System and method of providing television program recommendations

• US 20070186243A1
• Filed: 02/08/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Chris, McCarthy, Mary, Noll, Roland, Pettit, Scott, Haeuser, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US11/349,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20070186243A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• 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 21/44224 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• 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 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method of providing television program recommendations is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a user review of a television program from a set-top box device via an access network of an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system. The method also includes associating the user review with a user of the set-top box device. The method also includes receiving a request for programming recommendations from the set-top box device and generating a recommendation list that includes at least one recommended program.

Claims

1. A method of providing television program recommendations, the method comprising:

receiving a user review of a television program from a set-top box device via an access network of an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system;

associating the user review with a user of the set-top box device;

receiving a request for programming recommendations from the set-top box device; and

generating a recommendation list that includes at least one recommended program.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing at least one user-defined preference with a plurality of programs shown during a period of time after the request, wherein the at least one user-defined preference is received via a web portal; and

wherein the at least one recommended program has a type, a genre, an actor, a sport team, or any combination thereof, in common with the at least one user-defined preference.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a type of each of a plurality of programs viewed by the user during a period of time before the request;

determining a subset of the plurality of programs, wherein each program in the subset received a review score from the user that is greater than or equal to a threshold review score;

identifying at least one other program shown during a period of time after the request, wherein the at least one other program shares a type, a genre, an actor, a sport team, or any combination thereof, with at least one program in the subset; and

wherein the recommendation list includes the at least one other program.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the user review is greater than or equal to a threshold review score;

identifying at least one other user that submitted a review of the television program that was greater than or equal to the threshold review score;

identifying at least one second program reviewed by the at least one other user, wherein the at least one other user submitted a second review of the second program that was greater than or equal to a second threshold review score; and

wherein the recommendation list includes the at least one second program.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining aggregated audience data related to a plurality of television programs;

selecting at least one most watched program from the plurality of television programs; and

wherein the recommendation list includes the at least one most watched program.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

comparing the at least one most watched program with at least one program viewed by the user within a period of time before the request; and

wherein the recommendation list includes at least one matching program, wherein the at least one most watched program and the at least one program viewed by the user each include the at least one matching program.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one program viewed by the user within a period of time before the request;

comparing the at least one program viewed by the user with a plurality of programs shown during a period of time after the request; and

wherein the recommendation list includes at least one matching program, wherein the plurality of programs and the at least one program viewed by the user include the at least one matching program.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the set-top box device for an electronic program guide (EPG);

generating the EPG, wherein the EPG includes a first indicator of a first selectable option to submit the user review and a second indicator of a second selectable option to receive the recommendation list; and

transmitting the EPG to the set-top box device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a first command from the set-top box device, the first command related to a selection of the second indicator; and

transmitting the recommendation list to the set-top box device via the access network.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving an other command from the set-top box device, the other command related to a selection of a third indicator of a third selectable option of the EPG to receive real-time ratings information;

updating the EPG to include the real-time ratings information; and

transmitting the updated EPG to the set-top box device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the real-time ratings information includes aggregated audience data associated with at least one program displayed via the EPG, an average review score associated with at least one program displayed via the EPG, or any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the aggregated audience data associated with a program displayed via the EPG is determined based at least partially on the size of a multicast group of a channel showing the program associated with the aggregated audience data.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a separate command from the set-top box device, the separate command related to a selection of a fourth indicator of a fourth selectable option on the EPG to receive a ranked list of programs;

comparing the aggregated audience data of the program to other aggregated audience data of each of a plurality of other programs;

arranging the program and the plurality of other programs into a ranked list based on the aggregated audience data and the other aggregated audience data; and

transmitting the ranked list to the set-top box device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an additional command from the set-top box device, the additional command related to a selection of a fifth indicator of a fifth selectable option of the EPG;

arranging the ranked list into a plurality of segments in response to the additional command, wherein each of the plurality of segments includes programs of a program type; and

transmitting a segmented ranked list that includes the at least one segment to the set-top box device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the aggregated audience data includes a percentage of end user devices within a national area, a regional area, a state area, a metropolitan area, a neighborhood area, or any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the user review includes a number of stars.

17. A method of receiving television program recommendations, the method comprising:

submitting a user review of a television program to a server via an access network of an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system, wherein the review is associated with the user at the server;

issuing a request for programming recommendations to the server via the access network; and

receiving a recommendation list via the access network, wherein the recommendation list includes at least one recommended program.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a selection to view an electronic program guide (EPG);

issuing a request to the server for data related to the EPG;

receiving the data from the server; and

generating the EPG, wherein the EPG includes a first indicator of a first selectable option to submit the user review and a second indicator of a second selectable option to receive the recommendation list.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a first command related to a selection of the first indicator; and

prompting the user to input the user review in response to the first command.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving a second command related to a selection of the second indicator before issuing the request to receive the recommendation list.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the EPG includes a third indicator of a third selectable option to receive real-time ratings information.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a third command related to a selection of the third indicator;

requesting data related to the real-time ratings information;

receiving data related to the real-time ratings information; and

diaplaying an updated EPG that includes the real-time ratings information.

23. A system to provide television program recommendations, the system comprising:

a server within an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system, the server having a processor and a memory device accessible to the processor;

wherein the memory device includes a user store that is configured to store a review of a television program received from a set-top box device and to associate the review with a user of the set-top box device;

wherein the memory device includes a recommendation engine that is executable by the processor to generate a recommendation list that includes at least one recommended program; and

wherein the server is configured to transmit the recommendation list to the set-top box device via an access network of the IPTV system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the recommendation list is generated in response to a request for programming recommendations received from the set-top box device.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein:

the user store is configured to receive at least one user-defined preference via a web portal;

the recommendation engine is executable by the processor to compare the at least one user-defined preference with a plurality of programs shown during a period of time after the request; and

wherein the at least one recommended program has a type, a genre, an actor, a sport team, or any combination thereof, in common with the at least one user-defined preference.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein:

the recommendation engine is executable by the processor to;

determine a type of each of a plurality of programs reviewed by the user during a period of time before the request;

determine a subset of the plurality of programs, wherein each program in the subset received a review score from the user that is greater than or equal to a threshold review score;

identify at least one other program shown during a period of time after the request, wherein the at least one other program shares a type, a genre, an actor, a sport team, or any combination thereof, with at least one program in the subset; and

the recommendation list includes the at least one other program.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein:

the recommendation engine is executable by the processor to;

determine that the user review is greater than or equal to a threshold review score;

identify at least one other user that submitted a review of the television program that was greater than or equal to the threshold review score;

identify at least one second program reviewed by the at least one other user, wherein the at least one other user submitted a second review of the second program that was greater than or equal to a second threshold review score; and

the recommendation list includes the at least one second program.

28. A system to receive television program recommendations, the system comprising:

a set-top box having a processor and a memory device accessible to the processor;

wherein the memory device includes a review module that is executable by the processor to submit a user review of a television program to a server via an Internet Protocol Television (FPTV) system, wherein the review is associated with the user;

wherein the memory device includes a recommendation module that is executable by the processor to issue a request via the IPTV system to receive programming recommendations; and

wherein the recommendation module is configured to transmit a recommendation list to a display device coupled to the set-top box device, the recommendation list including at least one recommended program.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein:

the memory device includes an electronic program guide (EPG) module that is executable by the processor to generate an EPG from EPG data received in response to a request from the set-top box device;

the EPG includes a first indicator of a first selectable option to receive the recommendation list and a second indicator of a second selectable option to receive real-time ratings information; and

the EPG module is executable by the processor to transmit the EPG to the set-top box device.

30. A computer program embedded in a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising:

instructions to store a review of a television program received from a set-top box device and to associate the review with a user of the set-top box device;

instructions to generate a recommendation list that includes at least one recommended program, in response to a request for programming recommendations received from the set-top box device; and

instructions to transmit the recommendation list to the set-top box device via an access network of an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system.

31. A computer program embedded in a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising:

instructions to submit a user review of a television program to a server via an access network of an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system;

instructions to issue a request to the server via the access network to receive programming recommendations; and

instructions to transmit a recommendation list received from the server to a display device coupled to the set-top box device, the recommendation list including at least one recommended program.