Content Recommendations

• US 20110138423A1
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thompson, Catherine Elizabeth, Patil, Anant, Pickelsimer, Lisa A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,973,049 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score

Abstract

Content recommendations may be provided. First, in response to a received input and concurrent with a shrunken programming content, a media guide may be displayed. The media guide may comprise a first card, a second card, and a third card. The first card may comprise a plurality of recommendation types. The second card may comprise a plurality of subcategories corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of recommendation types. The third card may comprise a plurality of content program names corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of subcategories. The plurality of content program names may be in an order. Next, in response to a selection of a one of the plurality of content program names, an action card maybe displayed. Then a selected one of the plurality of actions may be executed.

Claims

1. A method for providing content recommendations, the method comprising:

receiving a first input;

displaying a main menu in response to the received first input;

receiving a second input corresponding to a content recommendations element from the main menu;

shrinking, in response to the received second input, a currently displayed programming content;

displaying the shrunken programming content; and

displaying, in response to the received second input and concurrent with the shrunken programming content, a media guide comprising;

a first card comprising a plurality of recommendation types,

a second card comprising a plurality of subcategories corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of recommendation types, and

a third card comprising a plurality of content program names corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of subcategories;

displaying, in response to a selection of one of the plurality of content program names from the third card, an action card in the media guide in place of one of the following;

the first card, the second card, and the third card, the action card comprising a plurality of actions corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of content program names; and

executing a selected one of the plurality of actions.

2. The method of claim 1, where displaying the media guide comprising the first card comprising the plurality of recommendation types comprises displaying the media guide comprising the first card comprising the plurality of recommendation types comprising “

picks for me,”

“

community picks,”

“

critics picks,”

“

picks for kids,” and

“

sponsor picks.”

3. The method of claim 1, where displaying the media guide comprising the second card comprising the plurality of subcategories comprises displaying the media guide comprising the second card comprising the plurality of subcategories comprising a plurality of options comprising the following:

currently airing, all programs, highest rated, most watched, different critics enterprises, children'"'"'s age ranges, different sponsor enterprises, and content genres.

4. The method of claim 1, where displaying the media guide comprising the second card comprising the plurality of subcategories comprises displaying the media guide comprising the second card comprising the plurality of subcategories comprising “

all programs” and

“

currently airing.”

5. The method of claim 1, where displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions comprises displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions comprising “

watch now,”

“

record,”

“

program info,”

“

browse related,”

“

rate &

feedback,”

“

set reminder,” and

“

send to.”

6. The method of claim 1, where displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions comprises displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card.

7. The method of claim 1, where displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions comprises displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card, the program type comprising one of the following:

linear, on demand, and recorded on a user'"'"'s digital video recorder.

8. The method of claim 1, where displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions comprises displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card and the plurality of actions are placed in an order of relevance based on the program type.

9. The method of claim 1, where displaying the media guide comprises displaying the second card to the right of the first card and placing the third card to the right of the second card.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the selection of a browse posters button, displaying a plurality of posters in a poster view, the plurality of posters corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of content program names.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the selection of a browse videos button, displaying a plurality of videos in a video view, the plurality of videos corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of content program names.

12. The method of claim 1, where displaying the third card comprising the plurality of content program names comprises displaying the plurality of content program names in one of the following orders:

most highly recommended, highest rated, most watched, alphabetical, chronological, and vendor specified.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the shrunken programming content concurrently with the media guide comprises displaying the shrunken programming content concurrently with the media guide to fit at least the width of a high-definition television (HDTV) display.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a reset input; and

resetting, in response to the reset input, a recommendation process configured to cause a recommendation engine to re-analyze with fresh information corresponding to the user.

15. A computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for providing content recommendations, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

displaying, in response to a received second input and concurrent with a shrunken programming content, a media guide comprising;

a first card comprising a plurality of recommendation types,

a second card comprising a plurality of subcategories corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of recommendation types, and

a third card comprising a plurality of content program names corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of subcategories, the plurality of content program names being in an order; and

displaying, in response to a selection of a one of the plurality of content program names from the third card, an action card in the media guide in place of one of the following;

the first card, the second card, and the third card, the action card comprising a plurality of actions corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of content program names.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a first input prior to receiving the second input;

displaying a main menu in response to the received first input;

receiving the second input corresponding to a content recommendations element from the main menu;

shrinking, in response to the received second input, a currently displayed programming content; and

displaying the shrunken programming content.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions comprises displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions comprises displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card, the program type comprising one of the following:

linear, on demand, and recorded on a user'"'"'s digital video recorder.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions comprises displaying the action card comprising the plurality of actions wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card and the plurality of actions are placed in an order of relevance based on the program type.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where displaying the media guide comprises displaying the second card to the right of the first card and placing the third card to the right of the second card.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising, in response to the selection of a browse posters button, displaying a plurality of posters in a poster view, the plurality of posters corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of content program names.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising receiving feedback corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein displaying the media guide comprising the third card comprising the plurality of content program names comprises the plurality of content program names being personal recommendations.

24. A system for providing content recommendations, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

receive a first input;

display a main menu in response to the received first input;

receive a second input corresponding to a personalized recommendations element from the main menu;

shrink, in response to the received second input, a currently displayed programming content;

display the shrunken programming content;

display, in response to the received second input and concurrent with the shrunken programming content, a media guide comprising;

a first card comprising a plurality of recommendation types,

a second card comprising a plurality of subcategories corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of recommendation types, and

a third card comprising a plurality of content program names corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of subcategories the plurality of content program names being in an order;

display, in response to a selection of a one of the plurality of content program names from the third card, an action card in the media guide in place of one of the following;

the first card, the second card, and the third card, the action card comprising a plurality of actions corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of content program names, the plurality of actions being a function of a program type corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card; and

execute a selected one of the plurality of actions.