Systems and methods for accessing media program options based on program segment interest

• US 20070154169A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Cordray, Charles, Armaly, Samir
• Application Number:
  US11/324,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20070154169A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• 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 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The disclosed technology provides systems and methods for maintaining a user'"'"'s interest level in a media program by allowing a user to access particular segments of interest from a media program. A media program can have logical segments, and the disclosed technology can identify the segments of the media program. A user can designate particular segments of interest from the segments of the media program and can be provided with only the designated segments.

Claims

1. A system for communicating at least one segment of interest from a media program, the system comprising:

a display screen that displays a media program having segments, wherein the segments are logical segments; and

a processor that is configured to allow a user to access particular segments of interest from the segments of a media program by;

identifying the segments of the media program,

receiving user input designating particular segments of interest from the segments of the media program, and

providing to the user only the designated segments of the media program.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the segments of the media program are identified by metadata.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

pre-designate particular segments from the segments of the media program based on information on interest in the segments of the media program, wherein the information is based on monitored interest; and

allowing a user to change the pre-designation of the segments of the media program.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the information on interest in the segments of the media program is based on monitored interest in analogous segments of previous episodes of the media program.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the information on interest in the segments of the media program is based on monitored interest in analogous segments of media programs other than previous episodes of the media program.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the information on interest in the segments corresponds to at least one of:

a single user'"'"'s monitored interest, a community'"'"'s monitored interest, a shorter-term monitored interest, and a longer-term monitored interest.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the community corresponds to at least one of:

a science fiction community, a family-oriented community, and a sports community.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a recording device that stores media programs, wherein the processor is configured to instruct the recording device to record the designated segments of interest.

9. A method for communicating at least one segment of interest from a media program, the method comprising:

identifying the segments of a media program, where the segments are logical segments;

receiving user input designating particular segments of interest from the segments of the media program; and

providing to the user only the designated segments of the media program.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the segments of the media program are identified by metadata.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

pre-designating particular segments from the segments of the media program based on information on interest in the segments of the media program, wherein the information is based on monitored interest; and

allowing a user to change the pre-designation of the segments of the media program.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information on interest in the segments of the media program is based on monitored interest in analogous segments of previous episodes of the media program.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the information on interest in the segments of the media program is based on monitored interest in analogous segments of media programs other than previous episodes of the media program.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the information on interest in the segments corresponds to at least one of:

a single user'"'"'s monitored interest, a community'"'"'s monitored interest, a shorter-term monitored interest, and a longer-term monitored interest.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the community corresponds to at least one of:

a science fiction community, a family-oriented community, and a sports community.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising recording the designated segments of interest.

17. A method for communicating at least one segment of interest from a media program, wherein the media program is accessed through an interactive program guide, the method comprising:

identifying the segments of a media program, where the segments are logical segments;

receiving user input designating particular segments of interest from the segments of the media program; and

providing to the user only the designated segments of the media program.