Recommending media content based on quality of service at a location

• US 10,110,959 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Milan, Khaliq, Imran
• Primary Examiner(s): Duffield, Jeremy S
• Application Number:
  US15/158,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20170339467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 725 9, 725 10, 725 12, 725 14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/24 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/251 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44226 on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4425 Monitoring of client processing errors or hardware failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are described herein for a media guidance application that recommends media content to a user based on the media content likely to be available to a user at a given location and the quality of service at that location.

Claims

1. A method for providing content recommendations based on media content likely to be available to a user at a likely future location of the user, based on trajectories of the user, the method comprising:

determining, using control circuitry, that a user has stopped consuming a first media asset at a first location, wherein determining that the user has stopped consuming the first media asset at the first location comprises accessing a criteria from memory and applying the criteria to a detected context of a first device at the first location or a detected context of the user;

in response to determining that the user has stopped consuming the first media asset at the first location,

determining, using the control circuitry, a trajectory of the user, wherein the trajectory of the user comprises a direction of movement of the user;

identifying, using the control circuitry, a second location where the user will consume media content based on the trajectory, wherein the second location is a future location of the user;

searching, using the control circuitry, a database of quality of service levels at various locations to determine a quality of service available at the second location, wherein searching the database comprises;

transmitting a query to the database containing an indication of the second location; and

receiving, in response to the query, a data structure indicating the quality of service available at the second location;

determining, using the control circuitry, a characteristic of the first media asset;

determining that a second media asset (1) is accessible at the second location and (2) corresponds to the characteristic of the first media asset consumed at the first location;

retrieving, from a data structure that represents the second media asset, a required quality of service level for the second media asset;

comparing the required quality of service level for the second media asset with the quality of service available at the second location; and

recommending, using the control circuitry, the second media asset, in response to determining that the required quality of service level of the second media asset is met by the quality of service available at the second location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the second location where the user will consume media content based on the trajectory, comprises:

inputting the trajectory into a database listing locations associated with different trajectories from the first location;

searching the database; and

receiving an output of the second location in response to searching the database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the criteria specifies a threshold distance from the first device, wherein the detected context of the user is a detected location of the user, and wherein applying the criteria to the detected context of the user comprises comparing the detected location of the user to the threshold distance to determine that the user has moved greater than the threshold distance from the first device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the criteria specifies a threshold amount of time since a last interaction with the first device, wherein the detected context of the first device is a detected last interaction with the first device, and wherein applying the criteria to the detected context of the first device comprises comparing the detected last interaction with the first device to the threshold amount of time to determine that the user has stopped interacting with the first device at the first location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media asset comprises video content and the second media asset consists of audio content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the trajectory of the user, further comprises:

determining a current location of the user; and

comparing the first location to the current location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the characteristic of the first media asset comprises:

determining a plurality of content types consumed by the user during a period of time at the first location; and

determining the characteristic based on a content type of the plurality of content types most frequently consumed by the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic consists of at least one of a genre, subject matter, title, type, actor, character, and location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the second media asset (1) is accessible at the second location and (2) corresponds to the characteristic of the first media asset consumed at the first location further comprises:

identifying characteristics corresponding to a plurality of media assets accessible to the user at the second location; and

filtering the plurality of media assets accessible to the user at the second location based on a presence of the characteristic to identify the second media asset.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the quality of service is measured based on an error rate, bit rate, throughput, transmission delay, availability, or jitter.

11. A system for providing content recommendations based on media content likely to be available to a user at a likely future location of the user, based on trajectories of the user, the system comprising:

storage circuitry configured to store a database of quality of service levels at various locations; and

control circuitry configured to;

determine that a user has stopped consuming a first media asset at a first location, wherein determining that the user has stopped consuming the first media asset at the first location comprises accessing a criteria from memory and applying the criteria to a detected context of a first device at the first location or a detected context of the user;

in response to determining that the user has stopped consuming the first media asset at the first location,

determine a trajectory of the user, wherein the trajectory of the user comprises a direction of movement of the user;

identify a second location where the user will consume media content based on the trajectory, wherein the second location corresponds to a future location of the user;

search the database of quality of service levels at various locations to determine a quality of service available at the second location, wherein searching the database comprises;

transmitting a query to the database containing an indication of the second location; and

receiving, in response to the query, a data structure indication the quality of service available at the second location;

determine a characteristic of the first media asset;

determine that a second media asset that (1) is accessible at the second location and (2) corresponds to the characteristic of the first media asset consumed at the first location;

retrieve, from a data structure that represents the second media asset, a required quality of service level for the second media asset;

compare the required quality of service level for the second media asset with the quality of service available at the second location; and

recommend the second media asset, in response to determining that the required quality of service level of the second media asset is met by the quality of service available at the second location.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is configured to identify the second location where the user will consume media content based on the trajectory by:

inputting the trajectory into a database listing locations associated with different trajectories from the first location;

searching the database; and

receiving an output of the second location in response to searching the database.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the criteria specifies a threshold distance from the first device, wherein the detected context of the user is a detected location of the user, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to apply the criteria to the detected context of the user by comparing the detected location of the user to the threshold distance to determine that the user has moved greater than the threshold distance from the first location.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the criteria specifies a threshold amount of time since a last interaction with the first device, wherein the detected context of the first device is a detected last interaction with the first device, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to apply the criteria to the detected context of the first device by comparing the detected last interaction with the first device to the threshold amount of time to determine that the user has stopped interacting with the first device at the first location.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first media asset comprises video content and the second media asset consists of audio content.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine the trajectory of the user, further by:

determining a current location of the user; and

comparing the first location to the current location.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine the characteristic of the first media asset by:

determining a plurality of content types consumed by the user during a period of time at the first location; and

determining the characteristic based on a content type of the plurality of content types most frequently consumed by the user.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the characteristic consists of at least one of a genre, subject matter, title, type, actor, character, and location.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry, when determining that the second media asset is (1) accessible at the second location and (2) corresponds to the characteristic of the first media asset consumed at the first location, is further configured to:

identify characteristics corresponding to a plurality of media assets accessible to the user at the second location; and

filter the plurality of media assets accessible to the user at the second location based on a presence of the characteristic, to identify the second media asset.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the quality of service is measured based on an error rate, bit rate, throughput, transmission delay, availability, or jitter.