Program guide system with preference profiles

• US 20090070817A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TV Guide Networks, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Hassell, Joel G., Lemmons, Thomas R., Knudson, Edward B., Knee, Robert A., Easterbrook, Kevin B.
• Application Number:
  US11/894,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20090070817A1
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided in which a user may inform a program guide of the user'"'"'s interests. Information on the user'"'"'s interests may be stored in a preference profile. There may be more than one preference profile, each for a different user. Each preference profile contains a number of preference attributes (program titles, genres, viewing times, channels, broadcast characteristics, etc.). A preference level (e.g., strong or weak like, strong or weak dislike, illegal, mandatory, don'"'"'t care, etc.) that is indicative of the user'"'"'s level of interest is associated with each preference attribute. Preference profiles may be used to restrict the programs that are listed in various program listings display screens and may be used to limit the channels to which the program guide allows the user to tune.

Claims

1-180. -180. (canceled)

181. A program guide system implemented on user media equipment, comprising:

a provided option to select a plurality of preference attributes based on the user'"'"'s programming interests;

a provided option to select one of at least several preference levels for each of the plurality of selected preference attributes; and

a displayed list of programming based on the selected preference attributes and selected preference levels.