Anticipatory content augmentation

• US 20030229895A1
• Filed: 06/10/2002
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Zimmerman, John, Dimitrova, Nevenka, Jasinschi, Radu S.
• Application Number:
  US10/165,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20030229895A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing anticipatory content augmentation includes: (a) storing user personal preference requests as items in a Content Preference File (CPF); (b) updating the CPF in accordance with subsequent personal requests that are incremental of the personal preference requests from step (a); (c) categorizing the personal preference requests stored and updated in the CPF into lists, and weight-basing specific personal preference requests on the lists; (d) dynamically linking items categorized in step (c); (e) determining whether steps (a)-(d) have recorded predetermined threshold criteria; and repeating steps (a)-(d) if the threshold has not been reached; (f) identifying the CPF as a master CPF when it has been determined in step (e) that the predetermined threshold has been reached; (g) matching content of a program being viewed to the master CPF; (h) initiating searches in a database/network for augmented information for items identified in the content of the program that are also found in the master CPF; and (i) providing search results as anticipatory augmented content for items in the program being viewed. The user can be prompted with the information while viewing, during breaks in a program, or by user request.

Claims

1. A method for providing anticipatory content augmentation comprising:

(a) storing user personal preference requests as items in a Content Preference File (CPF);

(b) updating the CPF in accordance with subsequent personal requests that are incremental of the personal preference requests from step (a);

(c) categorizing the personal preference requests stored and updated in the CPF into lists, and weight-basing specific personal preference requests on the lists;

(d) dynamically linking items categorized in step (c);

(e) determining whether steps (a)-(d) have reached predetermined threshold criteria; and

repeating steps (a)-(d) if the threshold has not been reached;

(f) identifying the CPF as a master CPF when it has been determined in step (e) that the predetermined threshold has been reached;

(g) matching content of a program being viewed to the master CPF;

(h) initiating searches in a database/network for augmented information for items identified in the content of the program that are also found in the master CPF; and

(i) providing search results as anticipatory augmented content for items in the program being viewed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold criteria comprises determining a degree of convergence between the categories.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined threshold comprises a predetermined number of passes of steps (a)-(d).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold criteria comprise an amount of time elapsed from Step (a) to Step (d).

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the linking in Step (d) is performed by fusion.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the search results provided for in Step (i) are automatically provided to the user.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(j) prompting the user to ascertain whether it is desired to view the search results.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the user is provided with the search results only when there is a break in said program being viewed.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the user is prompted only when there is a break in said program being viewed.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said program being viewed is a sporting event and the search results provided in step (i) comprise statistics that are associated with the sporting event.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the search results provided in step (i) also include merchandise associated with the sporting event.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information is provided in step (i) only upon a user-initiated request.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the searches initiated in step (h) include determining a time period in advance of a scheduled program to perform augmentation.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the time period is determined according to one of (a) program specific;

(b) genre specific; and

(c) topic specific.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the time period to perform augmentation prior to a starting time of an event is a user-determined personal preference.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the areas searched in step (h) for augmentation are based on user-determined preferences for at least one of a particular program, genre, and topic.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the area searched includes an identity of particular information sources for searching.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the area searched is further defined by including an identity of additional information sources that are to be excluded from the searches.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the particular information sources are restricted to one of headlines and summaries.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the particular information sources are restricted to a number of levels of Web pages in the Web site hierarchy of Web pages.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the particular information sources are restricted to a subhierarchy (subtree) of Web pages in the Web site hierarchy of Web pages.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the particular information sources are restricted by dates.

23. The method according to claim 17, wherein the particular information sources are restricted by quantity.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein the search results provided in step (i) are limited by quantity.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying a maximum file size of augmented information provided in step (i).

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the maximum file size is a total size of the search results in provided in step (i).

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the maximum file size is an individual size limitation for each item found in the searches.

28. A device for providing anticipatory content augmentation comprising:

(a) means for storing user entered personal preference requests as items in a Content Preference File (CPF);

(b) means for updating the CPF in accordance with subsequent personal requests that are incremental of the personal preference requests from step (a);

(c) categorizing means for categorizing the personal preference requests stored and updated in the CPF storage 24 into lists, and weight-basing specific personal preference requests on the lists;

(d) a link module for dynamically linking items categorized by the categorizing means;

(e) means for determining by a processor whether a predetermined threshold criteria for content preference requests have been reached;

(f) identifying the CPF as a master CPF when it has been determined in (e) that the predetermined threshold has been reached;

(g) matching content of a program being viewed to the master CPF by a matching module;

(h) initiating searches in a database/network for augmented information for items identified in the content of the program detected by segmenting circuit that are also found in the master CPF by a search module; and

(i) the search module providing search results to the user as anticipatory augmented content for items in the program being viewed.

29. A system for providing anticipatory content augmentation comprising:

(a) means for storing user entered personal preference requests as items in a Content Preference File (CPF);

(b) means for updating the CPF in accordance with subsequent personal requests that are incremental of the personal preference requests from step (a);

(c) categorizing means for categorizing the personal preference requests stored and updated in the CPF storage 24 into lists, and weight-basing specific personal preference requests on the lists;

(d) a link module for dynamically linking items categorized by the categorizing means;

(e) means for determining by a processor whether a predetermined threshold criteria for content preference requests have been reached;

(f) identifying the CPF as a master CPF when it has been determined in (e) that the predetermined threshold has been reached;

(g) matching content of a program being viewed to the master CPF by a matching module;

(h) initiating searches in one of a database Internet for augmented information for items identified in the content of the program that has been segmented by segmenting circuit and are also found in the master CPF by a search module; and

(i) the search module providing search results to the user as anticipatory augmented content for items in the program being viewed; and

wherein the search module communicates with the one of the Internet and database by one of wireless, wired and fiber optic communication links.