PROMOTIONAL PHILOSOPHY FOR A VIDEO-ON-DEMAND-RELATED INTERACTIVE DISPLAY WITHIN AN INTERACTIVE TELEVISION APPLICATION

• US 20100131976A1
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Lumley, Daniel I., Drummond, Bryan Mitchell, McCoy, Robert H., DeWeese, Toby
• Granted Patent: US 8,931,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• 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 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing an interactive display having indicators of video-on-demand programs are described. The systems and methods select indicators for inclusion in the interactive display according to a promotional selection algorithm.

Claims

1. A method for providing video-on-demand program listings in an interactive display according to promotional selection algorithms, wherein the promotional selection algorithms are configured to provide video-on-demand program listings selection criteria upon the fulfillment of one or more conditional attributes, the method comprising:

receiving video-on-demand program listings, data that define a first promotional selection algorithm, and data that define a second promotional selection algorithm with a communications device, wherein the first promotional selection algorithm is different from the second promotional selection algorithm;

detecting situational data;

applying, with an indicator selector, the detected situational data to the first promotional selection algorithm to produce a first video-on-demand program listings selection criteria and to the second promotional selection algorithm to produce a second video-on-demand program listings selection criteria;

selecting a first set of the video-on-demand program listings according to the first video-on-demand program listings selection criteria and a second set of the video-on-demand program listings according to the second video-on-demand program listings selection criteria; and

generating an interactive display that presents the selected video-on-demand program listings.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the interactive display is a browse display that provides a user with an opportunity to browse through the selected video-on-demand program listings.

3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the interactive display is a video-on-demand program listings display that provides a user with an opportunity to navigate within the selected video-on-demand program listings.

4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the interactive display is a screening room that provides a user with an opportunity to preview a video-on-demand program associated with a given one of the selected video-on-demand program listings.

6. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising providing the video-on-demand program listings.

7. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the detected situational data comprises a user preference profile.

8. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:

generating a selection log that includes a list of the selected video-on-demand program listings;

generating a first database that includes data defining desirable selections of video-on-demand listings;

generating a second database that includes data defining undesirable selections of video-on-demand listings; and

updating the promotional selection algorithm based on the selection log, the first database and the second database.

25. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising selecting one or more advertisements for inclusion in the interactive display, wherein the one or more selected advertisements promote programs other than those associated with the selected video-on-demand program listings.

5. (canceled)

9. A system in which video-on-demand program listings are provided in an interactive display according to promotional selection algorithms, wherein the promotional selection algorithms are configured to provide video-on-demand program listings selection criteria upon the fulfillment of one or more conditional attributes, the system comprising:

means for receiving video-on-demand program listings, data that define a first promotional selection algorithm, and data that define a second promotional selection algorithm, wherein the first promotional selection algorithm is different from the second promotional selection algorithm;

means for detecting situational data;

means for applying the detected situational data to the first promotional selection algorithm to produce a first video-on-demand program listings selection criteria and to the second promotional selection algorithm to produce a second video-on-demand program listings selection criteria;

means for selecting a first set of the video-on-demand program listings according to the first video-on-demand program listings selection criteria and a second set of the video-on-demand program listings according to the second video-on-demand program listings selection criteria; and

means for generating an interactive display that presents the selected video-on-demand program listings.

10. The system defined in claim 9 wherein the interactive display is a browse display that provides a user with an opportunity to browse through the selected video-on-demand program listings.

11. The system defined in claim 9 wherein the interactive display is a video-on-demand program listings display that provides a user with an opportunity to navigate within the selected video-on-demand program listings.

12. The system defined in claim 9 wherein the interactive display is a screening room that provides a user with an opportunity to preview a video-on-demand program associated with a given one of the selected video-on-demand program listings.

14. The system defined in claim 9 further comprising means for providing the video-on-demand program listings.

15. The system defined in claim 9 wherein the detected situational data comprises a user preference profile.

16. The system defined in claim 9 further comprising:

means for generating a selection log that includes a list of the selected video-on-demand program listings;

means for generating a first database that includes data defining desirable selections of video-on-demand listings;

means for generating a second database that includes data defining undesirable selections of video-on-demand listings; and

means for updating the promotional selection algorithm based on the selection log, the first database and the second database.

26. The system defined in claim 9 further comprising means for selecting one or more advertisements for inclusion in the interactive display, wherein the one or more selected advertisements promote programs other than those associated with the selected video-on-demand program listings.

13. (canceled)

17. A system in which video-on-demand program listings are provided in an interactive display according to promotional selection algorithms, wherein the promotional selection algorithms are configured to provide video-on-demand program listings selection criteria upon the fulfillment of one or more conditional attributes, the system comprising:

a communications device configured to receive video-on-demand program listings, data that define a first promotional selection algorithm, and data that define a second promotional selection algorithm, wherein the first promotional selection algorithm is different from the second promotional selection algorithm;

an indicator selector configured to detect situational data, apply the detected situational data to the first promotional selection algorithm to produce a first video-on-demand program listings selection criteria, apply the detected situational data to the second promotional selection algorithm to produce a second video-on-demand program listings selection criteria, select a first set of the video-on-demand program listings according to the first video-on-demand program listings selection criteria, and select a second set of the video-on-demand program listings according to the second video-on-demand program listings selection criteria; and

an interactive application configured to generate an interactive display that presents the selected video-on-demand program listings.

18. The system defined in claim 17 wherein the interactive display is a browse display that provides a user with an opportunity to browse through the selected video-on-demand program listings.

19. The system defined in claim 17 wherein the interactive display is a video-on-demand program listings display that provides a user with an opportunity to navigate within the selected video-on-demand program listings.

20. The system defined in claim 17 wherein the interactive display is a screening room that provides a user with an opportunity to preview a video-on-demand program associated with a given one of the selected video-on-demand program listings.

22. The system defined in claim 17 further comprising a data source configured to provide the video-on-demand program listings.

23. The system defined in claim 17 wherein the detected situational data comprises a user preference profile.

24. The system defined in claim 17 further comprising:

a log generator configured to generate a selection log that includes a list of the selected video-on-demand program listings; and

a log analyzer configured to;

generate a first database that includes data defining desirable selections of video-on-demand listings;

generate a second database that includes data defining undesirable selections of video-on-demand listings; and

receive the selection log and update the promotional selection algorithm based on the selection log, the first database and the second database.

27. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the indicator selector selects one or more advertisements for inclusion in the interactive display, and wherein the one or more selected advertisements promote programs other than those associated with the selected video-on-demand program listings.

21. (canceled)