Method and Apparatus for Collecting and Providing Viewer Feedback to a Broadcast

• US 20090313092A1
• Filed: 08/18/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anthony A. Shah-Nazaroff, David N. Hackson, Eric O. Smith, Jean M. Goldschmidt Iki, Kenneth A. Moore
• Original Assignee: Anthony A. Shah-Nazaroff, David N. Hackson, Eric O. Smith, Jean M. Goldschmidt Iki, Kenneth A. Moore
• Inventors: Shah-Nazaroff, Anthony A., Goldschmidt Iki, Jean M., Hackson, David N., Moore, Kenneth A., Smith, Eric O.
• Application Number:
  US12/583,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20090313092A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/30 characterised by the use of a return channel, e.g. for collecting users' opinions, for returning broadcast space/time information or for requesting data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• 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 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus to collect and provide viewer feedback to broadcasts. According to one aspect of the present invention, a rating is generated for a broadcast by a server system. The rating is based at least in part on viewer feedback to the broadcast, and the rating indicates a likelihood of interest in the broadcast for potential subsequent viewers. Access to the rating is then provided so that predications can be made as to whether or not the broadcast will be of interest to potential subsequent viewers. According to another aspect of the present invention, the rating is provided from the server system to an entertainment system, and the broadcast can be selected for viewing at an entertainment system based on the rating generated by the server system. In one embodiment, the viewer feedback is received at the entertainment system in response to a feedback questionnaire.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

presenting a representation of an item to a potential customer;

providing an opportunity for a rating of the item in response to a request from the potential customer to rate the item;

receiving the potential customer'"'"'s rating of the item;

generating a review of the item based at least in part on the received customer rating of the item, the review indicating a likelihood of interest in the item to subsequent potential customers; and

providing the review of the item with a representation of the item to a subsequent potential customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the item comprises a purchasable item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the item includes at least one of movies, music, and internet accessible content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recommending items to the potential customer based in part on the potential customer'"'"'s rating of the item.

5. A server system comprising:

a computer system configured to;

transmit a representation of an item to a potential customer;

transmit an opportunity for a rating of the item in response to a request from the potential customer to rate the item;

receive the potential customer'"'"'s rating of the item;

generate a review of the item based at least in part on the received customer rating of the item, the review indicating a likelihood of interest in the item to subsequent potential customers; and

transmit the review of the item with a representation of the item to a subsequent potential customer.

6. The server system of claim 5, wherein the item comprises a purchasable item.

7. The server system of claim 5, wherein the item includes at least one of movies, music, and internet accessible content.

8. The server system of claim 5, wherein the computer system is also configured to:

recommend items to the potential customer based in part on the potential customer'"'"'s rating of the item.

9. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting a program to a first viewer;

receiving a rating of the program in response to a request from the first viewer to provide the rating; and

suggesting programs to the first viewer based in part on the rating from the first viewer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the rating includes a great or terrible rating.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the suggesting programs comprises:

providing a list of programs with programs that are more likely of interest displayed at the top of the list.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

presenting a second program to a second viewer;

receiving a rating of the second program from the second viewer and

suggesting programs to the second viewer based in part on the rating from the first viewer and the rating from the second viewer.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

presenting a second program to the first viewer;

receiving a rating of the second program from the first viewer; and

suggesting programs to the first viewer based in part on the ratings of the program and the second program.

14. A computer-implemented method comprising:

a first subscriber'"'"'s terminal receiving a program;

the terminal transmitting a rating of the program in response to a request from the first subscriber to provide the rating; and

the terminal displaying a list of suggested programs to the first subscriber, wherein the list of programs is based in part on the provided rating.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the rating includes a great or terrible rating.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the terminal receiving a second program and

the terminal transmitting a rating of the second program from the first subscriber, wherein the list is based in part on the ratings of the program and second program.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the terminal displaying a list of programs with programs that are more likely of interest to the first subscriber displayed at the top of the list.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the terminal displaying the program from a recording.

19. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving personal information from a first computer;

providing a list of recommended content to the first computer, the content comprising recommended viewable content;

associating the recommended viewable content with the personal information;

receiving feedback on the recommended viewable content in response to a request from a first viewer to provide the feedback; and

providing a second list of recommended content based in part on the associated recommended viewable content.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the personal information comprises personal identifying information.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the content comprises at least one of content delivered through a network, media content, and internet content.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the feedback on the recommended viewable content in response to a request from a first viewer to provide the feedback comprises the first viewer selecting content.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

recommending purchasable content based in part on the recommended viewable content and the feedback.

24. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting a video to a first user'"'"'s computer;

receiving rating information of the video in response to a request from the first user to provide the rating information;

generating an overall rating of the video based at least in part on the received rating information;

presenting the video to a second user'"'"'s computer; and

providing the overall rating of the video to the second user'"'"'s computer.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the overall rating comprises an average rating from multiple users.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

recommending videos to the first user based in part on the rating information from the first user.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

recommending videos to the first user'"'"'s computer based in part on the rating information from the first user.

28. A method comprising:

a song distribution system receiving feedback on a song in response to a request from a first user'"'"'s computer to provide the feedback;

the song distribution system determining songs to recommend to the first user'"'"'s computer based in part on the feedback from the first user; and

the song distribution system identifying the music recommendations to the first user'"'"'s computer for display in a list.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the feedback comprises a song selection.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

the song distribution system receiving a request for a song from the list from the first user'"'"'s computer and

the song distribution system transmitting the requested song to the first user'"'"'s computer.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the music recommendations are based in part on the feedback from at least one user other than the first user.

32. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

transmit feedback on a song in response to a request from a first user to provide the feedback and

receive music recommendations for display in a list.

33. The medium of claim 32, wherein the feedback comprises a song selection by the first user.

34. The medium of claim 32, further comprising instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

transmit a request for a song from the list based in part on the music recommendations and

receive the requested song.