METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING USAGE INFORMATION FOR A SET-TOP BOX

• US 20100058375A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Emerson, David, LaFreniere, Gary W., Goergen, Michael, Rondeau, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,627,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices

Abstract

A method and system for providing usage information for a set-top box is disclosed. An embodiment is disclosed that receives a request for usage information for a set-top box and the usage information has media content received by the set-top box, queries a database with a query based upon the request and the request has criteria for usage information, and sends a query result for the query.

Claims

1. A method for providing usage information for a set-top box, comprising:

receiving a request for usage information for a set-top box, the usage information comprises media content received by the set-top box;

querying a database with a query based upon the request, the request comprising criteria for usage information; and

sending a query result for the query.

2. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a change of media content received at the set-top box; and

storing usage information on the change in the database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the usage information comprises media content selected for display at the set-top box.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the query is written in a database query language.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the criteria comprises a value for a column in a database.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing the query result to a portal client.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving security information at a web portal, the security information comprises identification information for a user assigned to a set-top box; and

servicing the request in response to successful entry of security information.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing usage information for a first user of the set-top box in a first user profile in the database; and

storing usage information for a second user of the set-top box in a second user profile in the database.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a pattern in usage information for the set-top box; and

sending information on the pattern with the query result.

10. A method for providing usage information for a set-top box, comprising:

creating a request for usage information for a set-top box, the request comprising criteria for usage information;

sending the request for usage information for the set-top box, the usage information comprises media content received by the set-top box; and

receiving a query result based upon the request, the query result comprising results from querying a database.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the criteria comprises a value for a column in a database.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving usage information on a change of media content received at the set-top box.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the usage information comprises media content selected for display at the set-top box.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending security information from a web portal, the security information comprises identification information for a user assigned to a set-top box; and

receiving access to an interface to create the request in response to successful entry of security information.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving information on a pattern in usage information for the set-top box.

16. A system for providing usage information for a set-top box, comprising:

a processor operable to execute a set of instructions; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium operable to store a set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions are configured to;

receive a request for usage information for a set-top box, the usage information comprises media content received by the set-top box;

query a database with a query based upon the request, the request comprising criteria for usage information; and

send a query result for the query.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting a change of media content received at the set-top box; and

storing usage information on the change in the database.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving usage information for a user of the set-top box in a user profile in the database.

19. A system for providing usage information for a set-top box, comprising:

a processor operable to execute a set of instructions; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium operable to store a set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions are configured to;

create a request for usage information for a set-top box, the request comprising criteria for usage information;

send the request for usage information for the set-top box, the usage information comprises media content received by the set-top box; and

receive a query result based upon the request, the query result comprising results from querying a database.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the usage information comprises media content selected for display at the set-top box.