Ratings based television guide
First Claim
1. A method of gathering data associated with end user multimedia viewing preferences, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) transmitting query data transmission units (DTUs) to a group of end user devices, each query DTU requesting viewing data related to a multimedia presentation currently being accessed by each one of said end user devices;
b) receiving response DTUs from said group of end user devices, each of said response DTUs containing said viewing data; and
c) organizing received viewing data such that each multimedia presentation currently active is assigned an indication relating to a popularity of said multimedia presentation, said popularity being determined by using said viewing data.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods and devices related to program viewing guides for multimedia presentation such as television programs. A centralized server gathers data related to end user viewing preferences by polling end user devices on what multimedia presentation is currently being accessed. This data is then processed and collated by the centralized server such that each multimedia presentation currently available to the end user devices is given a rating based on its popularity with the end users. The data can then be accessed by each end user device by requesting such multimedia presentation specific data from the server. Once the server has send this data, it can then be presented to the end user by way of a user interface that not only gives the relevant data regarding the multimedia presentation such as its rating and where it is being broadcast, but also provides the end user with a view of the multimedia presentation as currently being shown.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of gathering data associated with end user multimedia viewing preferences, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) transmitting query data transmission units (DTUs) to a group of end user devices, each query DTU requesting viewing data related to a multimedia presentation currently being accessed by each one of said end user devices;
b) receiving response DTUs from said group of end user devices, each of said response DTUs containing said viewing data; and
c) organizing received viewing data such that each multimedia presentation currently active is assigned an indication relating to a popularity of said multimedia presentation, said popularity being determined by using said viewing data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for retrieving data relating to a specific multimedia presentation from an online source, the method comprising:
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a) transmitting a request DTU from an end user device to said online source, the request DTU requesting data relating to a specific multimedia presentation identified in said request DTU;
b) receiving a rating DTU from said online source, said rating DTU containing an indication relating to a popularity of said specific multimedia presentation; and
c) presenting said indication to an end user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of providing end user multimedia viewing preferences to an online server from an end user device, the method comprising:
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a) receiving a query DTU from said online server, said query DTU requesting viewing data related to a multimedia presentation currently being accessed by said end user device; and
b) transmitting a response DTU to said online server from said end user device, said response DTU containing data related to said multimedia presentation. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer server for use in gathering data associated with end user multimedia viewing preferences, the server comprising:
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network connection means for connecting said server to a network;
communication means for communicating with at least one end user device through said network connections means; and
data collection means for receiving and processing data transmission units (DTUs) from said at least one end user device, said DTUs containing data related to a multimedia presentation being accessed by the or each of said at least one end user device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A server according to claim 23 wherein said server transmits said indication for each multimedia presentation for which an end user device requests ratings information.
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24. A user interface for use with an end user device which accesses multimedia presentations, the interface comprising:
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ratings indicia for presenting an indication of popularity of a specific multimedia presentation; and
identification indicia for identifying said specific multimedia presentation. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. An end user device for accessing multimedia presentations, the device comprising:
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request means for transmitting a request DTU to an online source, said request data transmission unit (DTU) requesting data related to at least one active multimedia presentation;
reception means for receiving a ratings DTU from said online source, said rating DTU containing said data related to at least one active multimedia presentation; and
presentation means for presenting said data to an end user. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. Computer readable media having encoded thereon computer readable code implementing a method of gathering data associated with end user multimedia viewing preferences, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) transmitting query DTUs to a group of end user devices, each query DTU requesting viewing data related to a multimedia presentation currently being accessed by each one of said end user devices;
b) receiving response DTUs from said group of end user devices, each of said response DTUs containing said viewing data; and
c) organizing received viewing data such that each multimedia presentation currently active is assigned an indication relating to a popularity of said multimedia presentation, said popularity being determined by using said viewing data. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. Computer readable media having encoded thereon computer readable code implementing a method for retrieving data relating to a specific multimedia presentation from an online source, the method comprising:
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a) transmitting a request DTU from an end user device to said online source, the request DTU requesting data relating to a specific multimedia presentation identified in said request DTU;
b) receiving a rating DTU from said online source, said rating DTU containing an indication relating to a popularity of said specific multimedia presentation; and
c) presenting said indication to and end user.
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35. Computer readable media having encoded thereon computer readable code implementing a method of providing end user multimedia viewing preferences to an online server from an end user device, the method comprising:
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a) receiving a query DTU from said online server, said query DTU requesting viewing data related to a multimedia presentation currently being accessed by said end user device; and
b) transmitting a response DTU to said online server from said end user device, said response DTU containing data related to said multimedia presentation.
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36. A method of gathering data associated with end user multimedia viewing preferences, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving response data transmission units (DTUs) from a group of end user devices, each of said response DTUs containing viewing data related to a multimedia presentation currently being accessed by each one of said end user devices;
b) organizing received viewing data such that each multimedia presentation currently active is assigned an indication relating to a popularity of said multimedia presentation, said popularity being determined by using said viewing data. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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Specification