System and method for storing and distributing television viewing patterns form a clearinghouse

• US 20050071863A1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Swix, Scott R., Matz, William R.
• Application Number:
  US10/037,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071863A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A method for receiving and distributing content-choice information includes collecting subscriber content-choice data from a plurality of subscriber content-choice databases and storing the subscriber content-choice data in a clearinghouse database. The stored subscriber content-choice data may selected and provided to a requesting party. A system for receiving and distributing content-choice information comprises a content-choice information clearinghouse and a plurality of subscriber content-choice databases.

Claims

1. A method for receiving subscriber content-choice information, comprising:

collecting subscriber content-choice data from a plurality of subscriber content-choice databases; and

storing the subscriber content-choice data in a clearinghouse database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise data relating to viewing preferences of at least one subscriber.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise data relating to television programs watched by the at least one subscriber.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise date information and time information.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the subscriber content-choice data further comprise data relating to the at least one subscriber.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data relating to the at least one subscriber comprise a subscriber identifier for each subscriber.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the data relating to the at least one subscriber comprise demographic data for each subscriber.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the subscriber content-choice data further comprise data relating to a subscriber system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the subscriber system comprises a cable system operator.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise data relating to advertising viewed by at least one subscriber.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise data relating to the viewing patterns of at least one subscriber.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise at least one subscriber classification.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise content-choice summary data.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising sorting the collected subscriber content-choice data.

15. A method for receiving and distributing content-choice information, comprising:

collecting subscriber content-choice data from a plurality of subscriber content-choice databases;

storing the subscriber content-choice data in a clearinghouse database;

selecting stored subscriber content-choice data; and

providing the selected subscriber content-choice data to a requesting party.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise data relating to viewing preferences of a plurality of subscribers.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise data relating to television programs watched by the subscribers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprises date information and time information.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the subscriber content-choice data further comprise data relating to the subscribers.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data relating to the subscribers comprise a subscriber identifier for each subscriber.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the data relating to the subscribers comprise demographic data for each subscriber.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the subscriber content-choice data further comprise data relating to a subscriber system.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the subscriber system comprises a cable system operator.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise data relating to advertising viewed by the subscribers.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise data relating to the viewing patterns of the subscribers.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the subscriber content-choice data comprise at least one subscriber classification.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the subscriber content-choice data 20 comprise content-choice summary data.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising sorting the collected subscriber content-choice data.

29. The method of claim 15, further comprising retrieving the selected subscriber content-choice data from the clearinghouse database.

30. The method of claim 15, wherein the selected subscriber content-choice data are securely provided to the requesting party.

31. The method of claim 15, wherein the stored subscriber content-choice data are selected based on subscriber geographic location detail.

32. The method of claim 15, wherein the stored subscriber content-choice data are selected based on subscriber classification data.

33. The method of claim 15, wherein the stored subscriber content-choice data are selected based on data relating to television programs viewed by a plurality of subscribers.

34. The method of claim 15, wherein the stored subscriber content-choice data is selected based on data relating to advertisements viewed by a plurality of subscribers.

35. The method of claim 15, wherein the stored subscriber content-choice data are selected based on data relating to viewing date and geographic location.

36. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded computer program code for receiving subscriber content-choice information, comprising:

program code for collecting subscriber content-choice data from a plurality of subscriber content-choice databases; and

program code for storing the subscriber content-choice data in a clearinghouse database.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, further comprising program code for sorting the collected subscriber content-choice data.

38. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded computer program code for receiving and distributing content-choice information, comprising:

program code for collecting subscriber content-choice data from a plurality of subscriber content-choice databases;

program code for storing the subscriber content-choice data in a clearinghouse database;

program code for selecting stored subscriber content-choice data; and

program code for providing the selected subscriber content-choice data to a requesting party.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, further comprising program code for retrieving the selected subscriber content-choice data from the clearinghouse database.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, further comprising program code for securely providing the selected subscriber content-choice data to the requesting party.

41. A system for receiving and distributing content-choice information, comprising:

a content-choice information clearinghouse, wherein the clearinghouse receives subscriber content-choice data and provides selected subscriber content-choice data to a requesting party.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the clearinghouse comprises a database.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the clearinghouse further comprises a processor.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the clearinghouse receives the subscriber content-choice database from a plurality of subscriber content-choice databases.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein the selected subscriber content-choice data is provided to the requesting party over the internet.

46. A system for receiving and distributing content-choice information, comprising:

a content-choice information clearinghouse; and

a plurality of subscriber content-choice databases;

wherein the clearinghouse collects subscriber content-choice data from the plurality of subscriber content-choice databases and stores the subscriber content-choice data.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the clearinghouse comprises a clearinghouse database.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the clearinghouse further comprises a clearinghouse processor.

49. The system of claim 47, further comprising a content provider terminal.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the clearinghouse provides selected subscriber content-choice data to the content provider terminal.