METHOD OF PROVIDING TELEVISION PROGRAM INFORMATION

• US 20100293572A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Raesig, Tassilo Volker, Simoes Rodrigues, Jose Alexandre
• Application Number:
  US12/771,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20100293572A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• 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 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for providing television program information, comprising: determining a device profile of an receiver, transmitting the device profile to a server, determining a user profile of a user of the receiver, determining, at the server, the television program information based on the user profile and on the device profile.

Claims

1. A method of providing television program information, comprising:

determining a device profile of a receiver;

transmitting the device profile to a server;

determining a user profile of a user of the receiver;

determining, at the server, the television program information based on the device profile and on the user profile.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device profile is based on a hardware component of the receiver.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the device profile is determined based on a technical parameter of the hardware component.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the technical parameter is a data processing rate, an access rate and/or a size of the hardware component.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the hardware component is a storage for storing the television program information.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the hardware component is a buffer for communicating with the server.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the hardware component is a display for displaying the television program information.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein the hardware component is a data processor.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device profile depends on a capacity of a connection between the receiver and the server.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the device profile is determined based on a bandwidth of the communication connection.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device profile depends on a type of the receiver.

12. A television receiver, comprising:

a tuner adapted to receive a television channel broadcast and/or video on demand programs;

a communication unit adapted to communicate with a server;

a data processor adapted to determine a device profile of the television receiver and adapted to determine navigation information of a user using the television receiver;

wherein the communication unit is adapted to transmit the device profile and the navigation information to the server, and further adapted to receive television program information from the server, wherein the television program information is dependent on the device profile and on the navigation information.

13. A server, comprising:

a communication unit adapted to receive a device profile and navigation information from a television receiver;

a determining unit adapted to determine, based on the device profile and the navigation information, television program information to be transmitted to the television receiver.

14. A system, comprising:

a television receiver including a tuner adapted to receive a television channel broadcast and/or video on demand programs;

a communication unit adapted to communicate with a server;

a data processor adapted to determine a device profile of the television receiver and adapted to determine navigation information of a user using the television receiver;

wherein the communication unit is adapted to transmit the device profile and the navigation information to the server, and further adapted to receive television program information from the server, wherein the television program information is dependent on the device profile and on the navigation information;

a server including a communication unit adapted to receive a device profile and navigation information from a television receiver;

a determining unit adapted to determine, based on the device profile and the navigation information, television program information to be transmitted to the television receiver.

15. A computer program product including program instructions adapted to cause a computer to execute a method of providing television program information, comprising:

determining a device profile of a receiver;

transmitting the device profile to a server;

determining a user profile of a user of the receiver;

determining, at the server, the television program information based on the device profile and on the user profile.