TV PLAYLIST

• US 20140282772A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charter Communications Operating LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chen, David, Patel, Vipul, Yu, Jian, Lawrence-Apfelbaum, Marc, Chen, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,706,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/97
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739

Abstract

A playlist server application is provided on a server at a first network node. A playlist local application is provided for a remote device. An indication of a change to a playlist on one of the server and the remote device is obtained from a corresponding one of the playlist server application and the playlist local application. The change is synchronized to another one of the server and the remote device.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

providing a playlist server application on a server at a first network node;

providing a playlist local application for a remote device;

obtaining an indication of a change to a playlist on one of said server and said remote device from a corresponding one of said playlist server application and said playlist local application; and

synchronizing said change to another one of said server and said remote device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising constructing said playlist by designating at least one content item from each of:

a multi-service operator system; and

a location outside said multi-service operator system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, in said constructing step:

said at least one content item from said multi-service operator system is obtained from at least one of;

a video-on-demand server;

a live broadcast channel;

a local digital video reorder; and

a network digital video recorder; and

said at least one content item from said location outside said multi-service operator system is obtained from at least one of;

a live internet protocol television channel;

a desktop computing device having an internet protocol network connection;

a portable computing device having an internet protocol network connection; and

a video-sharing web site accessible over an internet protocol network connection.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, in said constructing step:

said at least one content item from said multi-service operator system comprises;

at least one content item obtained from a video-on-demand server;

at least one content item obtained from a live broadcast channel;

at least one content item obtained from a local digital video reorder; and

at least one content item obtained from a network digital video recorder; and

said at least one content item from said location outside said multi-service operator system is obtained from at least one of;

at least one content item obtained from a live internet protocol television channel;

at least one content item obtained from a desktop computing device having an internet protocol network connection;

at least one content item obtained from a portable computing device having an internet protocol network connection; and

at least one content item obtained from a video-sharing web site accessible over an internet protocol network connection.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising playing said playlist including said at least one content item from said multi-service operator system and said at least one content item from said location outside said multi-service operator system at a given device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, in said playing step, said given device comprises said remote device, said remote device being capable of consuming said playlist content.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

obtaining from a user a search query for at least one of a scene and a marker; and

carrying out a search for said at least one of a scene and a marker across all of said content items in said playlist.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said carrying out of said search comprises at least one of text searching in a closed caption, searching in metadata associated with one or more of said content items, and searching via automated content recognition.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said making of said change comprises initial construction of said playlist.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said making of said change comprises editing said playlist, said playlist being pre-existing.

11. A method comprising the steps of:

providing a playlist server application on a server at a first network node; and

constructing a playlist via said playlist server application, said playlist in turn comprising at least one content item from each of;

a multi-service operator system; and

a location outside said multi-service operator system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, in said constructing step:

said at least one content item from said multi-service operator system is obtained from at least one of;

a video-on-demand server;

a live broadcast channel;

a local digital video reorder; and

a network digital video recorder; and

said at least one content item from said location outside said multi-service operator system is obtained from at least one of;

a live internet protocol television channel;

a desktop computing device having an internet protocol network connection;

a portable computing device having an internet protocol network connection; and

a video-sharing web site accessible over an internet protocol network connection.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein, in said constructing step:

said at least one content item from said multi-service operator system comprises;

at least one content item obtained from a video-on-demand server;

at least one content item obtained from a live broadcast channel;

at least one content item obtained from a local digital video reorder; and

at least one content item obtained from a network digital video recorder; and

said at least one content item from said location outside said multi-service operator system is obtained from at least one of;

at least one content item obtained from a live internet protocol television channel;

at least one content item obtained from a desktop computing device having an internet protocol network connection;

at least one content item obtained from a portable computing device having an internet protocol network connection; and

at least one content item obtained from a video-sharing web site accessible over an internet protocol network connection.

14. A server for interfacing with a remote device, said server comprising:

at least one hardware processor;

at least one memory coupled to said at least one hardware processor; and

a playlist server application software module, embodied on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable recordable storage medium;

wherein;

said playlist server application software module, when loaded into said memory, causes said at least one hardware processor to;

obtain an indication of a change to a playlist on one of said server and the remote device; and

synchronize said change to another one of said server and the remote device.

15. The server of claim 14, wherein said playlist server application software module, when loaded into said memory, further causes said at least one hardware processor to construct said playlist by designating at least one content item from each of:

a multi-service operator system; and

a location outside said multi-service operator system.

16. The server of claim 15, wherein said playlist server application software module, when loaded into said memory, further causes said at least one hardware processor to:

obtain said at least one content item from said multi-service operator system from at least one of;

a video-on-demand server;

a live broadcast channel;

a local digital video reorder; and

a network digital video recorder; and

obtain said at least one content item from said location outside said multi-service operator system from at least one of;

a live internet protocol television channel;

a desktop computing device having an internet protocol network connection;

a portable computing device having an internet protocol network connection; and

a video-sharing web site accessible over an internet protocol network connection.

17. The server of claim 15, wherein said playlist server application software module, when loaded into said memory, further causes said at least one hardware processor to:

obtain said at least one content item from said multi-service operator system as;

at least one content item obtained from a video-on-demand server;

at least one content item obtained from a live broadcast channel;

at least one content item obtained from a local digital video reorder; and

at least one content item obtained from a network digital video recorder; and

obtain said at least one content item from said location outside said multi-service operator system as;

at least one content item obtained from a live internet protocol television channel;

at least one content item obtained from a desktop computing device having an internet protocol network connection;

at least one content item obtained from a portable computing device having an internet protocol network connection; and

at least one content item obtained from a video-sharing web site accessible over an internet protocol network connection.

18. An apparatus comprising:

at least one hardware processor;

at least one memory coupled to said at least one hardware processor; and

a playlist application software module, embodied on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable recordable storage medium;

wherein;

said playlist application software module, when loaded into said memory, causes said at least one hardware processor to construct a playlist which comprises at least one content item from each of;

a multi-service operator system; and

a location outside said multi-service operator system.

19. A remote device for interfacing with a server, said remote device comprising:

at least one hardware processor;

at least one memory coupled to said at least one hardware processor; and

a playlist local application software module, embodied on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable recordable storage medium;

wherein;

said playlist local application software module, when loaded into said memory, causes said at least one hardware processor to;

obtain an indication of a change to a playlist on one of the server and said remote device; and

synchronize said change to another one of the server and said remote device.

20. The remote device of claim 19, wherein said playlist local application software module, when loaded into said memory, further causes said at least one hardware processor to construct said playlist by designating at least one content item from each of:

a multi-service operator system; and

a location outside said multi-service operator system.

21. A method comprising the steps of:

obtaining, at a computing device, input from a brainwave sensor indicative of brainwaves of a user;

based at least in part on said input from said brainwave sensor, carrying out, by a processor of said device executing an application program, at least one of;

recommendation of a currently playing item, which has, at least in part, influenced said brainwaves, for inclusion in a first playlist; and

recommendation of a second playlist to at least one of complement and alter a mental state of said user, said mental state of said user being associated with said brainwaves of said user; and

respectively adding said currently playing item to said first playlist or playing said second playlist in accordance with said carrying out step.