Tracking and responding to distracting events

• US 10,531,152 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Seiden, Joshua, Johnson, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheleheda, James R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Andramuno, Franklin S
• Application Number:
  US14/559,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20150201237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,861 Days
• Field of Search: 725 12, 725 88, 725 89
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/4532 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 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• 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

Abstract

A distraction monitoring system may monitor a user'"'"'s consumption of content, such as video content, and identify times at which the user is distracted from the content. The identified times may then be presented with a timeline for the video program, and the user may be permitted to view the distractions that occurred during the viewing of the video program. The user may select a distraction, and the video content may be played back from a corresponding playback point.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a first computing device, a first distracting event comprising a user engagement with a second computing device during presentation of content to a user via the first computing device;

determining, by the first computing device, that the first distracting event distracted the user from the presentation of the content;

generating, by the first computing device, a timeline that comprises a plurality of indicators corresponding to a plurality of distracting events, wherein the timeline comprises;

an image associated with the first distracting event;

an indication that the first distracting event distracted the user from the presentation of the content; and

an indicator of a point in time when the first distracting event occurred; and

causing display of the timeline.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining a second distracting event occurring on a third computing device during the presentation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first distracting event is performed automatically by the first computing device without user input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the image comprises a screenshot from the second computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the image comprises an image retrieved from a database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the image comprises a graphic corresponding to a type of the first distracting event.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

generating a list of available timelines each corresponding to prior presentation of content to the user;

receiving a selection of the timeline from the list of available timelines; and

causing display of the timeline based on receiving the selection of the timeline.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

setting a system recording schedule based on the indicator of the point in time when the first distracting event occurred.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the timeline is generated automatically based on a display associated with the first computing device being activated.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

updating the timeline to include an indicator of a second point in time when a second distracting event occurred during a second presentation of the content to the user.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining a type of the first distracting event; and

continuing the presentation of the content based on the determination that the first distracting event is of a first type.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising:

creating a user-preference profile indicating a first type of content that is to be autopaused based on the user being distracted during presentation of content of the first type, and identifying a second type of content that is not to be autopaused based on the user being distracted during presentation of the content of the second type.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising:

selecting targeted advertising for display to the user based on the first distracting event.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining that the presentation of the content is to a plurality of users;

determining that at least one of the plurality of users is not distracted when the user is distracted; and

conducting arbitration among remaining users of the plurality, to determine whether to pause the presentation of the content based on the user being distracted.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the arbitration is conducted based on a plurality of distraction preference settings associated with the remaining users.

16. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a selection of the indicator of the point in time when the first distracting event occurred; and

generating a display comprising additional information related to the first distracting event.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the presentation of content based on the determining that the first distracting event distracted the user, wherein the presentation of content is adjusted according to a stored profile associated with the user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein adjusting the presentation of content comprises one or more of pausing the presentation of content or displaying alternative content.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating stored timeline preferences based on receiving a user input indicating a change to stored timeline preferences.

20. A method comprising:

determining, by a first computing device, a first distracting event occurring during presentation of content to a user via the first computing device, a source of the first distracting event being a computer-executable application presented on a same display as the presentation of the content to the user, the computer-executable application being different from the content;

determining, by the first computing device, that the first distracting event distracted the user from the presentation of the content;

generating, by the first computing device, a timeline that comprises a plurality of indicators corresponding to a plurality of distracting events, wherein the timeline comprises;

an image associated with the first distracting event;

an indication that the first distracting event distracted the user from the presentation of the content; and

an indicator of a point in time when the first distracting event occurred; and

causing display of the timeline.

21. A method comprising:

identifying, by a computing device, a plurality of distracting events occurring during presentation of content to a user;

determining, by the computing device, whether each distracting event of the plurality of distracting events distracts the user from the content;

based on determining that at least one of the plurality of distracting events distracts the user from the content, storing, by the computing device, information indicating a type of the at least one of the plurality of distracting events and a point in time when the at least one of the plurality of distracting events occurred;

causing, by the computing device, display of a timeline corresponding to the presentation of the content to the user, wherein the timeline comprises;

at least one indication identifying the at least one of the plurality of distracting events;

at least one indication of the point in time when the at least one of the plurality of distracting events occurred; and

at least one image associated with the at least one of the plurality of distracting events; and

storing, by the computing device, the timeline in a memory.

22. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to;

determine a first distracting event comprising a user engagement with a computing device during presentation of content to a user via the apparatus;

determine whether the first distracting event distracted the user from the presentation of the content;

generate a timeline that comprises a plurality of indicators corresponding to a plurality of distracting events comprising the first distracting event, wherein the timeline comprises;

an image associated with the first distracting event;

an indicator of the first distracting event; and

an indicator of a point in time when the first distracting event occurred; and

cause display of the timeline.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:

generate a list of available timelines each corresponding to prior presentation of content to the user;

receive a selection of the timeline from the list of available timelines; and

cause display of the timeline based on receiving the selection of the timeline.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to set a system recording schedule based on the indicator of the point in time when the first distracting event occurred.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to automatically generate the timeline based on activation of a display associated with the computing device.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to update the timeline to include an indicator of a second point in time when a second distracting event occurred during a second presentation of the content to the user.

27. A system comprising:

a first computing device, wherein the first computing device comprises;

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of the first computing device, cause the first computing device to cause presentation of a first content to a user; and

a second computing device, wherein the second computing device comprises;

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the second computing device to;

determine a first distracting event comprising a user engagement with the first computing device during presentation of a second content to the user via the second computing device;

determine whether the first distracting event distracted the user from the presentation of the second content;

generate a timeline that comprises a plurality of indicators corresponding to a plurality of distracting events comprising the first distracting event, wherein the timeline comprises;

an image associated with the first distracting event;

an indication that the first distracting event distracted the user from the presentation of the second content; and

an indicator of a point in time when the first distracting event occurred; and

cause display of the timeline.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the second computing device, when executed by the one or more processors of the second computing device, further cause the second computing device to:

generate a list of available timelines each corresponding to prior presentation of content to the user;

receive a selection of the timeline from the list of available timelines; and

cause display of the timeline based on receiving the selection of the timeline.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the second computing device, when executed by the one or more processors of the second computing device, further cause the second computing device to set a system recording schedule based on the timeline identifying the point in time when the first distracting event occurred.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the stored in the memory of the second computing device, when executed by the one or more processors of the second computing device, further cause the second computing device to automatically generate the timeline based on activation of a display associated with the first computing device.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the second computing device to update the timeline to include an indicator of a second point in time when a second distracting event occurred during the presentation of the second content to the user.