Systems and methods for managing content

• US 20070157222A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Walker, Todd, Cordray, Charles, Armaly, Samir
• Application Number:
  US11/324,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20070157222A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/13
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/95 for local area
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A “New To Me” feature is provided for an interactive media guidance system implemented as a home network having multiple user equipment devices. Functionally speaking, the “New To Me” feature of the interactive media guidance system identifies programs or advertisements that have been previously viewed by an individual user or a user equipment device within the home network, or even by a household. The interactive media guidance system may use the information gathered regarding the programs and/or advertisements that have already been seen by a user, device or household to, for example, remove the programs or advertisements from future displays of recommendations, search results or listings of available programming.

Claims

1. A method for creating a viewing history using an interactive media guidance application, comprising:

creating a viewing history for a user based on previously viewed content;

automatically updating the viewing history based on content that is viewed by the user on a user equipment device; and

allowing the user to manually update the viewing history using the interactive media guidance application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user equipment device is a first user equipment device, the method further comprising automatically updating the viewing history based on content that is viewed by the user on a second user equipment device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second user equipment device is part of a home network, the home network comprises a plurality of user equipment devices, including the first user equipment device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second user equipment device is not part of a home network, the home network comprises a plurality of user equipment devices, including the first user equipment device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing the user to manually update the viewing history through the interactive media guidance application comprises:

receiving a first user input for specifying previously viewed content; and

receiving a second user input for selecting a user profile, wherein the user profile comprises the viewing history for the user based on the previously viewed content.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

updating the viewing history of the selected user profile with the specified content.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving a first user input for specifying previously viewed content comprises:

allowing a user to perform a search for the previously viewed content; and

receiving a user input of the previously viewed content based on the search.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving a first user input for specifying previously viewed content further comprises receiving a user input for specifying details of the viewing of the previously viewed content.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving a second user input for selecting a profile comprises:

allowing a user to perform a search for the profile; and

receiving a user input of the profile based on the search.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a user input for creating a profile.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein updating the viewing history of the selected profile with the specified content comprises adding the specified content to the viewing history of the selected profile, or replacing the viewing history of the selected profile with the specified content.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a user input to begin displaying interactive content using the interactive media guidance application for only a portion of the functionality provided by the interactive media guidance application based on the specified content.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the specified content and the selected profile are provided on a website, and further wherein the interactive media guidance application receives the specified content and the selected profile from the website to perform the updating.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the specified content and the selected profile are provided to the interactive media guidance application.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive television program guide, or an online television program guide.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously viewed content comprises programming, advertisements, content identified based on interactions by a user with the interactive media guidance application, or additional information.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewing history makes up a portion of a user profile for the user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user profile is stored in a single database that is accessible by at least one of a plurality of user equipment devices that are part of a home network, wherein the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network includes the user equipment device, and further wherein the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network are communicatively coupled to one another.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the single database is located in a local server within the home network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the local server is a standalone local server.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the single database is located in a remote server outside of the home network.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the single database is located in one of the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network, or in another user equipment device outside of the home network.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein authorization is required to access the single database, the user profile, or the viewing history portion of the user profile.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein a first user equipment device in the home network accesses the viewing history stored in the single database by establishing a communicative link with at least a second user equipment device that has direct access to the single database.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the user profile is stored in a single database that is accessible by the user equipment device.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the user profile is duplicated and stored in a plurality of databases, at least one of which is accessible by at least one of a plurality of user equipment devices that are part of a home network, and wherein the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network includes the user equipment device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of databases are located at any of the locations from the group consisting of a local server within the home network, a remote server outside of the home network, and at least one of the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the user profile, including the viewing history, is stored in a plurality of databases, at least one of which is accessible by at least one of a plurality of user equipment devices that are part of a home network, and wherein the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network includes the user equipment device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the plurality of databases are located at any of the locations from the group consisting of a local server within the home network, a remote server outside of the home network, and at least one of the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network.

30. A system for creating a viewing history using an interactive media guidance application, the system comprising a user equipment device operative to:

create a viewing history for a user based on previously viewed content;

automatically update the viewing history based on content that is viewed by the user on the user equipment device; and

allow the user to manually update the viewing history.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the viewing history is automatically updated based on content that is viewed by the user on a second user equipment device.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the second user equipment device is part of a home network, wherein the home network comprises a plurality of user equipment devices that includes the user equipment device.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the second user equipment device is outside of a home network, wherein the home network comprises a plurality of user equipment devices that includes the user equipment device.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the user equipment device is operative to:

receive a first user input for specifying previously viewed content; and

receive a second user input for selecting a user profile, wherein the user profile comprises the viewing history for the user based on the previously viewed content.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the user equipment is operative to:

update the viewing history of the selected user profile with the specified content.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the user equipment device is operative to:

allow a user to perform a search for the previously viewed content; and

receive a user input of the previously viewed content based on the search.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein the user equipment device is operative to receive a user input for specifying details of the viewing of the previously viewed content.

38. The system of claim 30, wherein the user equipment device is operative to:

allow a user to perform a search for a profile; and

receive a user input to select a profile based on the search.

39. The system of claim 30, wherein the user equipment device is operative to receive a user input for creating a profile.

40. The system of claim 35, wherein the user equipment device is operative to add the specified content to the viewing history of the selected profile, or to replace the viewing history of the selected profile with the specified content.

41. The system of claim 35, wherein the user equipment device is operative to receive a user input to begin displaying interactive content for only a portion of the functionality based on the specified content.

42. The system of claim 34, wherein the specified content and the selected profile are provided on a website, and further wherein the user equipment device is operative to receive the specified content and the selected profile from the website to perform the update.

43. The system of claim 34, wherein the specified content and the selected profile are provided to the interactive media guidance application.

44. The system of claim 30, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive television program guide, or an online television program guide.

45. The system of claim 30, wherein the previously viewed content comprises programming, advertisements, content identified based on interactions by a user with the user equipment, or additional information.

46. The system of claim 30, wherein the viewing history makes up a portion of a user profile for the user.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the user profile is stored in a single database that is accessible by at least one of a plurality of user equipment devices that are part of a home network, wherein the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network includes the user equipment device, and further wherein the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network are communicatively coupled to one another.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the single database is located in a local server within the home network.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the local server is a standalone local server.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the single database is located in a remote server outside of the home network.

51. The system of claim 47, wherein the single database is located in one of the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network, or in another user equipment device outside of the home network.

52. The system of claim 47, wherein authorization is required to access the single database, the user profile, or the viewing history portion of the user profile.

53. The system of claim 47, wherein a first user equipment device in the home network accesses the viewing history stored in the single database by establishing a communicative link with at least a second user equipment device that has direct access to the single database.

54. The system of claim 46, wherein the user profile is stored in a single database that is accessible by the user equipment device.

55. The system of claim 46, wherein the user profile is duplicated and stored in a plurality of databases, at least one of which is accessible by at least one of a plurality of user equipment devices that are part of a home network, and wherein the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network includes the user equipment device.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the plurality of databases are located at any of the locations from the group consisting of a local server within the home network, a remote server outside of the home network, and at least one of the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the user profile, including the viewing history, is stored in a plurality of databases, at least one of which is accessible by at least one of a plurality of user equipment devices that are part of a home network, and wherein the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network includes the user equipment device.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the plurality of databases are located at any of the locations from the group consisting of a local server within the home network, a remote server outside of the home network, and at least one of the plurality of user equipment devices in the home network.