PERSONALIZED BEST CHANNEL SELECTION DEVICE AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A method for recommending video programming to a user watching a television comprising:
- a) identifying the user watching the television;
b) identifying currently viewed programming being watched by the user;
c) storing the identified programming along with a user identity associated with the user in a computerized database;
d) receiving a first input from the user indicating a desire to watch a highest-ranked video program, wherein the first input requires only a single action of the user;
e) identifying currently available programming for the television;
f) using a plurality of entries in the database for the user as input into a computerized video recommendation engine;
g) using the recommendation engine to generate a ranked list of recommended video programs for the user selected from the identified currently available programming; and
h) setting the television to display the highest-ranked video program on the ranked list of recommended video programs, wherein no additional action is required by the user beyond the single action of the user before the television displays the highest ranked program.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device and method is presented that analyzes a user'"'"'s television viewing behavior and, in response to a single action by the user, immediately presents the next highest ranked video content for that user on the television display. One embodiment provides a single button on a remote control that initiates this method. The ranked video content is based upon user identification and monitoring past user interaction with the television. Programming viewed by a user is compared against currently available programming to create a ranked list of recommended programming for the user. The preferred embodiment monitors and suggests programming that is provided on multichannel video programming such as over-the-air, cable, and satellite television programming, as well as material that is available for streaming over the Internet.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for recommending video programming to a user watching a television comprising:
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a) identifying the user watching the television; b) identifying currently viewed programming being watched by the user; c) storing the identified programming along with a user identity associated with the user in a computerized database; d) receiving a first input from the user indicating a desire to watch a highest-ranked video program, wherein the first input requires only a single action of the user; e) identifying currently available programming for the television; f) using a plurality of entries in the database for the user as input into a computerized video recommendation engine; g) using the recommendation engine to generate a ranked list of recommended video programs for the user selected from the identified currently available programming; and h) setting the television to display the highest-ranked video program on the ranked list of recommended video programs, wherein no additional action is required by the user beyond the single action of the user before the television displays the highest ranked program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus comprising:
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a) a video processor; b) a multichannel video programming input that receives multiple channels from an external programming service; c) an Internet access port for receiving and transmitting data to a video streaming service; d) a processing unit for processing data and instructions; and e) a memory containing programming code instructions for the processing unit, the programming code instructions comprising i) a user identification routine for identifying users of the apparatus, ii) a programming identification routine for identifying programming received over both the Internet access port and the multichannel video programming input, iii) a computerized history database associating identified users with identified programs watched by those users; iv) a history database routine for storing information in the history database about programming identified by the programming identification routine that is being watched by users identified by the user identification routine, v) a currently available program routine for identifying available programming over both the multichannel video programming input and the Internet access port, vi) a video recommendation engine that ranks the available programming in a sorted recommendation list according at least in part to the history database, and vii) a next-highest-ranked programming control routine that outputs programming from the sorted recommendation list through the video processor. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification