RECOMMENDATION ENGINE APPARATUS AND METHODS
First Claim
1. For use in a content based network, recommendation apparatus comprising:
- a storage device, said storage device adapted to;
store a plurality of information regarding a plurality of content; and
store a plurality of user profiles; and
a digital processor in data communication with said storage device and adapted to run a computer program thereon, said computer program adapted to;
compare said information regarding a plurality of content to individual ones of said plurality of user profiles; and
based at least in part on said comparison, produce at least one list of content, said content bearing a relationship to at least one of said plurality of user profiles; and
an interface in data communication with said network and said processor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Recommendation engine apparatus and associated methods provide content compiled from various sources and selected to match user preferences. In one embodiment, the recommendation apparatus comprises a headend entity; in another, it is co-located on a user'"'"'s CPE. In one embodiment, the recommendation engine creates content records from content metadata for comparison to a user profile. The user profile is pre-programmed; however has the ability to dynamically shift toward a user'"'"'s preferences as the user takes actions regarding content. Client applications are utilized to compile and present content; feedback mechanisms are utilized to enable “learning” from user activities to generate more precise recommendations as well as to “unlearn” stale preferences. Recommended content is displayed in the form of a playlist, or as a continuous stream on a virtual channel, or presented in an electronic program guide. A business rules “engine” useful in implementing operational or business goals is also disclosed.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. For use in a content based network, recommendation apparatus comprising:
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a storage device, said storage device adapted to; store a plurality of information regarding a plurality of content; and store a plurality of user profiles; and a digital processor in data communication with said storage device and adapted to run a computer program thereon, said computer program adapted to; compare said information regarding a plurality of content to individual ones of said plurality of user profiles; and based at least in part on said comparison, produce at least one list of content, said content bearing a relationship to at least one of said plurality of user profiles; and an interface in data communication with said network and said processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Computer readable apparatus comprising media adapted to contain a computer program having a plurality of instructions, said plurality of instructions which, when executed:
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examine metadata associated with a plurality of content; generate a content record for each of said plurality of content examined based at least in part on said metadata; compare individual ones of said content records to individual ones of a plurality of user profiles associated with individual ones of a plurality of client devices; compile at least one list, said list comprising information regarding individual ones of said plurality of content having a threshold similarity to at least one of said plurality of user profiles, and information for identification and retrieval of each of said content in said list; and transmit said list for display by at least one of said plurality of client devices. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of recommending content targeted to a particular user in a content based network, said method comprising:
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generating a plurality of content records regarding a plurality of content; comparing individual ones of said plurality of content records to at least one user profile; storing information regarding individual ones of said plurality of content records which bear a substantial relation to said user profile; and displaying said information regarding said individual ones of said plurality of content records. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A user action tracking apparatus, said user action tracking apparatus adapted for data communication with at least a computer program adapted to recommend content to a user, said user action tracking apparatus comprising:
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an interface for receiving user action data from a content-based network; a storage apparatus adapted to store a plurality of records regarding user actions, each record relating at least one action of a user to an individual content element; and a digital processor adapted to run a computer program thereon, said computer program adapted to; generate said plurality of records regarding user actions from said user action data; utilize said plurality of records to generate a first training record; and update said first training record for subsequent ones of said user action data received. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of identifying content targeted to a user based on one or more actions of said user, said method comprising:
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maintaining a user profile expressed using a vector; generating a plurality of content records based, at least in part, on metadata regarding a plurality of content, said content records expressed as vectors, wherein said user profile vector and said content records vectors have identical numbers of columns and rows as the other; providing access to said plurality of content to said user; storing a record of at least one action taken by said user with respect to an individual one of said plurality of content; generating a weighted content record of said content acted upon by said user; utilizing said weighted content record at least in part to generate an updated user profile; calculating a product of individual ones of said content records to said user profile to produce a scalar quantity; and identifying individual ones of said plurality of content having a prescribed relation to said updated user profile based at least in part on said scalar quantity. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. Computer readable apparatus comprising media adapted to contain a computer program having a plurality of instructions, said plurality of instructions which, when executed:
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maintain at least one user profile; generate a plurality of content records at least in part by utilizing metadata relating to a plurality of content; provide access to said plurality of content to a user; store a record of at least one act taken by said user with respect to an individual one of said plurality of content; utilize said record of at least one act taken by said user, at least in part, to generate an updated user profile; and compare said updated user profile to individual ones of said content records of said plurality of content to identify individual ones of said plurality of content having an prescribed level of relatedness to said user profile. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification