CROSS-PLATFORM INTERFACE FOR A TELEVISION DEVICE

• US 20150121431A1
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jacoby, Ronald, Lincke, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,479,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/251 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 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/2668 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 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• 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 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup

Abstract

A method for providing a cross-platform interface for a television device is provided, including the following method operations: identifying available services for consumption on a television device, wherein the available services include two or more of a broadcast television service, an on-demand video service, and an internet content service; determining a current date and time; determining content items available for consumption from each of the available services at the current date and time; determining an allocation of display locations in a cross-platform interface for content items from each of the available services, the allocation defining a relative amount of display locations for each of the available services based on a device profile associated with the television device; assigning content items to the display locations in accordance with the determined allocation.

Claims

1. A method for providing a cross-platform interface for a television device, comprising:

identifying available services for consumption on a television device, wherein the available services include two or more of a broadcast television service, an on-demand video service, and an internet content service;

determining a current date and time;

determining content items available for consumption from each of the available services at the current date and time;

determining an allocation of display locations in a cross-platform interface for content items from each of the available services, the allocation defining a relative amount of display locations for each of the available services based on a device profile associated with the television device;

assigning content items to the display locations in accordance with the determined allocation;

wherein the method is executed by at least one processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device profile defines time-dependent viewing preferences associated with the television device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the time-dependent viewing preferences define a recurring schedule of variable preference settings.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

monitoring content consumption through the television device;

updating the device profile based on the monitored content consumption.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

determining a ranked order for the content items for each available service;

wherein assigning content items to the display locations is based on the ranked order.

6. The method of claim 5,

wherein an arrangement of the display locations defines a prioritized layout;

wherein assigning content items to the display locations is based on the prioritized layout.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions embodied thereon for providing a cross-platform interface for a television device, comprising:

program instructions for identifying available services for consumption on a television device, wherein the available services include two or more of a broadcast television service, an on-demand video service, and an internet content service;

program instructions for determining a current date and time;

program instructions for determining content items available for consumption from each of the available services at the current date and time;

program instructions for determining an allocation of display locations in a cross-platform interface for content items from each of the available services, the allocation defining a relative amount of display locations for each of the available services based on a device profile associated with the television device;

program instructions for assigning content items to the display locations in accordance with the determined allocation.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the device profile defines time-dependent viewing preferences associated with the television device.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the time-dependent viewing preferences define a recurring schedule of variable preference settings.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, further comprising,

program instructions for monitoring content consumption through the television device;

program instructions for updating the device profile based on the monitored content consumption.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, further comprising,

program instructions for determining a ranked order for the content items for each available service;

wherein assigning content items to the display locations is based on the ranked order.

13. A system, comprising:

a television configured to render content from available services, the available services including two or more of a broadcast television service, an on-demand video service, and an internet content service;

a non-transitory memory connected to the television, comprising;

a device profile associated with the television; and

program logic, comprising

a clock supplying a date and time;

a recommendation engine that receives the date and time and the device profile and in response, determines an allocation of display locations in a cross-platform interface for content items from each of the available services, and assigns the content items to the display locations in accordance with the determined allocation, wherein the allocation defines a relative amount of display locations for the content items from each of the available services.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13,

wherein an arrangement of the display locations defines a prioritized layout;

wherein assigning content items to the display locations is based on the prioritized layout.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the device profile defines time-dependent viewing preferences associated with the television.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the time-dependent viewing preferences define a recurring schedule of variable preference settings.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising,

a content monitor for monitoring content consumption through the television device;

a profile manager for updating the device profile based on the monitored content consumption.

17. The system of claim 13,

wherein the recommendation engine determines a ranked order for the content items for each available service;

wherein assigning the content items to the display locations is based on the ranked order.

18. The system of claim 17,

wherein an arrangement of the display locations defines a prioritized layout;

wherein assigning content items to the display locations is based on the prioritized layout.