Method of recommending related programs

• US 20070288963A1
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Ahmad-Taylor, Ty O., Chen, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 11,622,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• 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 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Method and system of recommending program without individually compiling subscribe profile information. The method and system being suitable for recommending television programs, movies, and any other media, including but not limited to advertisements and music.

Claims

1. A method of recommending related programs, the method comprising:

determining metadata characteristics for a number of programs;

pairing programs with other programs having related metadata characteristics such that the programs are paired with one or more other programs to form program groups having related metadata characteristics; and

recommending the program group associated with one of the programs, the recommended program group indicating programs having metadata characteristics related to the one program such that the recommended program group characterizes a recommendation of related programs.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a recommendations menu for listing titles associated with each program in the recommended program group.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising executing a programming action in response to selection of one of the titles listed in the recommendations menu.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein executing the programming action includes setting a recording for the selected title, setting an alert for the selected title, adding the selected title to a playlist, or tuning to a channel showing the program associated with the selected title.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the one program as a function of a selected cell in a programming grid displayed within an electronic programming guide (EPG).

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising recommending different programs groups in response to selection of different cells.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising populating the EPG programming grid based on EPG program details received from a service provider.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising specifying the programs groups within the EPG program details such that recommended program groups are automatically displayed within the EPG with each cell selection and without requiring upstream communications with the service provider.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising limiting the number of programs and program groups specified within the EPG program details such that the program details must be periodically downloaded in order to update the same.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting the programs to be paired with program groups as a function of a programming schedule for a particular servicing area.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising defining the servicing area according to an area supported by a cable television headend.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising filtering the recommended program group recommends less than all of the programs comprising the same.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising filtering the recommended program group based on program availability.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising filtering the recommended program group based on subscriber entitlements.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising filtering the recommended program group based on content differences.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising pre-loading one or more of the programs within the recommended program group on a server associated with providing the program to the subscriber so as to optimize program delivery.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising prioritizing one or more of the programs within the recommended program group on a server associated with providing the program to the subscriber so as to optimize program delivery.

19. The element of claim 16 further configured for filtering the recommended program group to include less than all of the programs comprising the same.

20. The element of claim 17 further configured for filtering the recommended program group based on program availability, subscriber entitlements, or content differences.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the subscriber access point is configured to filter the programs include within the recommended program group.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the subscriber access point is configured to filter the programs as a function of subscriber entitlements.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the recommendations server downloads program details to the subscriber access point, the program details specifying the program groups, such that the subscriber access point process the program details in order to display the program group associated with the selected program.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein the subscriber access point provides an electronic programming guide (EPG) to facilitate selecting the program and displaying the recommended program group.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein recommended program groups are automatically displayed within the EPG with each cell selected within the EPG and without requiring upstream communications from the subscriber access point.

27. The system of claim 19 wherein the recommendations element is configured for determining metadata characteristics for a number of programs and pairing the programs with other programs having related metadata characteristics such that the programs are paired with one or more other programs to form the program groups.

18. A recommendations element configured for:

determining metadata characteristics for a number of programs;

pairing programs with other programs having related metadata characteristics such that the programs are paired with one or more other programs to form program groups having related metadata characteristics; and

recommending the program group associated with one of the programs, the recommended program group indicating programs having metadata characteristics related to the one program such that the recommended program group characterizes a recommendation of related programs.

21. A system comprising:

a subscriber access point for use in selecting a program; and

a recommendations element configured for recommending a program group associated with the selected program, the recommended program group indicating programs having metadata characteristics related to the selected program such that the recommended program group characterizes a recommendation of related programs without requiring profile information on a subscriber selecting the selected program.