Virtual channels

• US 20070074245A1
• Filed: 09/26/2005
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sloo, David, Nyako, George
• Application Number:
  US11/235,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20070074245A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A request is received to view a virtual television channel. A user associated with the request is identified along with user preferences associated with that user. Content, such as television programs, music, and games, is identified that satisfies the identified user preferences. The identified content is ranked based on the user preferences, which generates highest-ranked content. At least a portion of the highest-ranked content is then displayed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request to view a virtual television channel;

identifying a user associated with the request;

identifying user preferences associated with the user;

identifying content that satisfies the identified user preferences;

ranking the identified content based on the user preferences to generate highest-ranked content; and

displaying at least a portion of the highest-ranked content.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user preferences are defined by the user.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein identifying content includes aggregating content from a plurality of sources.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the content includes a plurality of television programs.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein identifying content includes aggregating a plurality of programs from a plurality of television channels.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein ranking the identified content includes applying weighting factors to user preference parameters.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a content selection; and

tuning to the channel associated with the selected content.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating targeted advertising based on the user preferences.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 further comprising displaying the targeted advertising as a content entry.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising communicating the identified user preferences to a plurality of television environments.

11. A method comprising:

identifying user preferences in a television environment, wherein the user preferences are defined by a particular user;

identifying upcoming programs that satisfy the identified user preferences;

identifying the highest-ranked upcoming program; and

recording the highest-ranked upcoming program.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the identified user preferences include at least one of program genre, program rating, or program title.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein identifying upcoming programs includes identifying programs from multiple different sources.

14. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein identifying upcoming programs includes identifying on-demand content.

15. A method as recited in claim 11 further comprising:

generating targeted advertising based on the user preferences; and

recording the targeted advertising with the highest-ranked upcoming program.

16. One or more computer readable media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

identify user preferences in a television environment;

store the identified user preferences in a data file; and

communicate the data file to a destination device, wherein the destination device identifies content that satisfies the user preferences in the data file and displays at least a portion of the identified content.

17. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the destination device is a second television environment associated with a second user.

18. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the user preferences are defined by a content provider and communicated to a plurality of television environments.

19. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the one or more processors further:

identify advertisements based on the identified user preferences; and

display the identified advertisements in the television environment.

20. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the user preferences are associated with a particular user of the television environment.