TECHNIQUE FOR IDENTIFYING FAVORITE PROGRAM CHANNELS FOR RECEIVING ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMING CONTENT OVER A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
First Claim
1. A system for updating a common list of user-preferred program channels comprising:
- a network;
at least first and second set-top terminals (STTs) connected to the network, wherein the first STT comprises a first memory, a first timer and a first processing unit and wherein the second STT comprises a second memory, a second timer and a second processing unit;
a common list of “
k”
user-preferred program channels stored in the first and second memories;
a first channel table stored in the first memory, the first channel table comprising a first list of viewed channels as selected by the first STT, wherein each viewed channel of the first list of viewed channels is associated with a first cumulative count value;
a second channel table stored in the second memory, the second channel table comprising a second list of viewed channels as selected by the second STT, wherein each viewed channel of the second list of viewed channels is associated with a second cumulative count value;
a first processing unit configured to communicate with the first memory and the first timer, wherein the first processing unit executes instructions causing the first processing unit to update the first channel table based on a measure of duration indicative of a first period of time during which a first particular program channel has been selected to receive continuously programming content attributed thereto;
a second processing unit configured to communicate with the second memory and the second timer, wherein the second processing unit executes the instructions causing the second processing unit to update the second channel table based on a measure of duration indicative of a second period of time during which a second particular program channel has been selected to receive continuously programming content attributed thereto; and
an application server connected to the network, wherein the application server executes instructions that cause the application server to;
receive the first and second channel table from the first and second STTs;
generate a common channel table from the first and second channel tables; and
send the common channel table to the first and second STTs,wherein the first and second processing units execute instructions causing the first and second processing units to;
select from the common channel table the “
k”
program channels having the cumulative count values; and
revise the common list of user-preferred program channels to reflect the selected “
k”
program channels.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A favorites list of program channels which a cable TV user likely prefers is generated automatically from which the user may select a program channel to watch. Each program channel in the favorites list is identified based on a measure of the duration in which the program channel is continuously tuned to. In an embodiment, this measure varies nonlinearly with such a duration. The favorites list may further comprise sublists of program channels which may correspond to different periods of a day, week, etc. The favorites list may be generated from programs watched on multiple viewing devices.
13 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A system for updating a common list of user-preferred program channels comprising:
-
a network; at least first and second set-top terminals (STTs) connected to the network, wherein the first STT comprises a first memory, a first timer and a first processing unit and wherein the second STT comprises a second memory, a second timer and a second processing unit; a common list of “
k”
user-preferred program channels stored in the first and second memories;a first channel table stored in the first memory, the first channel table comprising a first list of viewed channels as selected by the first STT, wherein each viewed channel of the first list of viewed channels is associated with a first cumulative count value; a second channel table stored in the second memory, the second channel table comprising a second list of viewed channels as selected by the second STT, wherein each viewed channel of the second list of viewed channels is associated with a second cumulative count value; a first processing unit configured to communicate with the first memory and the first timer, wherein the first processing unit executes instructions causing the first processing unit to update the first channel table based on a measure of duration indicative of a first period of time during which a first particular program channel has been selected to receive continuously programming content attributed thereto; a second processing unit configured to communicate with the second memory and the second timer, wherein the second processing unit executes the instructions causing the second processing unit to update the second channel table based on a measure of duration indicative of a second period of time during which a second particular program channel has been selected to receive continuously programming content attributed thereto; and an application server connected to the network, wherein the application server executes instructions that cause the application server to; receive the first and second channel table from the first and second STTs; generate a common channel table from the first and second channel tables; and send the common channel table to the first and second STTs, wherein the first and second processing units execute instructions causing the first and second processing units to; select from the common channel table the “
k”
program channels having the cumulative count values; andrevise the common list of user-preferred program channels to reflect the selected “
k”
program channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for updating a common list of user-preferred program channels comprising:
-
storing in a first memory of a first set top terminal (STT) a common list of “
k”
user-preferred program channels;storing in a second memory of a second set top terminal (STT) a common list of “
k”
user-preferred program channels;storing a first channel table in the memory, the first channel table comprising a list of channels viewed from the first STT, wherein each viewed channel is associated with a first cumulative count value; storing a second channel table in the memory, the second channel table comprising a list of channels viewed from the second STT, wherein each viewed channel is associated with a second cumulative count value; using a first processing unit of the first STT to execute instructions to update the first channel table based on a measure of duration indicative of a first period of time during which a first particular program channel has been selected to receive continuously programming content attributed thereto; using a second processing unit of the second STT to execute the instructions to update the second channel table based on a measure of duration indicative of a second period of time during which a second particular program channel has been selected to receive continuously programming content attributed thereto; and sending the first and second channel tables to an application server; generating at the application server a common channel table from the first and second channel tables; sending the common channel table to the first and second STTs; using the first processing unit to; select from the common channel table the “
k”
program channels having the cumulative count values; andrevise the common list of user-preferred program channels stored on the first STT to reflect the selected “
k”
program channels; andusing the second processing unit to; select from the common channel table the “
k”
program channels having the cumulative count values; andrevise the common list of user-preferred program channels stored on the second STT to reflect the selected “
k”
program channels. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28)
-
-
24. The system of method 23, wherein the common list of “
- k”
user-preferred program channels comprises a time-based common list of “
k”
user-preferred program channels for each time period. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
- k”
Specification