CHANNEL SELECTION BASED ON PROGRAM CONTENT ATTRIBUTES
First Claim
1. A method for aiding user selection of one or more channels from among multiple audio or video program channels based upon programming content of programs transmitted on the channels, comprising:
- receiving, with a receiver, respective signals of programs transmitted on the multiple channels;
selecting, with a controller coupled to the receiver, one of the multiple channels for presentation of a program to a user; and
identifying, with electronics coupled to the receiver and controller, channels available for selection whose transmitted programs have program content attributes that match predesignated program content attributes.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus determine program content attribute(s) of channels or programs received by an audio/video receiver. Program content attributes are determined by extracting attribute tagging data transmitted on a channel, by looking up previously stored attributes for a channel in a program content attribute table, and/or by identifying content through automatic data processing of the received channel signals themselves. Attributes may include, for example, national language, conversation vs. music, type of conversation (sports, call-in talk show) or music (classical, jazz, rock '"'"'n roll), etc. The determined program content attributes are compared with program content attribute preferences specified for one or more users to develop matches for channel listening/viewing selection. Manual or automatic user identification may be implemented, along with storage of individual program content attribute preferences of different users. By comparing program content attribute(s) in use on a given channel, with program content attribute preferences of the current user, a list of preferred channels is automatically generated.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for aiding user selection of one or more channels from among multiple audio or video program channels based upon programming content of programs transmitted on the channels, comprising:
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receiving, with a receiver, respective signals of programs transmitted on the multiple channels; selecting, with a controller coupled to the receiver, one of the multiple channels for presentation of a program to a user; and identifying, with electronics coupled to the receiver and controller, channels available for selection whose transmitted programs have program content attributes that match predesignated program content attributes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus for aiding user selection of one or more channels from among multiple audio or video program channels based upon programming content of programs transmitted on the channels, comprising:
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a receiver for receiving respective signals of programs transmitted on the multiple channels; a controller coupled to the receiver for selecting one of the multiple channels for presentation of a program to a user; and electronics coupled to the receiver and controller for identifying channels available for selection whose transmitted programs have program content attributes that match predesignated program content attributes. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification