US 9,319,726 B2Granted

System and method for a passively-adaptive preferred channel list

AssigneeImagine Communications Corp.

InventorsEdward R. Beadle, John L. DeLay

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Abstract

Systems and/or methods are disclosed herein to identify a user interacting with a content presentation system, adaptively learn, in a passive manner, a user's pattern of accessing content over time, and globally store the user's identifying and use information. Specifically, systems and/or methods for creating a preferred channel list, including determining an identity of a user interacting with a content presentation system, collecting channel use information for each of a plurality of channels from the user's interaction with the content presentation system, storing the channel use information, determining a value for each of the plural channels as a function of the channel use information, and creating a preferred channel list for the plural channels as a function of the determined value.

Claims60

Dependent claims

A method for creating a preferred channel list, comprising:

collecting a plurality of inputs from a user by a control device including identifying information of the user;
and
transmitting the plurality of inputs to a computing device associated with a content provider via a transmission path, the computing device comprising circuitry configured to:
(a) determine in a content provider an identity of a user interacting with the content presentation system based on the identifying information of the user;
(b) collect channel use information for each of a plurality of channels from the user's interaction with the content presentation system over a plurality of predetermined time periods, each of the plurality of predetermined time periods corresponding to a respective viewing time interval of the user during each day of the week;
(c) store the channel use information;
(d) determine a value for each of said plurality of channels as a function of the channel use information based on a time of day and day of week associated with the channel use information to identify relative viewing preferences of the user for each of the plurality of channels during a given time period of the plurality of predetermined time periods;
and
(e) create a plurality of preferred channel lists for the user for said plurality of channels as a function of the respective determined value for the given time period;
wherein the value for a first channel of said plurality of channels is determined as a ratio of a total duration of a presentation of content associated with said first channel over the given time period of the plurality of predetermined time periods to a total duration of a presentation of content associated with each of said plural channels over said given predetermined time period;
(f) provide the plurality of preferred channel lists at a display for the user to view;
and
(g) select a channel of the plurality of preferred channel lists in response to a user input via the control device.

10 more elements

A method for creating a preferred channel list, comprising:

collecting a plurality of inputs from a user by a control device including identifying information of the user;
and
transmitting the plurality of inputs to a computing device associated with a content provider via a transmission path, the computing device comprising circuitry configured to:
(a) determine in a content provider an identity of a user interacting with a content presentation system;
(b) collect channel use information for each of a plurality of channels from the user's interaction with the content presentation system over a plurality of predetermined time periods, each of the plurality of predetermined time periods corresponding to a respective viewing time interval of the user during each day of the week;
(c) store the channel use information;
(d) determine a value for each of said plurality of channels as a function of the channel use information based on a time of day and day of week associated with the channel use information to identify relative viewing preferences of the user for each of the plurality of channels during a given time period of the plurality of predetermined time periods;
(e) create a first, second, third and fourth preferred channel list for the user for said plural channels as a function of the respective determined value;
wherein said first and second preferred channel list corresponds to a first mode of content delivery by said content presentation system and said third and fourth preferred channel list corresponds to a second mode of content delivery by said content presentation system, wherein said first and third preferred channel lists corresponds to a first predetermined time period of the plurality of predetermined time periods, and second and fourth preferred channel lists corresponds to a second predetermined time period of the plurality of predetermined time periods;
(f) provide the plurality of preferred channel lists at a display for the user to view;
and
(g) select a channel of the plurality of preferred channel lists in response to a user input via the control device.

9 more elements

A content presentation system for creating a preferred channel list, comprising:

a control device comprising:
circuitry for obtaining biometric information from a user;
and
circuitry for determining a plurality of inputs from a user to control the content presentation system;
and
a set top box connected to each of the control device and a content provider via a transmission path, the set top box comprising:
circuitry for receiving the biometric information and the plurality of inputs from the control device;
circuitry for determining an identity of the user interacting with the content presentation system based on the received biometric information;
circuitry for collecting channel use information for each of a plurality of channels from the user's interaction with said content presentation system via the control device over a plurality of predetermined time periods, each of the plurality of predetermined time periods corresponding to a respective viewing time interval of the user during each day of the week;
an electronic storage device for storing said channel use information;
circuitry for determining a value for each of said plurality of channels as a function of the channel use information based on a time of day and day of week associated with the channel use information to identify relative viewing preferences of the user for each of the plurality of channels during a given time period of the plurality of predetermined time periods;
and
circuitry for creating a plurality of preferred channel lists for the user for said plurality of channels as a function of the respective determined value for the given time period;
wherein said circuitry for determining the value for a first channel of said plurality of channels in each of the plurality of channel lists includes circuitry for determining a ratio of a total duration of a presentation of content associated with said first channel over the given time period of the plurality of predetermined time periods to a total duration of a presentation of content associated with each of said plural channels over said given predetermined time period;
circuitry for providing the plurality of preferred channel lists at a display for the user to view;
and
circuitry for selecting a channel of the plurality of preferred channel lists in response to a user input received via the circuitry for determining the plurality of inputs.

14 more elements

A content presentation system for creating a preferred channel list, comprising:

a control device comprising:
circuitry for obtaining biometric information from a user;
and
circuitry for determining a plurality of inputs from a user to control the content presentation system;
and
a set top box connected to each of the control device and a content provider via a transmission path, the set top box comprising:
circuitry for receiving the biometric information and the plurality of inputs from the control device;
circuitry for determining an identity of the user interacting with the content presentation system based on the received biometric information;
circuitry for collecting channel use information for each of a plurality of channels from the user's interaction with said content presentation system via the control device over a plurality of predetermined time periods, each of the plurality of predetermined time periods corresponding to a respective viewing time interval of the user during each day of the week;
an electronic storage device for storing said channel use information;
circuitry for determining a value for each of said plural channels as a function of said channel use information based on a time of day and day of week associated with the channel use information to identify relative viewing preferences of the user for each of the plurality of channels during a given time period of the plurality of predetermined time periods;
and
circuitry for creating a plurality of preferred channel lists for the user for said plural channels as a function of the respective determined value, wherein each preferred channel list of the plurality of preferred channel lists corresponds to a respective viewing time interval;
wherein said circuitry for creating a preferred channel list populates a data structure only with ones of said plural channels that have a determined value for a predetermined time slot greater than a predetermined amount;
circuitry for providing the plurality of preferred channel lists at a display for the user to view;
and
circuitry for selecting a channel of the plurality of preferred channel lists in response to a user input received via the circuitry for determining the plurality of inputs.

14 more elements

A content presentation system for creating a preferred channel list, comprising:

a control device comprising:
circuitry for obtaining biometric information from a user;
and
circuitry for determining a plurality of inputs from a user to control the content presentation system;
and
a set top box connected to each of the control device and a content provider via a transmission path, the set top box comprising:
circuitry for receiving the biometric information and the plurality of inputs from the control device;
circuitry for determining an identity of the user interacting with the content presentation system based on the received biometric information;
circuitry for collecting channel use information for each of a plurality of channels from the user's interaction with said content presentation system via the control device based on a time of day and day of week associated with the channel use information to identify relative viewing preferences of the user for each of the plurality of channels during a given time period of the plurality of predetermined time periods;
an electronic storage device for storing said channel use information;
circuitry for determining a value for each of said plural channels as a function of said channel use information;
and
circuitry for creating a first, second, third and fourth preferred channel list for said plural channels as a function of the respective determined value;
wherein said first and second preferred channel list corresponds to a first mode of content delivery by said content presentation system and said third and fourth preferred channel list corresponds to a second mode of content delivery by said content presentation system, wherein said first and third preferred channel lists corresponds to a first predetermined time period of the plurality of predetermined time periods, and second and fourth preferred channel lists corresponds to a second predetermined time period of the plurality of predetermined time periods;
circuitry for providing the plurality of preferred channel lists at a display for the user to view;
and
circuitry for selecting a channel of the plurality of preferred channel lists in response to a user input received via the circuitry for determining the plurality of inputs.

14 more elements

A method for switching from a first signal provided by a content provider to a second signal provided by the content provider, comprising:

collecting a plurality of inputs from a user by a control device including identifying information of the user;
and
transmitting the plurality of inputs to a computing device associated with a content provider via a transmission path, the computing device comprising circuitry configured to:
(a) identify a user of a first content presentation system that is operatively connected to said content provider, wherein said content provider provides one or more signals, including said first and second signals, to said first content presentation system;
(b) create a first preferred channel list based on the identity of said user and based on previously determined information for said user wherein said information is determined for a recurring first time period, wherein creating said first preferred channel list comprises:
(b)(i) collecting channel use information for each of a plurality of channels from the user's interaction with said first content presentation system over a plurality of predetermined time periods, each of the plurality of predetermined time periods corresponding to a respective viewing time interval of the user during each day of the week;
(b)(ii) determining a first value for each of said plurality of channels as a function of the channel use information based on a time of day and day of week associated with the channel use information to identify relative viewing preferences of the user for each of the plurality of channels during said recurring first time period;
and
(b)(iii) creating said first preferred channel list for said plural channels as a function of the determined first value, wherein said first preferred channel list corresponds to said recurring first time period;
(c) associate said first preferred channel list with a first actuator operable by said user for interacting with said first content presentation system;
(d) operate said first actuator to thereby switch said first content presentation system from presenting said first signal provided by said content provider to presenting said second signal provided by said content provider;
(e) create a second preferred channel list based on the identity of said user and based on previously determined information for said user wherein said information is determined for a recurring second time period, wherein creating said second preferred channel list comprises:
(e)(i) collecting channel use information for each of the plurality of channels from the user's interaction with said first content presentation system over another plurality of predetermined time periods, each of the other plurality of predetermined time periods corresponding to a respective viewing time interval of the user during each day of the week;
(e)(ii) determining a second value for each of said plurality of channels as a function of the channel use information based on a time of day and day of week associated with the channel use information to identify relative viewing preferences of the user for each of the plurality of channels during said recurring second time period;
and
(e)(iii) creating said second preferred channel list for said plural channels as a function of the determined second value, wherein said second preferred channel list corresponds to said recurring second time period;
(f) provide the plurality of preferred channel lists at a display for the user to view;
and
(g) select a channel of the plurality of preferred channel lists in response to a user input via the control device.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/812,779Filed 21 Jun 2007
Published: US 2008/0320518 A125 Dec 2008
Granted: 19 Apr 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H04N 21/25875
Management of end-user data: involving end-user authentication
H04N 21/2668
Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD…:…
H04N 21/441
Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g.…:…
H04N 21/4415
Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card: using biometric characteristics of…