# US 8,782,702 B2 · Method and apparatus for selecting a version of an entertainment program based on user preferences > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,782,702 B2 - Document ID: US8782702B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/476,761 - Filed: 2012-05-21 - Published: 2013-05-23 - Granted: 2014-07-15 - Earliest claimed: 1998-10-30 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Jean M. Goldschmidt Iki; Anthony A. Shah-Nazaroff; Christopher D. Williams; Gregory D. Buscheck; Kenneth Alan Moore - Inventors: Jean M. Goldschmidt Iki; Anthony A. Shah-Nazaroff; Christopher D. Williams; Gregory D. Buscheck; Kenneth Alan Moore - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8782702B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/4828: {for searching programme descriptors (retrieval of video data G06F16/739)} - H04N 21/23439: {for generating different versions} - H04N 21/434: Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream {(demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00)} - H04N 21/44224: {Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing} - 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 21/454: Content {or additional data} filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements - 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 21/47: End-user applications - H04N 21/482: End-user interface for programme selection - H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)} - 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 21/4312: {involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations} - H04N 21/4516: {involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available} - 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 21/4755: {for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre (retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306)} - H04N 21/4756: {for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie} - H04N 21/4758: {for providing answers, e.g. voting} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method and apparatus for selecting a version of an entertainment program based on user preference includes receiving entertainment programming input, identifying multiple available versions of an entertainment program, identifying, for each of the multiple versions, a set of descriptive information regarding the respective version, accessing user preferences, and selecting one of the multiple versions for display based on a comparison of the descriptive information to the user preferences. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving entertainment programming input; identifying, by a selection controller, multiple versions of an available entertainment program; identifying, by the selection controller, for each of the multiple versions, a set of descriptive information regarding the respective version, the descriptive information comprising a plurality of video quality characteristics of the respective version; identifying, by the selection controller, the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions; and displaying the characteristics of the identified multiple versions and highlighting the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions to a user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein highlighting the differences comprises displaying only the identified differences in the characteristics. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a selection from the user identifying one of the plurality of the multiple versions; and displaying the one of the plurality of multiple versions corresponding to the user selection. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple versions are available using different channel transport media, the method further comprising displaying an identification of the channel transport medium for each respective version, the channel transport media including at least one of cable broadcast, satellite broadcast, radio frequency broadcast, telephone interface, computer network interface, CD-ROM, video disk, and video cassette. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the video quality characteristics comprise at least one of enhanced programming, language of subtitles, descriptive video service, closed captioning, color, letterbox format, standard television format and director's cut version. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying multiple versions comprises searching through data of an electronic programming guide for additional entries having a same identifier. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying multiple versions comprises searching through data of an electronic programming guide for additional entries that start within a threshold period of time of the start of the version corresponding to the original program selection. ### Claim 8 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computer result in: receiving entertainment programming input; identifying multiple versions of an available entertainment program; identifying, for each of the multiple versions, a set of descriptive information regarding the respective version, the descriptive information comprising a plurality of video quality characteristics of the respective version; identifying the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions; and displaying the characteristics of the identified multiple versions and highlighting the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions to a user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions which when executed by the processor, result in highlighting the differences, further result in displaying the identified differences in the characteristics together with additional identified characteristics, the additional identified characteristics comprising at least one of a source identifier, a channel transport medium, program duration, pricing, enhanced programming availability, closed captioning availability, language of subtitles in the version and language spoken in the version. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further result in receiving a selection from the user identifying one of the multiple versions, and displaying the selected one of the multiple versions corresponding to the user selection. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, result in identifying multiple versions comprise searching through data of an electronic programming guide for additional entries having a same title. ### Claim 12 An apparatus comprising: a program guide controller to receive entertainment programming input; a selection controller coupled to the program guide controller to identify multiple available versions of an entertainment program, to identify, for each of the multiple versions, a set of descriptive information regarding the respective version, the descriptive information comprising a plurality of video quality characteristics of the respective version and to identify the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions; and a device controller, coupled to the selection controller, to display the characteristics of the multiple versions and to highlight the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions to a user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the device controller in highlighting the differences is to display only the identified differences in the characteristics. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a user interface controller to receive a selection from the user identifying one of the plurality of the multiple versions; and wherein the device controller is further to display the selected one of the multiple versions corresponding to the user selection. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the program guide controller comprises a program guide memory for use by the selection controller, the program guide memory having a table of programs and wherein for each program the table includes an identification of the program and a plurality of characteristics including at least one of channel audio support, broadcast date, broadcast time, program duration, alternate audio channels, language, screen format, closed caption availability and a program description. ### Claim 16 A method comprising: receiving entertainment programming input; identifying, by a selection controller, multiple versions of an available entertainment program; identifying, by the selection controller, for each of the multiple versions, a set of descriptive information regarding the respective version, the descriptive information comprising a plurality of audio quality characteristics of the respective version; identifying, by the selection controller, the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions; and displaying the characteristics of the identified multiple versions and highlighting the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions to a user. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein highlighting the differences comprises displaying identified differences in the characteristics together with additional characteristics, the additional characteristics comprising at least one of a source identifier, a channel transport medium, program duration, pricing, enhanced programming availability, closed captioning availability, language of subtitles in the version and language spoken in the version. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: receiving a selection from the user identifying one of the plurality of the multiple versions; and displaying the multiple version corresponding to the user selection. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein identifying multiple versions comprises searching through data of an electronic programming guide for additional entries that start at approximately the same time. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the audio quality characteristics comprise at least one of alternate audio, secondary audio, language of dubbing, language spoken, mono, stereo, surround, digital stereo and digital surround. ### Claim 21 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computer result in: receiving entertainment programming input; identifying multiple versions of an available entertainment program; identifying, for each of the multiple versions, a set of descriptive information regarding the respective version, the descriptive information comprising a plurality of audio quality characteristics of the respective version; identifying the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions; and displaying the characteristics of the identified multiple versions and highlighting the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions to a user. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the characteristics further comprise at least one of a source identifier, a channel transport medium, program duration, pricing, enhanced programming availability, closed captioning availability, language of subtitles in the version and language spoken in the version. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the multiple versions are available using different channel transport media and wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further result in displaying an identification of the channel transport medium for each respective version, the channel transport media including at least one of cable broadcast, satellite broadcast, radio frequency broadcast, telephone interface, computer network interface, CD-ROM, video disk, and video cassette. ### Claim 24 An apparatus comprising: a program guide controller to receive entertainment programming input; a selection controller coupled to the program guide controller to identify multiple available versions of an entertainment program, to identify, for each of the multiple versions, a set of descriptive information regarding the respective version, the descriptive information comprising a plurality of audio quality characteristics of the respective version and to identify the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions; a device controller, coupled to the selection controller, to display the characteristics of the multiple versions and to highlight the differences in the characteristics between the multiple versions to a user. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the device controller in highlighting the differences is to display the identified differences in the characteristics together with all of the identified characteristics. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a user interface controller to receive a selection from the user identifying one of the plurality of the multiple versions; and wherein the device controller is further to display the multiple version corresponding to the user selection.