Systems and methods for managing content

• US 20070157223A1
• 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: Walker, Todd, Cordray, Charles
• Application Number:
  US11/324,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20070157223A1
• 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 21/44224 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 using an interactive media guidance application, comprising:

providing a plurality of user equipment devices each capable of supporting an interactive media guidance application and that are communicatively coupled to each other via a home network;

providing a viewing history of a selected one of the user devices, the viewing history including monitored interactions that occurred at the selected user device; and

generating interactive content based on the viewing history of the selected user device for display on all of the user devices communicatively coupled to the home network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected user device is a master device and all remaining user devices are slave devices that display generated interactive content based on the viewing history of the master device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the generated interactive content on a display screen of any user device communicatively coupled to the home network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a user to select which user device is the selected device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a device profile for the selected device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the selected user profile comprises the viewer history for the selected device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring interactions performed on the selected user device; and

updating the viewer history for the selected device based on the monitored interactions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated interactive content is accessible by each of the user devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewer history is accessible by each of the user devices.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the viewer history on a database.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the database is located locally on one of the user devices.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the database is a home network database that is communicatively coupled to the home network.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the database is a remote database that is communicatively coupled to the home network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the remote database is located on a server or a distribution facility.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewing history comprises data that indicates which programming has been viewed on the selected user device, data that monitors interactions with the interactive media guidance application on the selected user device, data that indicates which advertisements have been displayed on a display screen of the selected user device, or data that indicates which additional information has been displayed on a display screen of the selected user device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a list of programming that includes programming that has not been displayed on a display screen of the selected user device, advertisements that have not been displayed on a display screen of the selected user device, additional information that has not been displayed on a display screen of the selected user device, additional information that indicates whether a particular program has been viewed, additional information that indicates the last time a particular program was viewed, or a list of programming that has been ranked according to predetermined criteria.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a listing of programming, the method further comprising:

storing in a database an identifier associated with each program that has been viewed by the selected user device; and

cross-referencing identifiers associated with all available programming with the identifiers stored in the database to determine which programming can be included in the listing of programming.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a listing of programming, the method further comprising:

providing a group of identifiers corresponding to all programming available that can be viewed on any of the user devices communicatively coupled to the home network, wherein the listing of programming is derived from the group of identifiers; and

removing from the group identifiers corresponding to programming that has been viewed on the selected user device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

adding new identifiers to the group as new programming becomes available; and

deleting identifiers from the group when programming corresponding to the deleted identifiers is no longer available.

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

21. A system for using an interactive media guidance application, comprising:

a plurality of user equipment devices communicatively coupled to each other via a home network, wherein the system is operative to;

provide a viewing history of a selected one of the plurality of user equipment devices, the viewing history including monitored interactions that occurred at the selected user equipment device; and

generate interactive content based on the viewing history of the selected user equipment device for display.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the selected user device is a master device and all remaining user devices are slave devices that display generated interactive content based on the viewing history of the master device.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one user equipment device is operative to display the generated interactive content.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the system is operative to:

enable a user to select which user device is the selected device.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the system is operative to:

select a device profile for the selected device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the selected user profile comprises the viewer history for the selected device.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the system is operative to:

monitor interactions performed on the selected user device; and

update the viewer history for the selected device based on the monitored interactions.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the generated interactive content is accessible by each of the user devices.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the viewer history is accessible by each of the user devices.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the system is operative to:

store the viewer history on a database.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the database is located locally on one of the user devices.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the database is a network database that is communicatively coupled to the network.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the database is a remote database that is communicatively coupled to the network.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the remote database is located on a server or a distribution facility.

35. The system of claim 21, wherein the viewing history comprises data that indicates which programming has been viewed on the selected user device, data that monitors interactions on the selected user device, data that indicates which advertisements have been displayed by the selected user device, or data that indicates which additional information has been displayed by the selected user device.

36. The system of claim 21, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a list of programming that includes programming that has not been displayed by the selected user device, advertisements that have not been displayed by the selected user device, additional information that has not been displayed by the selected user device, additional information that indicates whether a particular program has been viewed, additional information that indicates the last time a particular program was viewed, or a list of programming that has been ranked according to predetermined criteria.

37. The system of claim 21, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a listing of programming, wherein the system is operative to:

store in a database an identifier associated with each program that has been viewed by the selected user device; and

cross-reference identifiers associated with all available programming with the identifiers stored in the database to determine which programming can be included in the listing of programming.

38. The system of claim 21, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a listing of programming, wherein the system is operative to:

provide a group of identifiers corresponding to all programming available that can be viewed on any of the user devices communicatively coupled to the network, wherein the listing of programming is derived from the group of identifiers; and

remove from the group identifiers corresponding to programming that has been viewed on the selected user device.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the system is operative to:

add new identifiers to the group as new programming becomes available; and

delete identifiers from the group when programming corresponding to the deleted identifiers is no longer available.

40. The system of claim 21, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive television program guide or an online television program guide.

41. A method for using an interactive media guidance application, comprising:

providing at least two home networks that are communicatively coupled to each other, each home network comprising at least one user equipment device capable of supporting an interactive media guidance application;

providing a viewing history for at least a first of the home networks, the viewing history including monitored interactions that occurred at the first home network; and

generating interactive content based on the viewing history for the first home network.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

displaying the generated interactive content on a display device of at least one user device of at least one of the home networks.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

displaying the generated interactive content on at least one display device of a second of the home networks.

44. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

displaying the generated interactive content on at least one display device of the first of the home networks.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein the generated interactive content is accessible by each of the home networks.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein the viewing history of the first of the home networks is accessible by each of the home networks.

47. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

providing a home profile, wherein the home profile comprises the viewer history for at least the first of the home networks.

48. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

monitoring interactions performed on the first of the home networks; and

updating the viewer history for at least the first of the home networks based on the monitored interactions.

49. The method of claim 41, wherein the viewer history is associated with the first of the home networks and a second of the home networks, the method further comprising:

monitoring interactions performed on a second of the home networks; and

updating the viewer history for the first and second of the home networks.

50. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

storing the viewer history on a database.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the database is located locally on a user device that is communicatively coupled to one of the home networks.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the database is a home network database that is communicatively coupled to one of the home networks.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the database is a remote database that is communicatively coupled to each of the home networks.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the remote database is located on a server or a distribution facility.

55. The method of claim 41, wherein the viewing history comprises data that indicates which programming has been viewed on the first of the home networks, data that monitors interactions with the interactive media guidance application on the first of the home networks, data that indicates which advertisements have been displayed on the first of the home networks, or data that indicates which additional information has been displayed on the first of the home networks.

56. The method of claim 41, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a list of programming that includes programming that has not been displayed on the first of the home networks, advertisements that have not been displayed on the first of the home networks, additional information that has not been displayed on the first of the home networks, additional information that indicates whether a particular program has been viewed, additional information that indicates the last time a particular program was viewed, or a list of programming that has been ranked according to predetermined criteria.

57. The method of claim 41, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a listing of programming, the method further comprising:

storing in a database an identifier associated with each program that has been viewed on the first of the home networks; and

cross-referencing identifiers associated with all available programming with the identifiers stored in the database to determine which programming can be included in the listing of programming.

58. The method of claim 41, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a listing of programming, the method further comprising:

providing a group of identifiers corresponding to all programming available that can be viewed at any of the home networks, wherein the listing of programming is derived from the group of identifiers; and

removing from the group identifiers corresponding to programming that has been viewed on the first of the home networks.

59. The method of claim 58, further comprising:

adding new identifiers to the group as new programming becomes available; and

deleting identifiers from the group when programming corresponding to the deleted identifiers is no longer available.

60. The method of claim 41, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive television program guide or an online television program guide.

61. A system for using an interactive media guidance application, comprising:

at least two home networks that are communicatively coupled to each other, each home network comprising at least one user equipment device, wherein the system is operative to;

provide a viewing history for at least a first of the home networks, the viewing history including monitored interactions that occurred at the first home network; and

generate interactive content based on the viewing history for the first home network.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the system is operative to:

display the generated interactive content on a display device of at least one user equipment device of at least one of the home networks.

63. The system of claim 61, wherein the system is operative to:

display the generated interactive content on at least one display device of a second of the home networks.

64. The system of claim 61, wherein the system is operative to:

display the generated interactive content on at least one display device of the first of the home networks.

65. The system of claim 61, wherein the generated interactive content is accessible by each of the home networks.

66. The system of claim 61, wherein the viewing history of the first of the home networks is accessible by each of the home networks.

67. The system of claim 61, wherein the system is operative to:

provide a home profile, wherein the home profile comprises the viewer history for at least the first of the home networks.

68. The system of claim 61, wherein the system is operative to:

monitor interactions performed on the first of the home networks; and

update the viewer history for at least the first of the home networks based on the monitored interactions.

69. The system of claim 61, wherein the viewer history is associated with the first of the home networks and a second of the home networks, wherein the system is operative to:

monitor interactions performed on a second of the home networks; and

update the viewer history for the first and second of the home networks.

70. The system of claim 61, wherein the system is operative to:

store the viewer history on a database.

71. The system of claim 70, wherein the database is located locally on a user device that is communicatively coupled to one of the home networks.

72. The system of claim 70, wherein the database is a home network database that is communicatively coupled to one of the home networks.

73. The system of claim 70, wherein the database is a remote database that is communicatively coupled to each of the home networks.

74. The system of claim 73, wherein the remote database is located on a server or a distribution facility.

75. The system of claim 61, wherein the viewing history comprises data that indicates which programming has been viewed on the first of the home networks, data that monitors interactions with the user equipment device on the first of the home networks, data that indicates which advertisements have been displayed by the first of the home networks, or data that indicates which additional information has been displayed by the first of the home networks.

76. The system of claim 61, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a list of programming that includes programming that has not been displayed by the first of the home networks, advertisements that have not been displayed by the first of the home networks, additional information that has not been displayed by the first of the home networks, additional information that indicates whether a particular program has been viewed, additional information that indicates the last time a particular program was viewed, or a list of programming that has been ranked according to predetermined criteria.

77. The system of claim 61, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a listing of programming, wherein the system is operative to:

store in a database an identifier associated with each program that has been viewed on the first of the home networks; and

cross-reference identifiers associated with all available programming with the identifiers stored in the database to determine which programming can be included in the listing of programming.

78. The system of claim 61, wherein the generated interactive content comprises a listing of programming, wherein the system is operative to:

provide a group of identifiers corresponding to all programming available that can be viewed at any of the home networks, wherein the listing of programming is derived from the group of identifiers; and

remove from the group identifiers corresponding to programming that has been viewed on the first of the home networks.

79. The system of claim 78, wherein the system is operative to:

add new identifiers to the group as new programming becomes available; and

delete identifiers from the group when programming corresponding to the deleted identifiers is no longer available.

80. The system of claim 61, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive television program guide or an online television program guide.