System and method for creating and editing a viewer profile used in determining the desirability of video programming events

• US 20020087987A1
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MeeVee, Inc. (LiveUniverse, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MeeVee, Inc. (LiveUniverse, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hitt, Dale Kittrick, Dudkiewicz, Gil Gavriel
• Application Number:
  US09/992,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20020087987A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4665 involving classification methods, e.g. Decision trees
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 represented by keywords
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 : Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 : Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 : Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 : Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 : Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A user interface may enable a user of a device for determining programming events of interest to create and edit a viewer profile. The user interface may include a viewer profile identifier tool for receiving input specifying an identifier of a viewer profile to be created or edited, a category tool for receiving input that includes category preference scores associated with categories of a classification hierarchy, and a keyword tool for receiving input specifying keywords. The device may receive input specifying an identifier of a viewer profile to be created or edited, and input comprising category preference scores associated with categories of a classification hierarchy. The device may store the category preference scores in association with the identifier as a viewer profile. Other input such as keywords may also be provided. Related embodiments may pertain to devices implementing such processing.

Claims

1. A user interface for creating and editing a viewer profile in a device for determining programming events of interest to a viewer, the user interface comprising:

a viewer profile identifier tool for receiving input specifying an identifier of a viewer profile to be created or edited;

a category tool for receiving input comprising category preference scores associated with categories of a classification hierarchy; and

a keyword tool for receiving input specifying keywords.

2. The user interface claimed in claim 1, wherein said user interface is a graphical user interface and said user interface comprises a sliding bar for indicating a category preference score.

3. The user interface claimed in claim 1, wherein said keyword tool further receives input comprising keyword preference scores associated with specified keywords.

4. The user interface claimed in claim 3, wherein said user interface is a graphical user interface and said user interface comprises a sliding bar for indicating a keyword preference score.

5. The user interface claimed in claim 1, further comprising a qualified keyword tool for receiving input comprising a qualified keyword associated with a category of the classification hierarchy.

6. The user interface claimed in claim 5, wherein said qualified keyword tool further receives input comprising qualified keyword preference scores associated with specified qualified keywords.

7. The user interface claimed in claim 6, wherein said user interface is a graphical user interface and said user interface comprises a sliding bar for indicating a qualified keyword preference score.

8. The user interface claimed in claim 1, further comprising a priority tool for receiving input specifying a priority of said viewer profile relative to other viewer profiles.

9. The user interface claimed in claim 1, further comprising an alerts per time period tool for receiving input specifying a maximum number of alerts to be generated within a given time period using said viewer profile.

10. The user interface claimed in claim 1, further comprising an alert time advance tool for receiving input specifying a period of time in advance of a programming event to provide an alert for that programming event.

11. The user interface claimed in claim 1, further comprising a profile activation time tool for receiving input specifying a time period during which the viewer profile is to be used by said device.

13. The method claimed in claim 12, further comprising receiving input comprising a keyword.

14. The method claimed in claim 13, further comprising receiving input comprising a keyword preference score associated with a specified keyword.

15. The method claimed in claim 12, further comprising receiving input comprising a qualified keyword associated with a category of the classification hierarchy.

16. The method claimed in claim 15, further comprising receiving input comprising a qualified keyword preference score associated with a specified qualified keyword.

17. The method claimed in claim 12, further comprising receiving input specifying a priority of said viewer profile relative to other viewer profiles.

18. The method claimed in claim 12, further comprising receiving input specifying a maximum number of alerts to be generated using said viewer profile within a given period of time.

19. The method claimed in claim 12, further comprising receiving input specifying an amount of time in advance of a programming event to provide an alert for that programming event.

20. The method claimed in claim 12, further comprising receiving input specifying a time period during which the viewer profile is to be used by said device.

12. A method in a device for determining programming events of interest to a viewer, comprising:

receiving input specifying an identifier of a viewer profile to be created or edited;

receiving input comprising category preference scores associated with categories of a classification hierarchy; and

storing said category preference scores in association with said identifier as a viewer profile.

21. A device for determining programming events of interest to a viewer, comprising:

at least one processor; and

storage media coupled to the at least one processor and having stored therein programming instructions for performing data processing comprising;

receiving input specifying an identifier of a viewer profile to be created or edited;

receiving input comprising category preference scores associated with categories of a classification hierarchy; and

storing said category preference scores in association with said identifier as a viewer profile.

22. The device claimed in claim 21, said processing further comprising receiving input comprising a keyword.

23. The device claimed in claim 22, said processing further comprising receiving input comprising a keyword preference score associated with a specified keyword.

24. The device claimed in claim 21, said processing further comprising receiving input comprising a qualified keyword associated with a category of the classification hierarchy.

25. The device claimed in claim 24, said processing further comprising receiving input comprising a qualified keyword preference score associated with a specified qualified keyword.

26. The device claimed in claim 21, said processing further comprising receiving input specifying a priority of said viewer profile relative to other viewer profiles.

27. The device claimed in claim 21, said processing further comprising receiving input specifying a maximum number of alerts to be generated using said viewer profile within a given period of time.

28. The device claimed in claim 21, said processing further comprising receiving input specifying an amount of time in advance of a programming event to provide an alert for that programming event.

29. The device claimed in claim 21, said processing further comprising receiving input specifying a time period during which the viewer profile is to be used by said device.

30. A computer readable medium having encoded therein a viewer profile representing viewing preferences of a viewer, the viewer profile comprising:

a viewer profile identifier;

preference scores associated with categories of a predetermined classification hierarchy used in programming event metadata to characterize the subject matter of corresponding programming events; and

at least one keyword.

31. The computer readable medium claimed in claim 30, wherein the keyword comprises a qualified keyword that is associated with a category of the classification hierarchy.

32. The computer readable medium claimed in claim 30, the viewer profile further comprising an activation time for the viewer profile.

33. The computer readable medium claimed in claim 30, the viewer profile further comprising a priority of the viewer profile relative to other viewer profiles.

34. The computer readable medium claimed in claim 30, the viewer profile further comprising contact information indicating where a programming event alert should be sent for that viewer.

35. The computer readable medium claimed in claim 30, the viewer profile further comprising information indicating an amount of time in advance of a programming event for providing an alert regarding that programming event to the viewer.