System and method for enhanced video selection and categorization using metadata

• US 20060271594A1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visible World Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Haberman, Seth
• Granted Patent: US 8,132,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods for presenting video asset information to a viewer to assist the view in selecting a video asset for viewing is described. The video assets can be available from a plurality of different video asset sources, such as VOD (video on demand), PVR (personal video recorders) and broadcast (including over the air, cable, and satellite). Images from the video assets are displayed in a uniform manner, along with information about the video assets. The information includes data in a metadata category, wherein metadata can be received from the video asset, external sources, or manually input by a user. The view can select one of the video assets for viewing, but also can navigate using metadata categories such as genre, actors, director, and the like. This allows a much easier and natural navigating and selection process for viewers.

Claims

1. A system for gathering video asset information to assist a user in selecting one or more video asset for viewing, the one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the system comprising:

a metadata retrieval component that receives customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets from at least one external sources or from a content portion of the one or more video assets;

means for grouping the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received customized metadata information; and

means for formatting the grouped one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view the one or more video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a closed caption portion of the one or more video assets.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from opening credits or closing credits of the one or more video assets.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more musical soundtracks of the one or more video assets.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more audio tracks of the one or more video assets.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a movie database found on the internet.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an interface capable of receiving input from the user to add or remove customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the video asset sources comprise VOD, PVR, or contemporaneous or future broadcast video.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one metadata category includes actor, director, genre, sport, league, team, player, or school.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a selection setting component to determine from which video asset source a same video asset will be made available for viewing when the same video asset is available from a plurality of video asset sources.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a searching component to search for other video assets available from the plurality of different video asset sources which have customized metadata information that substantially matches the customized metadata information from the formatted one or more video assets.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an asset availability component to determine available video assets from the plurality of video asset sources.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a clip component to receive and store at least one image associated with at least one of the grouped one or more video asset available from the plurality of different video asset sources.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a personalization component for maintaining a personal profile of the user to provide the user a personalized choice of video assets in the formatted one or more video assets.

15. A device for gathering video asset information to assist a user in selecting one or more video asset for viewing, the one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the device comprising:

a metadata retrieval component that receives customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets from at least one external sources or from a content portion of the one or more video assets;

means for grouping the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received customized metadata information; and

means for formatting the grouped one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view the one or more video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a closed caption portion of the one or more video assets.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from opening credits or closing credits of the one or more video assets.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more musical soundtracks of the one or more video assets.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more audio tracks of the one or more video assets.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a movie database found on the internet.

21. The device of claim 15, further comprising a user interface capable of receiving input from the user to add or remove customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets.

22. The device of claim 15, wherein the video asset sources comprise VOD, PVR, or contemporaneous or future broadcast video.

23. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one metadata category includes actor, director, genre, sport, league, team, player, or school.

24. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a clip component to receive and store at least one image associated with at least one of the grouped one or more video assets available from the plurality of different video asset sources.

25. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a personalization component for maintaining a personal profile of the user to provide the user a personalized choice of video assets in the formatted one or more video assets.

26. A method for gathering video asset information to assist a user in selecting a video asset for viewing, one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the method comprising:

receiving customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets from at least one external sources or from a content portion of the one or more video assets;

grouping the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received customized metadata information; and

formatting the grouped one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a closed caption portion of the one or more video assets.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from opening credits or closing credits of the one or more video assets.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more musical soundtracks of the one or more video assets.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more audio tracks of the one or more video assets.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a movie database found on the internet.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets is received from a user through a user interface.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising removing one or more native metadata or customize metadata information associated with the one or more video assets.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the video asset sources comprise VOD, PVR, or contemporaneous or future broadcast video.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one metadata category includes actor, director, genre, sport, league, team, player, or school.

36. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining from which video asset source a same video asset will be made available for viewing when the same video asset is available from a plurality of video asset sources.

37. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

searching for other video assets available from the plurality of different video asset sources which have customized metadata information that substantially matches the customized metadata information from the formatted one or more video assets.

38. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining available video assets from the plurality of video asset sources.

39. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving and storing at least one image associated with at least one of the grouped one or more video assets available from the plurality of different video asset sources.

40. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

maintaining a personal profile of the user to provide the user a personalized choice of video assets in the formatted one or more video assets.

41. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

receive customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets from at least one external sources or from a content portion of the one or more video assets;

group the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received customized metadata information; and

format the grouped one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

42. A system for gathering video asset information to assist a user in selecting one or more video asset for viewing, the one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the system comprising:

an interface capable of receiving input from the user to add or remove customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets;

means for grouping the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received customized metadata information; and

means for formatting the grouped one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view the one or more video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

43. A device for gathering video asset information to assist a user in selecting one or more video asset for viewing, the one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the device comprising:

an interface capable of receiving input from the user to add or remove customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets;

means for grouping the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received customized metadata information; and

means for formatting the grouped one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view the one or more video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

44. A system for sharing video asset information to assist a user in selecting one or more video asset for viewing, the one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the system comprising:

a metadata retrieval component that receives customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets from a first user;

a metadata sharing component that shares the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets to a second user; and

means for grouping the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the customized metadata information shared with the second user.

45. The system of claim 44, further comprising:

a metadata listing component that generates a list of customized metadata information available for selection by the second user.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the list of customized metadata information is arranged according to the number of times the customized metadata information was selected by the first user, the second user, and/or other users.