Smart interactive media content guide

• US 10,089,985 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2014
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mishra, Taniya, Dimitriadis, Dimitrios, Kearns, Diane
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser Moazzami
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imperial, Jaycee
• Application Number:
  US14/267,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20150319503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 725 53, 725 14
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control

Abstract

Television content is provided upon request. A search request for television content is received from a user on a user device. Listings for television content that meet the search request are determined based on the search request. Text describing the listings is converted to corresponding speech describing the listings. Speech describing the listings is provided audibly.

Claims

1. A method of providing content upon request, the method comprising:

receiving, from a first user, a configuration for a guide application, the guide application being configured for use by a second user, the second user being different than the first user;

receiving, from the first user, authorization for the guide application to return search results for specific content;

storing, in a database, searches and content selections of the specific content;

receiving, from the second user, a request to open the guide application on a user device; and

via the guide application;

receiving a search request for items of content, the second user selecting a first selectable graphical icon among a plurality of first selectable graphical icons, and the second user selecting, based on a selection of the first selectable graphical icon, a second selectable graphical icon among a plurality of second selectable graphical icons, the search request for the items of content being received based on a selection of the second selectable graphical icon;

recognizing, by a processor of the user device, a pattern of the content selections stored in the database;

modifying, by the processor and based on recognition of the pattern, the search request before a search algorithm searches for the items of content to return in response to the search request;

determining, based on the search request modified by the processor and from the specific content authorized by the first user, a plurality of listings for content; and

converting text describing the plurality of listings to corresponding speech describing the plurality of listings.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the user device is a mobile device on which an executable content search application is running.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the search request is received at a system that controls display of the plurality of listings on a television.

4. The method of claim 3,

wherein the system comprises the television.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the user device is a mobile device on which an executable content search application is running, and

the speech describing the plurality of listings is configured to be audibly output by the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of listings comprises a guide to broadcast programs.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of listings comprises a guide to programs recorded on a digital video recorder.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of listings describes viewable video on demand content.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting movement of the second user in proximity to a device that detects the movement; and

determining, based on the movement of the second user, an arrangement of the plurality of listings; and

configuring an arrangement of the plurality of listings in accordance with the determining.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the search request, a demographic group of the second user.

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of listings describes shows that match the search request modified by the processor and times at which the shows are broadcast.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

visually providing the text describing the plurality of listings simultaneous with providing the speech describing the plurality of listings,

wherein the speech is provided in a voice selected by an account owner responsible for an account by which the content is provided.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

automatically identifying profile information of the second user,

wherein the plurality of listings is further determined based on the profile information of the second user.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filtering results of the search request modified by the processor in accordance with predetermined instructions for an account by which the content is provided as a service.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a record of the search request to an account by which the content is provided as a service.

16. The method of claim 1,

wherein results of the search request modified by the processor are ranked using predetermined criteria.

17. The method of claim 1,

wherein the guide application used to accept the search request is downloaded to the user device from an online store.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in the database, patterns of the content selections by the second user,

wherein the plurality of listings is determined based on recognition of a pattern from the patterns of the content selections stored in the database.

18. A tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores a computer program for providing content upon request, the computer program, when executed by a processor, causing a computer apparatus to perform a process comprising:

receiving, from a first user, a configuration for a guide application, the guide application being configured for use by a second user, the second user being different than the first user;

receiving, from the first user, authorization for the guide application to return search results for specific content;

storing, in a database, searches and content selections of the specific content;

receiving, from the second user, a request to open the guide application on a user device; and

via the guide application;

receiving a search request for items of content from the second user, the second user selecting a first selectable graphical icon among a plurality of first selectable graphical icons, and the second user selecting, based on a selection of the first selectable graphical icon, a second selectable graphical icon among a plurality of second selectable graphical icons, the search request for the items of content being received based on a selection of the second selectable graphical icon;

recognizing a pattern of the content selections stored in the database;

modifying, based on recognition of the pattern, the search request before a search algorithm searches for the items of content to return in response to the search request;

determining, based on the search request modified by the modifying and from the specific content authorized by the first user, a plurality of listings for content; and

converting text describing the plurality of listings to corresponding speech describing the plurality of listings.

19. A computer apparatus, comprising:

a memory that stores instructions for providing content upon request, and

a processor that executes the instructions,

wherein, when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a first user, a configuration for a guide application, the guide application being configured for use by a second user, the second user being different than the first user;

receiving, from the first user, authorization for the guide application to return search results for specific content;

storing, in a database, searches and content selections of the specific content;

receiving, from the second user, a request to open the guide application on a user device; and

via the guide application;

receiving a search request for items of content from the second user, the second user selecting a first selectable graphical icon among a plurality of first selectable graphical icons, and the second user selecting, based on a selection of the first selectable graphical icon, a second selectable graphical icon among a plurality of second selectable graphical icons, the search request for the items of content being received based on a selection of the second selectable graphical icon;

recognizing a pattern of the content selections stored in the database;

modifying, based on recognition of the pattern, the search request before a search algorithm searches for the items of content to return in response to the search request;

determining, based on the search request modified by the modifying and from the specific content authorized by the first user, a plurality of listings for content; and

converting text describing the plurality of listings to corresponding speech describing the plurality of listings.