Method and system for selecting television programs based on the past selection history of an identified user

• US 6,438,752 B1
• Filed: 06/22/1999
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast MO Group Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MediaOne Group Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: McClard, Anne P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US09/338,315
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 345/327, 348/1, 348/2, 348/10, 348/12, 348/553, 348/563, 348/569, 348/570, 348/731, 348/732, 348/906, 348/734, 725/35, 725/45, 725/46, 725/50, 725/57, 725/44, 725/56
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861
• 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 21/4532 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 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A system and method for selecting programs based on the past selection history of an identified user that allows the identified user to “surf” directly between desired programs. The system includes a head-end server operable to receive program signals from a programming source, and a user input apparatus, such as a remote controller, which is operable to generate an input signal indicating the identity of a user and an input signal indicating a degree of a selection preference. The system further includes at least one set-top box having a program receiver to receive the program signals from the head-end server, and a user input receiver for receiving the input signals from the user input apparatus. The set-top box also includes a memory to store the past selection history of the identified user, and a processor for determining which channel is currently assigned to a program corresponding to the degree of the selection preference of the identified user for the time period the input signal indicating the degree of the selection preference is received. The set-top box further includes a tuner operable for automatically tuning the program receiver to the determined channel. If the program assigned to the determined channel is not acceptable to the user, the process may be repeated for a different selection preference or for a different degree of the same selection preference.

Claims

1. A method for selecting programs based on the past selection history of a user, the method comprising:

receiving an input signal indicating the identity of tie user;

receiving a first input signal indicating a selection preference of the user;

determining which of a plurality of genres is the favorite genre for the user based on the past reception history of the identified user for the current time period;

determining which channel is currently assigned a program corresponding to the highest reception frequency for the favorite genre in the past reception history of the identified user for the current time period; and

automatically tuning to only the channel determined to have the highest reception frequency for the favorite genre.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining which channel is currently assigned a program corresponding to the highest reception frequency includes determining all of the channels of the favorite genre that are showing a program having a running period which includes the current time period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining which channel is currently assigned the program corresponding to the highest reception frequency includes searching a frequency memory containing the past reception history of the identified user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an input signal indicating the identity of the user includes receiving a signal transmitted from a user identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a user identifier is disposed on a remote controller and is selected from the group consisting of a finger print recognizer, a voice recognizer, an iris recognizer and a personal identification recognizer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an input signal indicating a first selection preference includes receiving a signal indicating the actuation of a favorite categories key.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second input signal repeating the selection preference.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining which channel is currently assigned a program corresponding to the next highest reception frequency for the favorite genre in the past reception history of the identified user for the current time period and automatically tuning only to the channel determined to have the next highest reception frequency for the favorite genre.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein when there is no channel having the next highest reception frequency for the favorite genre, the method further comprises:

determining which of the plurality of genres is the next favorite genre for the user based on the past reception history of the identified user for the current time period;

determining which channel is currently assigned a program corresponding to the highest reception frequency for the next favorite genre in the past reception history of the identified user for the current time period; and

automatically tuning to only the channel determined to have the highest reception frequency for the next favorite genre.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprises receiving a third input signal repeating the selection preference;

determining which channel is currently assigned a program corresponding to the next highest reception frequency for the next favorite genre in the past reception history of the

identified user for the current time period; and

automatically tuning to only the channel determined to have the next highest reception frequency for the next favorite genre.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the past reception history for the identified user is determined in part by:

the reception of an input signal indicating the identity of the user;

the reception of an input signal from the identified user indicating a channel a tuner is tuned to, the channel having an assigned program; and

if the channel has remained tuned to for at least a predetermined period of time, storing programming and channel information for the assigned program to the channel in a memory.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined period of time is at least ten minutes.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the past reception history is updated each time a channel has remained tuned to for at least the predetermined period of time.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein determining which channel is currently assigned a program corresponding to the highest reception frequency for the favorite genre comprises determining only the channel currently assigned a program corresponding to the highest reception frequency for the favorite genre in the past reception history of the identified user for the current time period.

15. A method for selecting programs for full television screen viewing using a remote control, the method comprising:

receiving a selection signal from the remote control;

determining which of a plurality of genres is the favorite genre based on the past reception history for the current time period after receiving the selection signal;

determining which channel is currently assigned a program corresponding to the highest reception frequency for the favorite genre in the past reception history for the current time period after receiving the selection signal; and

automatically viewing the full television screen image of the channel determined to have the highest reception frequency for the favorite genre by automatically tuning to the channel before receiving another selection signal from the remote control.

16. A method for selecting programs based on the past selection history of a user, the method comprising:

receiving an input signal indicating the identity of the user;

receiving a first input signal indicating a selection preference of the user;

determining which of a plurality of genres is the favorite genre for the user based on the past reception history of the identified user for the current time period;

determining only the channel currently assigned a program corresponding to the highest reception frequency for the favorite genre in the past reception history of the identified user for the current time period; and

automatically tuning to the channel determined to have the highest reception frequency for the favorite genre.