SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RANKING ASSETS RELATIVE TO A GROUP OF VIEWERS

• US 20090328105A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GuideWorks, LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Baxter, John, Craner, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,510,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/466 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 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for ranking assets relative to a group of viewers. A group is formed by a user by selecting a number of different viewer preference profiles or automatically by the system as a function of analyzing similarities among viewer preference profiles. Individual preference values are computed for each viewer in the group relative to an asset. A group preference value is then computed by performing a function on the individual preference values. A display is generated that represents the individual preference values and the group preference value relative to an asset. Based on the information provided in the display, the asset most relevant to the group may be selected.

Claims

1. A method for providing asset recommendations for a group of at least a first and a second viewer, the method comprising:

computing at least two first individual preference values relative to a first asset, each first individual preference value being associated with the first and second viewers, respectively, of the group of viewers;

computing a first group preference value relative to the first asset as a function of the at least two first individual preference values; and

generating a display representing the at least two first individual preference values and the first group preference value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the display comprises an indicator, wherein the indicator indicates both the at least two first individual preference values and the first group preference value.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

computing at least two second individual preference values relative to a second asset, each second individual preference value being associated with the first and second viewers, respectively, of the group of viewers; and

computing a second group preference value relative to the second asset as a function of the at least two second individual preference values;

wherein the display further represents the at least two second individual preference values and the second group preference value.

4. The method of claim 1 where in the function is a sum.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two first individual preference values is a vector individual preference value and the function comprises a sum of the at least two first individual preference values.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sum is a vector sum.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein each vector individual preference value for a viewer comprises a set of magnitudes, each magnitude corresponding to a difference between a characteristic value setting associated with the viewer and a characteristic value associated with the first asset.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the display includes a title of the first asset.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying an equalizer for at least the first viewer, the equalizer displaying an initial asset characteristic value setting representing an initial preference relative to the asset characteristic for the first viewer; and

receiving a user input modifying the initial asset characteristic value setting of the equalizer to create a new asset characteristic value setting representing the first viewer'"'"'s new preference relative to the asset characteristic.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the asset characteristic is a genre, a theme, a duration, a title, a rating, a language, a parental control, or subject matter.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising storing the new asset characteristic value setting in a preference profile for the first viewer.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first individual preference value associated with the first viewer is computed based on the stored new asset characteristic value setting in the preference profile for the first viewer.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

searching a plurality of preference profiles to identify at least two preference profiles having one or more similar asset characteristic values; and

providing a recommendation to form a group that includes the identified at least two preference profiles.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing an indication to the user identifying at least one asset that is relevant to the group.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising combining a plurality of preference profiles to form at least two subject matter specific groups, each subject matter specific group including at least two of the plurality of preference profiles, wherein:

a first plurality of assets having a first subject matter are identified as relevant to a first of the at least two subject matter specific groups, and

a second plurality of assets having a second subject matter different from the first subject matter are identified as relevant to a second of the at least two subject matter specific groups.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring viewing behavior of at least the first viewer to determine the first viewer'"'"'s preference relative to an asset characteristic; and

computing the first viewer'"'"'s individual preference value relative to an asset based on the first viewer'"'"'s monitored viewing behavior.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving the first viewer'"'"'s local preferences relative to a first asset from a first memory of a first user equipment device; and

receiving the first viewer'"'"'s remote preferences relative to the first asset characteristic from an external source;

wherein the first viewer'"'"'s first individual preference values are computed based on the local and remote viewer preferences relative to the first asset.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the external source is an Internet source or a second memory of a second user equipment device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a best compromise identifier, the identifier identifying an asset from a list of assets that features a most balanced appeal to all viewers in the group.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the computing the at least two first individual preference values comprises:

providing a weight adjustment for each viewer such that the weight adjustment indicates priority when computing the first individual preference values; and

modifying the computed preference values for viewers as a function of the weight adjustments.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the display comprises a bar having a length, wherein the length represents the first group preference value, and wherein portions of the bar comprise varying lengths that represent each viewer'"'"'s respective first individual preference value.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the portions are contiguous and are differentiated from each other in at least color.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the display includes a numerical value that represents the first group preference value and a viewer identifier that identifies each viewer represented by the first group preference value.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the viewer identifier comprises an image or video unique to the particular viewer.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the viewer identifier comprises an emoticon that indicates an emotion for the viewer relative to the first asset.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the display comprises a suggest option that identifies one of a plurality of assets that corresponds to a group preference value having the largest value.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the display comprises a bar having a length, wherein the length represents the first group preference value, and wherein the suggest option identifies the asset having a bar with the longest length.

28. The method of claim 1 further comprising a remove option that excludes from the first group preference value computation at least one of the at least two first individual preference values and adjusts the display to reflect a new group preference value computation.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the display comprises an alert indicator that indicates that the first asset includes an asset characteristic that exceeds a particular viewer'"'"'s preference range for that asset characteristic.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the asset characteristic indicated by the alert indicator is a parental control setting, subject matter, a language, or a rating.

31. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

searching for a plurality of assets that are relevant to the group by computing group preference values for each of the plurality of assets;

determining whether a first minimum preference level is provided for one of the first and second viewers in the group;

identifying at least one of the plurality of assets that is relevant to the group and fails to meet the first minimum preference level.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

ranking the relevance of each of the plurality of assets to the group, wherein the rank of the at least one of the plurality of assets that fails to meet the first minimum preference level is reduced; and

displaying some of the plurality of assets in accordance with the rank of the plurality of assets.

33. A system for providing asset recommendations for a group of at least a first and a second viewer, the system comprising:

control circuitry configured to;

compute at least two first individual preference values relative to a first asset, each first individual preference value being associated with the first and second viewers, respectively, of the group of viewers;

compute a first group preference value relative to the first asset as a function of the at least two first individual preference values; and

generate a display representing the at least two first individual preference values and the first group preference value.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the display comprises an indicator, wherein the indicator indicates both the at least two first individual preference values and the first group preference value.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

compute at least two second individual preference values relative to a second asset, each second individual preference value being associated with the first and second viewers, respectively, of the group of viewers; and

compute a second group preference value relative to the second asset as a function of the at least two second individual preference values;

wherein the display further represents the at least two second individual preference values and the second group preference value.

36. The system of claim 33 where in the function is a sum.

37. The system of claim 33 wherein each of the at least two first individual preference values is a vector individual preference value and the function comprises a sum of the at least two first individual preference values.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the sum is a vector sum.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein each vector individual preference for a viewer comprises a set of magnitudes, each magnitude corresponding to a difference between a characteristic value setting associated with the viewer and a characteristic value associated with the first asset.

40. The system of claim 33 wherein the display includes a title of the first asset.

41. The system of claim 33 further comprising:

a display that displays an equalizer for at least the first viewer, the equalizer displaying an initial asset characteristic value setting representing an initial preference relative to the asset characteristic for the first viewer; and

an input device for receiving a user input modifying the initial asset characteristic value setting of the equalizer to create a new asset characteristic value setting representing the first viewer'"'"'s new preference relative to the asset characteristic.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the asset characteristic is a genre, a theme, a duration, a title, a rating, a language, a parental control, or subject matter.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to store the new asset characteristic value setting in a preference profile for the first viewer.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the first individual preference value associated with the first viewer is computed based on the stored new asset characteristic value setting in the preference profile for the first viewer.

45. The system of claim 41 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

search a plurality of preference profiles to identify at least two preference profiles having one or more similar asset characteristic values; and

provide a recommendation to form a group that includes the identified at least two preference profiles.

46. The system of claim 45 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide an indication to the user identifying at least one asset that is relevant to the group.

47. The system of claim 33 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to combine a plurality of preference profiles to form at least two subject matter specific groups, each subject matter specific group including at least two of the plurality of preference profiles, wherein:

a first plurality of assets having a first subject matter are identified as relevant to a first of the at least two subject matter specific groups, and

a second plurality of assets having a second subject matter different from the first subject matter are identified as relevant to a second of the at least two subject matter specific groups.

48. The system of claim 33 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

monitor viewing behavior of the first viewer to determine the first viewer'"'"'s preference relative to an asset characteristic; and

compute the first viewer'"'"'s individual preference value relative to an asset based on the first viewer'"'"'s monitored viewing behavior.

49. The system of claim 33 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

retrieve the first viewer'"'"'s local preferences relative to a first asset characteristic from a first memory of a first user equipment device; and

receive the first viewer'"'"'s remote preferences relative to the first asset characteristic from an external source;

wherein the first viewer'"'"'s first individual preference values are computed based on the local and remote viewer preferences relative to the first asset.

50. The system of claim 49 wherein the external source is an Internet source or a second memory of a second user equipment device.

51. The system of claim 33, wherein the display comprises a best compromise identifier, the identifier identifying an asset from a list of assets that features a most balanced appeal to all viewers in the group.

52. The system of claim 33 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

provide a weight adjustment for each viewer such that the weight adjustment indicates priority when computing the first individual preference values; and

modify the computed preference values for viewers as a function of the weight adjustments.

53. The system of claim 33 wherein the display comprises a bar having a length, wherein the length represents the first group preference value, and wherein portions of the bar comprise varying lengths that represent each viewer'"'"'s respective first individual preference value.

54. The system of claim 53 wherein the portions are contiguous and are differentiated from each other in at least color.

55. The system of claim 33 wherein the display includes a numerical value that represents the first group preference value and a viewer identifier that identifies each viewer represented by the first group preference value.

56. The system of claim 55 wherein the viewer identifier comprises an image or video unique to the particular viewer.

57. The system of claim 55 wherein the viewer identifier comprises an emoticon that indicates an emotion for the viewer relative to the first asset.

58. The system of claim 33 wherein the display comprises a suggest option that identifies one of a plurality of assets that corresponds to a group preference value having the largest value.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the display comprises a bar having a length, wherein the length represents the first group preference value, and wherein the suggest option identifies the asset having a bar with the longest length.

60. The system of claim 33 further comprising a remove option that excludes from the first group preference value computation at least one of the at least two first individual preference values and adjusts the display to reflect a new group preference value computation.

61. The system of claim 33 wherein the display comprises an alert indicator that indicates that the first asset includes an asset characteristic that exceeds a particular viewer'"'"'s preference range for that asset characteristic.

62. The system of claim 61 wherein the asset characteristic indicated by the alert indicator is a parental control setting, subject matter, a language, or a rating.

63. The system of claim 33 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

search for a plurality of assets that are relevant to the group by computing group preference values for each of the plurality of assets;

determine whether a first minimum preference level is provided for one of the at least first and second viewers in the group;

identify at least one of the plurality of assets that is relevant to the group and fails to meet the first minimum preference level.

64. The system of claim 63 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

rank the relevance of each of the plurality of assets to the group, wherein the rank of the at least one of the plurality of assets that fails to meet the first minimum preference level is reduced; and

display on a display some of the plurality of assets in accordance with the rank of the plurality of assets.

65-96. -96. (canceled)

97. A method for suggesting groups of viewers for an entertainment system, the method comprising:

searching a plurality of preference profiles each associated with one of a plurality of viewers of the entertainment system to identify at least two preference profiles having two or more asset characteristic values that are within a similarity threshold of each other; and

providing a recommendation to form a group of viewers that includes the viewers associated with the identified at least two preference profiles.

98. A system for suggesting groups of viewers for an entertainment system, the system comprising:

control circuitry configured to;

search a plurality of preference profiles each associated with one of a plurality of viewers of the entertainment system to identify at least two preference profiles having two or more asset characteristic values that are within a similarity threshold of each other; and

provide a recommendation to form a group of viewers that includes the viewers associated with the identified at least two preference profiles.

99. (canceled)