Method and system for presenting television program guide information based on viewer usage patterns

• US 20080276277A1
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ahn, Sun Hong, Rowe, Jason, Kang, Byung Chan, Kim, Paul Suntae, Kim, Taehee
• Application Number:
  US11/800,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20080276277A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/466 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and system for presenting television program guide information is provided. A program guide is obtained, and program viewing patterns of a viewer are monitored. Information from the program guide is selectively presented to the viewer based on the viewing patterns. Selectively presenting information from the program guide includes displaying a listing of channels viewed more frequently on a guide screen in descending order of viewing frequency.

Claims

1. A method of presenting television program guide information, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a program guide;

monitoring program viewing patterns of a viewer; and

selectively presenting information from the program guide to the viewer based on the viewing patterns.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively presenting information from the program guide further includes displaying a listing of channels viewed more frequently on a guide screen in descending order of viewing frequency.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein monitoring program viewing patterns further includes monitoring viewing pattern changes.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein selectively presenting information from the program guide further includes selectively presenting information from the program guide to the viewer based on the viewing pattern changes.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein channels of more interest to the viewer appear first on the guide screen relative to other channels.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein selectively presenting information from the program guide further includes showing program guide information for viewer preferred channels regardless of watching time.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring viewing patterns of multiple viewers, and selectively presenting information from the program guide based on the viewing patterns.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring program viewing patterns of a viewer further includes maintaining a list of channels viewed by the viewer.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a viewer request for display of program guide information;

determining an interest factor, F, for each of multiple channels on the list; and

selectively presenting channel information from the program guide in the order of interest factor F for each channel.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a viewer request for channel change;

recording the current time and the requested channel number in the list; and

tuning to the requested channel.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said list includes viewing history for the last N channels that the viewer tuned to.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the viewing history per channel further includes time of tuning and length of tuning.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the list includes one or more entries per tuned channel corresponding to one or more tunings to the channel during the last N channel changes.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein determining the interest factor F for a channel x includes calculating the accumulated tuned time for the channel x as the interest factor F for the channel x.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein determining the interest factor F for a channel x includes calculating the number of appearances of the channel x in the list as the interest factor F for the channel x.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein determining the interest factor for a channel x includes calculating the interest factor F as a function time of entry of the channel x in the list, indicating a most recently watched indicator for the channel x.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein determining the interest factor F for a channel x includes determining F as a combination of two or more of:

a most consistently watched (MCW) value representing the accumulated tuned time for the channel x;

a most frequently watched (MFW) value representing the number of appearances of the channel x in the list; and

a most recently watched (MRW) value that is a function time of entry of the channel x in the list, indicating a most recently watched indicator for the channel x.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein determining the interest factor F for a channel x further includes determining F as a weighted combination of two or more of said MCW, MFW, and MRW values for the channel x.

19. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of selectively presenting program guide information based on viewing patterns for a subset of channels in the list.

20. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of selectively presenting program guide information based on viewer-selectable parameters.

21. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of selectively presenting program guide information for a set of channels based on the viewing patterns, and presenting other channel guide information based on other criteria.

22. A system for presenting television program guide information, comprising:

a program information manager (PIM) that is configured to monitor program viewing patterns of a viewer; and

a user interface manager (UIM) that is configured to selectively present information from the program guide to the viewer based on the viewing patterns.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the UIM is further configured to selectively present information from the program guide further includes displaying a listing of channels viewed more frequently on a guide screen in descending order of viewing frequency.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the PIM is further configured to monitor viewing pattern changes.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the UIM is further configured to selectively present information from the program guide to the viewer based on the viewing pattern changes.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the UIM is configured to display channels of more interest to the viewer on a guide screen first, relative to other channels.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein the UIM is further configured to present program information for viewer preferred channels regardless of watching time.

28. The system of claim 22 wherein:

the PIM is further configured to monitor viewing patterns of multiple viewers; and

the UIM is further configured to selectively present information from the program guide based on the viewing patterns.

29. The system of claim 22 wherein the PIM is further configured to monitor program viewing patterns of a viewer and maintain a list of channels viewed by the viewer.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the UIM is further configured to receive a viewer request for display of program guide information, determine an interest factor, F, for each of multiple channels on the list, and selectively present channel information from the program guide in the order of interest factor F for each channel.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the UIM is further configured to receive a viewer request for channel change, record the current time and the requested channel number in the list, and tune to the requested channel.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein said list includes viewing history for the last N channels that the viewer tuned to.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the viewing history per channel further includes time tuning and length of tuning.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the list includes one or more entries per tuned channel corresponding to one or more tunings to the channel during the last N channel changes.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the UIM is further configured to determine the interest factor F for a channel x by calculating the accumulated tuned time for the channel x as the interest factor F for the channel x.

36. The system of claim 31 wherein the UIM is further configured to determine the interest factor F for a channel x by calculating the number of appearances of the channel x in the list as the interest factor F for the channel x.

37. The system of claim 31 wherein the UIM is further configured to determine the interest factor for a channel x by calculating the interest factor F as a function time of entry of the channel x in the list, indicating a most recently watched indicator for the channel x.

38. The system of claim 31 wherein the UIM is further configured to determine the interest factor F for a channel x by determining F as a combination of two or more of:

a MCW value representing the accumulated tuned time for the channel x;

a MFW value representing the number of appearances of the channel x in the list; and

a MRW value that is a function time of entry of the channel x in the list, indicating a most recently watched indicator for the channel x.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the UIM is further configured to determine the interest factor F for a channel x by determining F as a weighted combination of two or more of said MCW, MFW, and MRW values for the channel x.

40. The system of claim 29 wherein the UIM is further configured to selectively present program guide information based on viewing patterns for a subset of channels in the list.

41. The system of claim 29 wherein the UIM is further configured to selectively present program guide information based on viewer-selectable parameters.

42. The system of claim 29 further wherein the UIM is further configured to selectively present program guide information for a set of channels based on the viewing patterns, and to present other channel guide information based on other criteria.