Recall of previous program channel

• US 20020152459A1
• Filed: 04/17/2001
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Day, Paul Reuben, Bates, Cary Lee, Santosuosso, John Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,047,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus, program product and method for recalling a previous program channel of interest from a current program channel, where the channel of interest is determined by the amount of time a user has previously spent on the channel. The amount of elapsed time a user spends on a program channel is monitored. If the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined threshold, the program channel is identified as a channel of interest. As the user switches from the channel of interest to subsequent broadcast channels (i.e., “surfs”), the channel of interest is retained in memory as long as the amount of time spent on any subsequent channel is less than the predetermined time threshold. If the amount of time spent on a subsequent channel is greater than the predetermined time threshold, the subsequent channel is identified and stored as the new channel of interest. At any time, the user may select a selective view function to return to the channel of interest from the currently selected channel.

Claims

1. A method for recalling a previous channel of programming information comprising the steps of:

initializing a channel of interest;

selecting a first channel of program information;

monitoring an elapsed time spent on the first channel;

identifying and storing the first channel as the channel of interest if the elapsed time spent on the first channel exceeds a predetermined time threshold;

switching to a plurality of additional channels, wherein the elapsed time spent on the additional channels does not exceed the predetermined time threshold; and

activating a selective view function to return to the channel of interest from one of the plurality of additional channels.

2. The method for recalling a previous channel of programming information as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of switching to a plurality of additional channels further includes the step of storing one of the additional channels as the channel of interest, if the amount of time spent on the one channel exceeds the predetermined time threshold.

3. The method for recalling a previous channel of programming information as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further includes the step of storing the one of the plurality of additional channels as the channel of interest upon activation of the selective view function.

4. The method for recalling a previous channel of programming information as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further includes the step of storing historical channel access information in a channel history log.

5. The method for recalling a previous channel of programming information as recited in claim 4, wherein the method further includes the step of resetting the channel of interest upon the completion of a program on the channel of interest.

6. The method for recalling a previous channel of programming information as recited in claim 5, wherein the step of resetting the channel of interest upon completion of a program further includes the step of storing a program channel of historical interest as identified by the channel history log as the program of interest.

7. The method for recalling a previous channel of programming information as recited in claim 6, wherein the step of identifying the first channel as a channel of interest if the elapsed time spent on the first channel exceeds a predetermined time threshold further includes the step of lengthening the predetermined time threshold if the first channel is broadcasting a seldom viewed program as determined by the channel history log.

8. The method for recalling a previous channel of programming information as recited in claim 6, wherein the step of identifying the first channel as a channel of interest if the elapsed time spent on the first channel exceeds a predetermined time threshold further includes the step of shortening the predetermined time threshold if the first channel is broadcasting a frequently viewed program as determined by the channel history log.

9. The method for recalling a previous channel of programming information as recited in claim 6, wherein the step of initializing a channel of interest includes the step of storing a program that has historically been of interest in the current time slot as the channel of interest.

10. The method for recalling a previous channel of programming information as recited in claim 6, wherein the method of initializing a channel of interest includes the step of storing the channel that was last accessed during the time slot as the channel of interest.

11. A channel selection apparatus for recalling a previously accessed channel of interest, comprising:

a receiver capable of receiving a plurality of channels of broadcast material and a user generated channel selection signal, wherein the channel selection signal selects one of the plurality of channels of broadcast material, the receiver further comprising;

a memory; and

a program resident in the memory, the program configured to measure the elapsed time spent on a selected channel;

store the selected channel as a channel of interest if the selected channel exceeds a predetermined time threshold; and

switch to the channel of interest from the currently selected channel upon receipt of a channel recall signal from a selective view function.

12. The channel selection apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the program is further configured to store a program guide for tracking start and stop times of programming material currently being broadcast on the plurality of channels.

13. The channel selection apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the program is further configured to store a user history of program material accessed by a user over a predetermined time period.

14. The channel selection apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the program is further configured to replace the channel of interest with a new channel that has historically been of interest in the current time slot, if the program guide indicates that the program on the current channel of interest has ended.

15. The channel selection apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the program is further configured to initially set the channel of interest to a channel that has historically been of interest in the current time slot, as determined by the user history.

16. The channel selection apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the program is configured to lengthen the predetermined time threshold if the selected channel is a seldom viewed program as determined from the user history.

17. The channel selection apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the program is configured to shorten the predetermined time threshold if the selected channel is a frequently viewed program as determined from the user history.

19. The program product of claim 18, wherein the signal bearing medium includes at least one of a transmission medium and a recordable medium.

18. A program product, comprising:

a program configured to measure an elapsed time spent on a selected channel, store the selected channel as a channel of interest if the selected channel exceeds a predetermined time threshold, and switch to the channel of interest from a currently selected channel upon receipt of a channel recall signal; and

a signal bearing medium bearing the program.