Determining User Interest Through Detected Physical Indicia

• US 20140026156A1
• Filed: 07/18/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Deephanphongs, David
• Application Number:
  US13/552,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20140026156A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/251 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• 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

Abstract

In accordance with some implementations, a method for determining viewer interest is disclosed. The method is performed on a client system having one or more processors, a camera, and memory storing programs for execution. The electronic device captures analyzes captured visual data to detect physical indicia of interest associated with a user of the client system. The electronic device then determines a level of interest of the user with respect to media content being displayed in the proximity of the users based on the detected physical indicia of interest. The electronic device then sends the determined level of interest to a server system; the server system including an interest profile for the user of the client system. The electronic device then receives, from the server system, recommendations for additional media content for the user based, at least in part on, the determined level of interest.

Claims

1. A method for determining viewer interest, comprising:

on a client system having one or more processors, a camera, and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

capturing visual data of a user of the client system with the camera;

analyzing the captured visual data to detect physical indicia of interest associated with a user of the client system;

based on the detected physical indicia of interest, determining a level of interest of the user with respect to media content being displayed in proximity to the user;

generating an interest score based on the determined level of interest, wherein the interest score represents the level of interest the user has in the media content being displayed in proximity to the user;

sending the interest score to a server system;

the server system including an interest profile for the user of the client system; and

receiving, from the server system, recommendations for additional media content for the user based, at least in part, on the interest score.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting physical indicia of interest includes:

determining a first gaze point for a first eye relative to a display;

determining a second gaze point for a second eye relative to a display; and

measuring the distance between the first gaze point and the second gaze point.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting physical indicia of interest further includes:

determining a focus area of the user based on the position of the first gaze point, the second gaze point, and the distance between them.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting physical indicia of interest includes:

determining an orientation of the user'"'"'s head;

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

receiving, from the server system, a list of events associated with the media being displayed in proximity to the user of the client system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting physical indicia of interest further includes:

detecting a user'"'"'s physical response to the list of events received from the user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the list of events includes audio events and visual events.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting physical indicia of interest further includes:

receiving a stream of media content for display in proximity to the user of a client system;

analyzing the stream of media content to determine a plurality of objects currently being displayed, each object in the plurality of objects having an associated location;

determining, at a first time, an first object intersecting with the focus area,

determining, at a second time, a second object intersecting with the focus area; and

determining whether the focus area intersects the same object at both the first time and the second time.

9. An electronic device for determining viewer interest, comprising:

one or more processors;

a camera,

memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors;

the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

capturing visual data of a user of the client system with a camera;

analyzing the captured visual data to detect physical indicia of interest associated with a user of the client system;

based on the detected physical indicia of interest, determining a level of interest of the user with respect to media content being displayed in proximity to the user;

generating an interest score based on the determined level of interest, wherein the interest score represents the level of interest the user has in the media content being displayed in proximity to the user;

sending the interest score to a server system;

the server system including an interest profile for the user of the client system; and

receiving, from the server system, recommendations for additional media content for the user based, at least in part, on the interest score.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the instructions for detecting physical indicia of interest further include instructions for:

determining a first gaze point for a first eye relative to a display;

determining a second gaze point for a second eye relative to a display; and

measuring the distance between the first gaze point and the second gaze point.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the instructions for detecting physical indicia of interest further include instructions for:

determining a focus area of the user based on the position of the first gaze point, the second gaze point, and the distance between them.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, further including instructions for:

receiving, from the server system, a list of events associated with the media being displayed in proximity to the user of the client system.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the instructions for detecting physical indicia of interest further include instructions for:

detecting a user'"'"'s physical response to the list of events received from the user.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the instructions for detecting physical indicia of interest further include instructions for:

receiving a stream of media content for display in proximity to the user of a client system;

analyzing the stream of media content to determine a plurality of objects currently being displayed, each object in the plurality of objects having an associated location;

determining, at a first time, an first object intersecting with the focus area,

determining, at a second time, a second object intersecting with the focus area; and

determining whether the focus area intersects the same object at both the first time and the second time.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by an electronic device with a camera, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

capturing visual data of a user of the client system;

analyzing the captured visual data to detect physical indicia of interest associated with a user of the client system;

based on the detected physical indicia of interest, determining a level of interest of the user with respect to media content being displayed in proximity to the user;

generating an interest score based on the determined level of interest, wherein the interest score represents the level of interest the user has in the media content being displayed in proximity to the user;

sending the interest score to a server system;

the server system including an interest profile for the user of the client system; and

receiving, from the server system, recommendations for additional media content for the user based, at least in part, on the interest score.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions for detecting physical indicia of interest further include instructions for:

determining a first gaze point for a first eye relative to a display;

determining a second gaze point for a second eye relative to a display; and

measuring the distance between the first gaze point and the second gaze point.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions for detecting physical indicia of interest further include instructions for:

determining a focus area of the user based on the position of the first gaze point, the second gaze point, and the distance between them.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 further including instructions for:

receiving, from the server system, a list of events associated with the media being displayed in proximity to the user of the client system.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for detecting physical indicia of interest further include instructions for:

detecting a user'"'"'s physical response to the list of events received from the user.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions for detecting physical indicia of interest further include instructions for:

receiving a stream of media content for display in proximity to the user of a client system;

analyzing the stream of media content to determine a plurality of objects currently being displayed, each object in the plurality of objects having an associated set of coordinates;

determining, at a first time, a first object intersecting with the focus area,

determining, at a second time, a second object intersecting with the focus area; and

determining whether the first object intersecting with the focus area at the first time is the same as the second object intersecting with the focus at the second time.