media content grouping of the plurality of media content groupings corresponding to the second matched group of communication identifiers; transmitting to the first group of requesting devices a first group of multicast signals comprising the first media content grouping for presenting the first media content grouping in the personal television channel; and transmitting to the second group of requesting devices a second group of multicast signals comprising the second media content grouping for presenting the second media content grouping in the personal television channel, wherein the first group of multicast signals differ from the second group of multicast signals. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The server of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving opinion data from each of the plurality of requesting devices consuming portions of the plurality of media content groupings presented in the personal television channel; producing media content ratings for the plurality of media content groupings according to the opinion data; and presenting in the personal television channel the media content ratings. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The server of claim 17, wherein the plurality of communication identifiers are stored in an address book, and wherein the personal television channel is identified according to of a character string, a number, and an alphanumeric string.