Strategies for controlling presentation of media information based on a sampling of customer playback behavior

• US 20070092204A1
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wagner, Mark, Dyer, Landon, Taylor, Thomas, Potrebic, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

Functionality is described for controlling the playback of a recorded media program. The functionality formulates initial playback decisions that govern the playback of the program based on a set of initial assumptions. The functionality then formulates modified playback decisions that define the manner in which the program should actually be played back. The modified playback decisions can be formed based on the playback-related behavior of a population of users who have previously consumed the same program. The functionality makes modifications which affect the playback of the recorded program based on the modified playback decisions, such as by bookmarking or truncating the recorded program.

Claims

1. A method for governing the playback of a program, comprising:

receiving actual event data that defines the manner in which a program has been presented, wherein the actual event data is formed based on the playback of at least part of the program on at least one prior occasion;

forming modified playback decisions based on the actual event data; and

using the modified playback decisions to govern another presentation of the program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the actual event data reflects the aggregate behavior of a population of users as the users consume the program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the actual playback event data is obtained from an authoritative source.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified playback decisions identify an assessed actual starting time at which the program commences.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified playback decisions identify an assessed actual ending time at which the program ends.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified playback decisions identify any temporal-related deviations from a normal 1×

playback mode during the program.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a deviation from the normal 1×

playback mode corresponds to at least one portion of the program to be skipped over.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a deviation from the normal 1×

playback mode corresponds to any one or more of;

an activation of an accelerated forward mode;

an activation of a rewind mode;

or an activation of a pause mode.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified playback decisions identify any non-temporal-related features that define the manner in which the program is to be presented.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the non-temporal-related features correspond to any one or more of:

a manner in which a visual component of the program is presented;

a manner in which an audio component of the program is presented;

or a manner in which supplemental features are added to any audio and/or video component of the program.

11. One or more machine-readable media containing machine-readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 1.

12. Functionality comprising logic configured to implement the method of claim 1.

13. A method for governing the playback of a program, comprising:

recording a program based on initial playback decisions;

providing modified playback decisions that define the manner in which the program should actually be presented, wherein the modified playback decisions are formed based on the playback of at least part of the program on at least one prior occasion; and

making a modification which affects the playback of the recorded program in accordance with the modified playback decisions.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the modification comprises bookmarking the recorded program based on the modified playback decisions.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the modification comprises truncating the recorded program based on the modified playback decisions.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising giving a user an option to perform or not perform the modification, and only making the modification if the user so opts.

17. One or more machine-readable media containing machine-readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 13.

18. Functionality comprising logic configured to implement the method of claim 13.

19. A method for governing the playback of a program, comprising:

recording a program based on a user'"'"'s instructions to record the program, the recorded program having a padded starting time of T_s−

T_p, where T_scorresponds to a scheduled starting time of the program, and T_p corresponds to an interval of padding time added to the start of the program; and

upon playback, advancing the user to approximately the scheduled starting time T_s.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving a user'"'"'s instructions to advance to a time prior to T_s upon the user'"'"'s discovery that T_s does not correspond to the actual starting time of the program.