Method of and apparatus for optimal scheduling of television programming to maximize customer satisfaction

• US 5,075,771 A
• Filed: 05/07/1990
• Issued: 12/24/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hashimoto Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hashimoto Corporation
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US07/518,265
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 358/84, 364/402, 379/92, 455/2
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/023 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/09 Arrangements for receiving desired information automatically according to timetables
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• 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 21/4532 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

In a method of and apparatus for providing a list of optimal television programs for each individual, it is possible to give a computer center a subscriber'"'"'s complaints about the individual television program list (timing table), through a telephone line or the like, without sending back a subscriber'"'"'s recording medium to the computer center. The subscriber himself can correct his television timing table to control a TV or VCR when there is any program which he must, or would like to, watch. The subscriber can also specify a priority order to programs recorded during his absence in order to play back the recorded programs within a given time. The program contents of each TV station at any hour specified by the subscriber can be displayed in one picture, so that the subscriber can select any one among all programs of the same kind.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing an individual television program list wherein television channels and corresponding time intervals of optimal programs among all the television programs are listed for each individual, comprising:

subscriber taste evaluating means for obtaining subscriber taste data from a questionnaire;

television program evaluating means for obtaining television program data;

linear programming means for obtaining optimal program list data according to said subscriber taste data and television program data;

means for storing said optimal program list data into a hard disc;

means for printing out an individual television program list from said stored data in the hard disc;

feedback means for inputting subscriber'"'"'s complaints against said printed out program list, thereby to improve prediction reliability of a subsequent program list;

a personal computer at the location of the subscriber; and

bi-directional communication means for informing a computer center of subscriber'"'"'s complaints stored in said personal computer against an individual television program list through a telephone line or the like, and sending out through the telephone line or the like to the subscriber a new individual television program list provided according to said complaints.

2. A method for providing an individual television program list, wherein television channels and corresponding time intervals of optimal programs among all the television programs are listed for each individual subscriber, comprising the steps of;

obtaining subscriber taste data from a questionnaire;

obtaining television program data by evaluating said subscriber taste data;

using linear programming to obtain optimal program list data according to said subscriber taste data and said television program data;

storing said optimal program list data on a hard disk;

printing out an individual television list from said stored

storing a subscriber'"'"'s complaints in a personal computer at the location of the subscriber;

inputting a subscriber'"'"'s complaints about said printed out program list obtained from said personal computer to improve prediction reliability of a subsequent program list; and

using a telephone line or the like, establishing bidirectional communications between the subscriber and a computer center for informing said computer center of said subscriber'"'"'s complaints against a particular individual program list, and through said bidirectional communications link, automatically operating linear programming and sending from the computer center to the subscriber a new and more reliable individual television program list revised according to said complaints.