CONTENT CONSUMPTION AND NOTIFICATION IN A NETWORK

• US 20150113548A1
• Filed: 10/21/2013
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stern, Peter, Wolf, Ethan, Vanderborgh, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 11,228,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/231 Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers, prioritizing data for deletion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A data analyzer engine can be configured to receive feedback indicating different content currently consumed by subscribers in a cable network environment. The data analyzer engine analyzes the feedback to identify most popular consumed content amongst the different content and produces a content guide to include multiple selectable channels from which content is available for retrieval over a shared communication link in the cable network environment. The content guide can include one or more selectable viewing options to view a rendition of content being identified as more or most popular. Each of one or more playback devices or other suitable resources retrieves and initiates display of the content guide on a display screen. Accordingly, a subscriber can view different available content options as well as an identification of content that is currently the most popular consumed content amongst viewers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving content ranking information indicating popularity rankings of different content currently consumed by subscribers in a cable network environment;

producing a content guide to include multiple selectable channels from which content is available for retrieval over a shared communication link in the cable network environment, the content guide including a selectable viewing option to view a rendition of popular content as specified by the content ranking information; and

initiating display of the content guide on a display screen.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein initiating display of the content guide includes:

displaying the selectable viewing option as a particular selectable channel amongst the multiple selectable channels, the selectable viewing option indicating an identity of the popular content.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the selectable viewing option is a given channel of the multiple selectable channels in the content guide, the given channel allocated to transmit a copy of most popular consumed content amongst the multiple selectable channels, the method further comprising:

in response to detecting that particular content is currently the most popular consumed content, transmitting the copy of the most popular consumed content on the given channel in the cable network environment.

4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

in response to receiving selection of the selectable viewing option from the content guide, tuning to a channel as specified in the content guide on which the popular content is available.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the popular content includes first content and second content available for retrieval in the cable network environment, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving selection of the selectable viewing option from the content guide;

initiating display of a first symbol on the display screen, the first symbol representing the first content, the first symbol indicating that the first content is amongst the popular content of the multiple selectable channels currently selected for viewing in the cable network environment; and

initiating display of a second symbol on the display screen, the second symbol representing the second content, the second symbol indicating that the second content is amongst the popular content of the multiple selectable channels currently selected for viewing in the cable network environment.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the popular content includes first content and second content available for retrieval in the cable network environment, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving selection of the selectable viewing option from the content guide, initiating display of multiple window regions including a first window region and a second window region on the display screen, the first window region displaying playback of a rendition of the first content, the second window region displaying playback of a rendition of the second content.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein the first content is received over a first channel of the multiple selectable channels in the content guide;

and

wherein the second content is received over a second channel of the multiple selectable channels in the content guide.

8. The method as in claim 7, wherein the second window region plays back the rendition of the second content at a first resolution, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving selection of the second window region;

tuning to the second channel to retrieve the second content; and

initiating display of a substantially full screen playback rendition of the second content on the display screen, the substantially full screen rendition of the second content being displayed in accordance with a second resolution, the second resolution substantially greater that the first resolution.

9. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving selection of a genre amongst multiple genres; and

in response to receiving selection of the selectable viewing option from the content guide, displaying identities of the more popular content for the selected genre.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the display screen is disparately located with respect to a primary display screen controlled by a respective subscriber to view content selected for viewing from the content guide.

11. The method as in claim 10, wherein the display screen is part of a remote controller device used to select content for viewing and playback of content on the primary display screen.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein the different content is different streams of content consumed by the subscribers, the method further comprising:

receiving feedback indicating the different streams of content currently consumed by subscribers in the cable network environment;

analyzing the feedback in substantially real-time to produce the content ranking information, the content ranking information indicating popularity rankings of the different streams of content.

13. A method comprising:

initiating distribution of selected streaming content to a given subscriber in a cable network environment, the given subscriber playing back a rendition of the selected streaming content on a display screen; and

initiating display of an overlay notification on the rendition of the selected streaming content, the notification indicating popular streaming content in a content ranking, the popular streaming content different than the selected content played back on the display screen.

14. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

initiating display of the notification on the display screen in response to detecting that the selected content currently played back on the display screen is not the more popular content as indicated by the ranking.

15. The method as in claim 14 further comprising:

producing an information guide to indicate the popular content; and

initiating display of the information guide on the display screen.

16. The method as in claim 15 further comprising:

in response to receiving selection of a selectable viewing option from the information guide, tuning to a channel as specified in the information guide on which the popular content is available.

17. The method as in claim 13, wherein the content ranking is based at least in part on a number of subscribers in the cable network environment that currently retrieve the different streaming content for consumption.

18. A system comprising:

computer processor hardware; and

a hardware storage resource coupled to communicate with the computer processor hardware, the hardware storage resource storing instructions that, when executed by the computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of;

receiving content ranking information indicating popularity rankings of different content currently consumed by subscribers in a cable network environment;

producing a content guide to include multiple selectable channels from which content is available for retrieval over a shared communication link in the cable network environment, the content guide including a selectable viewing option to view a rendition of popular content as specified by the content ranking information; and

initiating display of the content guide on a display screen.

19. The computer system as in claim 18, wherein initiating display of the content guide includes:

displaying the selectable viewing option as a particular selectable channel amongst the multiple selectable channels, the selectable viewing option indicating an identity of the popular content.

20. The computer system as in claim 19, wherein the selectable viewing option is a given channel of the multiple selectable channels in the content guide, the given channel allocated to transmit a copy of most popular consumed content amongst the multiple selectable channels, the computer processor hardware further executing operations of:

in response to detecting that particular content is currently the most popular consumed content, transmitting the copy of the most popular consumed content on the given channel in the cable network environment.

21. The computer system as in claim 18, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

in response to receiving selection of the selectable viewing option from the content guide, tuning to a channel as specified in the content guide on which the popular content is available.

22. The computer system as in claim 18, wherein the popular content includes first content and second content available for retrieval in the cable network environment, the computer processor hardware further executing operations of:

in response to receiving selection of the selectable viewing option from the content guide;

initiating display of a first symbol on the display screen, the first symbol representing the first content, the first symbol indicating that the first content is amongst the popular content of the multiple selectable channels currently selected for viewing in the cable network environment; and

initiating display of a second symbol on the display screen, the second symbol representing the second content, the second symbol indicating that the second content is amongst the popular content of the multiple selectable channels currently selected for viewing in the cable network environment.

23. The computer system as in claim 18, wherein the popular content includes first content and second content available for retrieval in the cable network environment, the computer processor hardware further executing operations of:

in response to receiving selection of the selectable viewing option from the content guide, initiating display of multiple window regions including a first window region and a second window region on the display screen, the first window region displaying playback of a rendition of the first content, the second window region displaying playback of a rendition of the second content.

24. The computer system as in claim 23, wherein the first content is received over a first channel of the multiple selectable channels in the content guide;

and

wherein the second content is received over a second channel of the multiple selectable channels in the content guide.

25. The computer system as in claim 24, wherein the second window region plays back the rendition of the second content at a first resolution, the computer processor hardware further executing operations of:

in response to receiving selection of the second window region;

tuning to the second channel to retrieve the second content; and

initiating display of a substantially full screen playback rendition of the second content on the display screen, the substantially full screen rendition of the second content being displayed in accordance with a second resolution, the second resolution substantially greater that the first resolution.

26. The computer system as in claim 18, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

receiving selection of a genre amongst multiple genres; and

in response to receiving selection of the selectable viewing option from the content guide, displaying identities of the more popular content for the selected genre.

27. The computer system as in claim 18, wherein the display screen is disparately located with respect to a primary display screen controlled by a respective subscriber to view content selected for viewing from the content guide.

28. The computer system as in claim 27, wherein the display screen is part of a remote controller device used to select content for viewing and playback of content on the primary display screen.

29. The computer system as in claim 18, wherein the different content is different streams of content consumed by the subscribers, the computer processor hardware further executing operations of:

receiving feedback indicating the different streams of content currently consumed by subscribers in the cable network environment;

analyzing the feedback in substantially real-time to produce the content ranking information, the content ranking information indicating popularity rankings of the different streams of content.

30. A system comprising:

computer processor hardware; and

a hardware storage resource coupled to communicate with the computer processor hardware, the hardware storage resource storing instructions that, when executed by the computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of;

initiating distribution of selected streaming content to a given subscriber in a cable network environment, the given subscriber playing back a rendition of the selected streaming content on a display screen; and

initiating display of an overlay notification on the rendition of the selected streaming content, the notification indicating popular streaming content in a content ranking, the popular streaming content different than the selected content played back on the display screen.

31. The computer system as in claim 30, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

initiating display of the notification on the display screen in response to detecting that the selected content currently played back on the display screen is not the more popular content as indicated by the ranking.

32. The computer system as in claim 31, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

producing an information guide to indicate the popular content; and

initiating display of the information guide on the display screen.

33. The computer system as in claim 32, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

in response to receiving selection of a selectable viewing option from the information guide, tuning to a channel as specified in the information guide on which the popular content is available.

34. The computer system as in claim 31, wherein the content ranking is based at least in part on a number of subscribers in the cable network environment that currently retrieve the different streaming content for consumption.

35. Computer-readable hardware storage having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, causing the computer processor hardware to perform operations of:

receiving content ranking information indicating popularity rankings of different content currently consumed by subscribers in a cable network environment;

producing a content guide to include multiple selectable channels from which content is available for retrieval over a shared communication link in the cable network environment, the content guide including a selectable viewing option to view a rendition of popular content as specified by the content ranking information; and

initiating display of the content guide on a display screen.