MEDIA CONTROL SYSTEM WITH VIEWER REWARDS

• US 20100251281A1
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GuideWorks, LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Craner, Michael L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,863,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• 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 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods for viewing media content are provided. A set of media content with at least one feedback application is created. In response to the set creation and activation, media content may be tuned and launched automatically while other programming is restricted. User input associated with feedback applications may be received and media content rewards may be awarded.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the presentation of media content on user equipment comprising:

receiving data indicative of a list of media content, wherein the list of media content includes at least one feedback application that requires user input;

presenting the list of media content at a pre-programmed time;

receiving user input in response to presenting the at least one feedback application; and

determining, based on the received user input, whether the at least one feedback application was completed successfully.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the receiving user input in response to presenting the at least one feedback application occurs during at least a portion of the presenting the list of media content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-programmed time is a dynamic function of actions external to or internal to the user equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising reporting, to a remote user, the result of the determining from the received user input whether the at least one feedback application was completed successfully.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

terminating the presentation of the list of media content and restricting access to substantially all media content in response to determining that the at least one feedback application was not completed successfully.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

re-presenting the at least one feedback application to the user in response to determining that the at least one feedback application was not completed successfully.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a remote instruction from an authorized user after determining whether the at least one feedback application was completed successfully.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the remote instruction is an instruction to re-present the at least one feedback application to the user.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the remote instruction is an instruction to restart the list of media content.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

awarding the user with a media privilege in response to determining that the at least one feedback application was completed successfully.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the media privilege is selected from the group consisting of a VOD access quota, a PPV access quota, a storage device storage quota, a storage device access quota, and an unrestricted viewing quota.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the media privilege is portable to a remote set of user equipment.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of media content includes at least two feedback applications.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of media content includes a plurality of media content items, and the at least one feedback application is one of the plurality of media content items.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the at least one feedback application comprises displaying a prompt by the at least one feedback application requiring input from the user.

13. An apparatus for presenting media content on user equipment comprising:

memory for storing a list of media content;

an input device for receiving user input; and

control circuitry for presenting the list of media content, wherein the control circuitry is configured to;

receive data indicative of the list of media content, wherein the list of media content includes at least one feedback application that requires user input;

present the list of media content at a pre-programmed time;

receive user input from the input device in response to presenting the at least one feedback application; and

determine, based on the received user input, whether the at least one feedback application was completed successfully.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive at least a portion of the user input from the input device in response to presenting the at least one feedback application during at least a portion of the presentation of the list of media content.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the pre-programmed time is a dynamic function of actions external to or internal to the user equipment.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to report, to a remote user, the result of the determination from the received user input whether the at least one feedback application was completed successfully.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

terminate the presentation of the list of media content and restrict access to substantially all media content in response to determining that the at least one feedback application was not completed successfully.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

re-present the at least one feedback application to the user in response to determining that the at least one feedback application was not completed successfully.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a remote instruction from an authorized user after determining whether the at least one feedback application was completed successfully.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the remote instruction is an instruction to re-present the feedback application to the user.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the remote instruction is an instruction to restart the list of media content.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

award the user with a media privilege in response to determining that the feedback application was completed successfully.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the media privilege is selected from the group consisting of a VOD access quota, a PPV access quota, a storage device storage quota, a storage device access quota, and an unrestricted viewing quota.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the media privilege is portable to a remote set of user equipment.

25. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the media content is selected from the group consisting of recorded programs, broadcast programs, television series, VOD programs, PPV programs, Internet chatrooms, Internet newsgroups, Internet websites, interactive applications, and interactive games.

26. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the at least one feedback application is selected from the group consisting of Internet websites, interactive applications, interactive games, interactive quizzes, interactive educational courses, and interactive monitoring applications.