Method and system for providing a customized media list

• US 6,721,955 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Individual Network LLC
• Original Assignee: Individual Network LLC
• Inventors: Khoo, Denis, Ratcliff, III, Raymond F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Application Number:
  US10/090,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20020152465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5445, G06/F.300, G06/F 1.300, 725/46, 725/44, 725/45, 725/42, 725/39, 725/47, 725/32, 725/34, 709/224, 345/744, 345/745
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols 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 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• 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 21/4314 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 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/6582 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 : comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and system is described for providing a customized media list to a user over a data network. The method comprises providing a personalized data of the user to a computer system, generating a customized media list by the computer system for the user based on the personal data, and providing the customized media list to the user through the computer system where the customized media list represents a customized content and a customized advertising. A system is further disclosed and claimed for providing customized media list to a user over a data network.

Claims

1. A method for providing customized media to a user, said method comprising the steps of:

activating a computer system in response to intervention by said user;

providing data identifying said user to said computer system, said identifying data being correlated with a personal profile of said user;

generating customized media customized to said personal profile of said user, said customized media comprising customized content with customized advertising integrated therewith, said customized content consisting of television programs, wherein said customized content and said customized advertising are selected from a collection of different content and advertisement options, each of said selections being made in accord with said personal profile of said user; and

providing said customized media to said user through said computer system for immediate available viewing independent of television program broadcast schedules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said content and said advertising commercials are arranged in a predetermined order.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing said identifying data comprises the substeps of:

providing a personal profile of said user, said personal profile containing data describing said user; and

providing a content preference of said user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said generating step further comprises the substeps of:

generating, by said computer system, a customized media list based on said personal profile, said content preference, a past viewing habit of said user, and a predetermined list of available content.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of providing said personal profile of said user to said computer system further comprises the steps of:

providing said personal profile to a client of said computer system; and

transmitting said personal profile to a server of said computer system from said client of said computer system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating step further comprises the step of generating said customized media at a server of said computer system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing said customized media to said user further comprises the steps of:

transmitting said customized media from a server to a client of said computer system;

retrieving, by said client, a customized media immediately upon receiving said customized media; and

providing said customized media from said client to said user for immediate viewing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said television programs comprise a motion picture, cartoon, and/or digitized media.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said television programs are not programs delivered pursuant to a television broadcast schedule.

10. A system for providing customized media customized to the personal profile of a user, said customized media comprising customized content and customized advertising integrated therewith, said customized content consisting of television programs, said system comprising;

a device for activating said system in response to intervention by said user;

a first storage medium for storing a collection of content, a collection of advertisements, and personal profile data of said user;

a first processor for generating said customized media comprising content and advertisements selected from said collection of content and said collection of advertisements;

a second processor for retrieving said customized media;

a second storage medium for storing said customized media; and

a display means for providing customized media for immediate viewing by the user, said viewing being independent of the time content media in said customized media is otherwise broadcast by a television broadcaster.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said first storage medium and said second storage medium are the same.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said first processor and said second processor are the same.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said first storage medium is a centralized database.

14. A method for providing customized media to a user utilizing a computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving data identifying said user, said identifying data being correlated with a personal profile of said user;

generating customized media, said customized media comprising customized content or customized advertising integrated therewith, said customized content Consisting of programs, wherein said customized content and said customized advertising are selected from a collection of different content and advertisement options, each of said selections being made by said user or in accord with the profile of said user;

providing said customized media to said user through said computer system for immediate available viewing independent of program broadcast schedules.