METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMANCE TRACKING TO MODIFY CONTENT PRESENTED BY A SET-TOP BOX

• US 20090131152A1
• Filed: 11/19/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Data Services Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Busse, Martin A.
• Application Number:
  US11/942,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20090131152A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/23
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• 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 21/4781 Games
• 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

An approach is provided for presenting, via a set-top box, a game to a user according to a user profile of the first user. Performance of the user is tracked. The performance information is presented to a supervisory user, wherein the set-top box is configured to provide modification of the user profile by the supervisory user based on the performance information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting an educational game for a dependent user based on a profile of the dependent user, wherein the profile specifies available content and scheduling information associated with the content;

presenting, via a set-top box, an educational game to the dependent user;

tracking performance information relating to playing the educational game by the dependent user;

comparing the tracked performance information with performance information collected from a plurality of other dependent users'"'"' performances on the educational game, wherein the dependent users are within a specified geographical region;

notifying a parental user of the comparison; and

receiving, in response to the notification, input from the parental user for modifying the profile of the dependent user.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

automatically modifying the profile based on the performance information, wherein the performance information is used to select content including broadcast content, digital video recorder (DVR) content, on-demand video, an on-demand game, or a locally stored game.

3. A set-top box device comprising:

a memory configured to store a profile of a dependent user, wherein the profile specifies available content and scheduling information associated with the content; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to select an educational game for a dependent user based on a profile of the dependent user;

a presentation module configured to present an educational game to the dependent user;

a tracking module configured to track performance information relating to playing the educational game by the dependent user, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the tracked performance information with performance information collected from a plurality of other dependent users'"'"' performances on the educational game, wherein the dependent users are within a specified geographical region, and a parental user is notified of the comparison; and

an input interface configured to receive, in response to the notification, input from the parental user for modifying the profile of the dependent user.

4. A set-top box device according to claim 3, wherein the profile is automatically modified based on the performance information, wherein the performance information is used to select content including broadcast content, digital video recorder (DVR) content, on-demand video, an on-demand game, or a locally stored game.

5. A method comprising:

presenting, via a set-top box, a game to a first user according to a user profile of the first user;

tracking performance, associated with playing the game, of the user;

storing the performance information; and

presenting the performance information to a second user, wherein the set-top box is configured to provide modification of the user profile by the second user based on the performance information.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the game includes an educational game.

7. A method according to claim 5, further comprising:

retrieving performance information of other users associated with other set-top boxes; and

comparing the performance information of the first user with the performance information of the other users to output a report.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein the comparison is performed for users within a specified geographical region.

9. A method according to claim 5, further comprising:

presenting the report via the set-top box to the second user.

10. A method according to claim 5, wherein the performance information is used to select content including broadcast content, digital video recorder (DVR) content, on-demand video, an on-demand game, or a locally stored game.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

generating statistical information based on usage of the content.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

automatically providing, via the set-top box, suggested content based on the performance information or the user profile; and

automatically updating the user profile based on the performance information.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the user profile further specifies scheduling information for access to the content.

14. A method according to claim 5, wherein the second user has a supervisory role over the first user.

15. A set-top box apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to execute a game;

a presentation module configured to present the game to a first user according to a user profile of the first user;

a tracking module configured to track performance, associated with playing the game, of the user; and

a memory configured to store the performance information,

wherein the presentation module is further configured to present the performance information to a second user, and the user profile is selectively modified by the second user based on the performance information.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the game includes an educational game.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

a communication interface configured to retrieve performance information of other users associated with other set-top boxes, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the performance information of the first user with the performance information of the other users to output a report.

18. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the comparison is performed for users within a specified geographical region.

19. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the presentation module is further configured to present the report via the set-top box to the second user.

20. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the performance information is used to select content including broadcast content, digital video recorder (DVR) content, on-demand video, an on-demand game, or a locally stored game.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the tracking module is further configured to generate statistical information based on usage of the content.

22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein suggested content is automatically provided based on the performance information or the user profile, and the user profile is automatically updated based on the performance information.

23. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the user profile further specifies scheduling information for access to the content.

24. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the second user has a supervisory role over the first user.

25. A system comprising:

a database configured to store content including a game; and

a video processor configured to transmit video content to a set-top box over a transmission facility,

wherein the set-top box is configured to present the game to a first user according to a user profile of the first user, to track performance, associated with playing the game, of the user, to store the performance information, and to present the performance information to a second user,

wherein the set-top box is further configured to provide modification of the user profile by the second user based on the performance information.