Video-on-Demand Content Based Channel Surfing Methods and Systems

• US 20140359669A1
• Filed: 05/30/2013
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon and Redbox Digital Entertainment Services, LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Lemus, Anthony, Roberts, Brian F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,769,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/41
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739

Abstract

An exemplary method includes a media content presentation system 1) maintaining a video-on-demand (“VOD”) channel surfing list associated with a user of a media content access device, the VOD channel surfing list identifying a plurality of VOD content instances selected from a library of VOD content instances that are available by way of the media content access device during a VOD browsing session, 2) associating the VOD content instances identified in the VOD channel surfing list with a plurality of VOD channels, 3) detecting a channel surfing command provided by the user during the VOD browsing session, and 4) directing, in response to the channel surfing command, the media content access device to switch to a VOD channel included in the plurality of VOD channels that is presenting a video preview of a VOD content instance identified in the VOD channel surfing list and associated with the VOD channel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining, by a media content presentation system, a video-on-demand (“

VOD”

) channel surfing list associated with a user of a media content access device, the VOD channel surfing list identifying a plurality of VOD content instances selected from a library of VOD content instances that are available by way of the media content access device during a VOD browsing session;

associating, by the media content presentation system, the VOD content instances identified in the VOD channel surfing list with a plurality of VOD channels;

detecting, by the media content presentation system, a channel surfing command provided by the user during the VOD browsing session; and

directing, by the media content presentation system in response to the channel surfing command, the media content access device to switch to a VOD channel included in the plurality of VOD channels that is presenting a video preview of a VOD content instance identified in the VOD channel surfing list and associated with the VOD channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the media content presentation system, an additional channel surfing command provided by the user during the VOD browsing session subsequent to the channel surfing command; and

directing, by the media content presentation system in response to the additional channel surfing command, the media content access device to switch from the VOD channel to an additional VOD channel included in the plurality of VOD channels that is presenting a video preview of an additional VOD content instance identified in the VOD channel surfing list and associated with the additional VOD channel.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting, by the media content presentation system, a third channel surfing command provided by the user during the VOD browsing session subsequent to the additional channel surfing command, the third channel surfing command configured to direct the media content access device to switch back to the VOD channel; and

directing, by the media content presentation system in response to the third channel surfing command, the media content access device to switch from the additional VOD channel back to the VOD channel; and

providing, by the media content presentation system, an additional video preview of the VOD content instance that is different than the video preview of the VOD content instance for presentation by way of the VOD channel in response to the media content access device switching back to the VOD channel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the media content presentation system, a command provided by the user to initiate the VOD browsing session prior to the channel surfing command being provided by the user; and

directing, by the media content presentation system in response to the command to initiate the VOD browsing session, the media content access device to switch to an additional VOD channel included in the plurality of VOD channels that is presenting a video preview of an additional VOD content instance identified in the VOD channel surfing list and associated with the additional VOD channel;

wherein the directing of the media content access device to switch to the VOD channel that is presenting the video preview of the VOD content instance comprises directing the media content access device to switch from the additional VOD channel to the VOD channel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the media content presentation system, one or more access options associated with the VOD content instance while the video preview of the VOD content instance is being presented.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more access options includes an option to view the VOD content instance, and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting, by the media content presentation system, a selection by the user of the option to view the VOD content instance; and

initiating, by the media content presentation system, a presentation of the VOD content instance by way of the media content access device starting at a beginning of the VOD content instance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining of the VOD channel surfing list comprises:

identifying a particular VOD content instance included in the library of VOD content instances as being potentially of interest to the user; and

including the particular VOD content instance in the VOD channel surfing list.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the identifying of the particular VOD content instance as being potentially of interest to the user is based on one or more preferences specified by the user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the identifying of the particular VOD content instance as being potentially of interest to the user is based on a viewing history associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the identifying of the particular VOD content instance as being potentially of interest to the user is based on at least one of contents of an instant queue of VOD content instances maintained by the user, a user profile associated with the user, a popularity of the particular VOD content instance, activity of one or more social media contacts of the user, and one or more metadata values associated with the particular VOD content instance

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the media content presentation system, the video preview of the VOD content instance for presentation by way of the VOD channel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the providing of the video preview comprises streaming the video preview of the VOD content instance by way of the VOD channel in accordance with an always-on video presentation heuristic.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the providing of the video preview comprises:

identifying a portion of the VOD content instance as being potentially of interest to the user; and

designating the identified portion as the video preview of the VOD content instance.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the video preview of the VOD content instance comprises a trailer of the VOD content instance or an in-progress presentation of the VOD content instance.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting, by the media content presentation system, the VOD channel surfing list within a graphical user interface accessible by the user; and

providing, by the media content presentation system within the graphical user interface, one or more options associated with the VOD content instances identified by the VOD channel surfing list.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the media content presentation system, a selection by the user of a channel surfing category;

wherein the maintaining of the VOD channel surfing list comprises generating the VOD channel surfing list in accordance with the selected channel surfing category.

17. The method of claim 1, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

18. A method comprising:

maintaining, by a media content presentation system, a plurality of video-on-demand (“

VOD”

) channel surfing lists associated with a user of a media content access device, the VOD channel surfing lists each associated with a distinct channel surfing category included in a plurality of channel surfing categories and each identifying a plurality of VOD content instances selected from a library of VOD content instances that are available by way of the media content access device during a VOD browsing session;

detecting, by the media content presentation system, a selection by the user of a channel surfing category included in the plurality of channel surfing categories;

identifying, by the media content presentation system, a particular VOD channel surfing list included in the plurality of VOD channel surfing lists that is associated with the selected channel surfing category, the particular VOD channel surfing list identifying a plurality of VOD content instances related to the selected channel surfing category;

associating, by the media content presentation system, the plurality of VOD content instances identified in the particular VOD channel surfing list with a plurality of VOD channels;

detecting, by the media content presentation system, a channel surfing command provided by the user during the VOD browsing session; and

directing, by the media content presentation system in response to the channel surfing command, the media content access device to switch to a VOD channel included in the plurality of VOD channels that is presenting a video preview of a VOD content instance identified in the particular VOD channel surfing list and associated with the VOD channel.

19. The method of claim 18, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

20. A system comprising:

a video-on-demand (“

VOD”

) content management facility configured to;

maintain a VOD channel surfing list associated with a user of a media content access device, the VOD channel surfing list identifying a plurality of VOD content instances selected from a library of VOD content instances that are available by way of the media content access device during a VOD browsing session, and

associate the VOD content instances identified in the VOD channel surfing list with a plurality of VOD channels; and

a detection facility communicatively coupled to the VOD content management facility and configured to detect a channel surfing command provided by the user during the VOD browsing session;

wherein the VOD content management facility is further configured to direct, in response to the channel surfing command, the media content access device to switch to a VOD channel included in the plurality of VOD channels that is presenting a video preview of a VOD content instance identified in the VOD channel surfing list and associated with the VOD channel.