Method and apparatus for interactive program suggestion

• US 7,013,478 B1
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sedna Patent Services LLC
• Inventors: Bonner, Alfred E., Hendricks, John S., Wunderlich, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): LONSBERRY, HUNTER B
• Application Number:
  US09/321,569
• Time in Patent Office: 2,482 Days
• Field of Search: 725 45- 46, 725/53, 725/34, 725/36, 725/39
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/02 Arrangements for relaying broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/91 broadcasting computer programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/25 Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 : Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 : Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 : Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• 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 21/26283 : for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 : characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 : for processing graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 : involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 : Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 : Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• 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 21/44222 : 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 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/4622 : 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 21/4662 : characterized by learning algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 : for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 : for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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 21/4786 : e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/64307 : ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 : comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 : involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 : Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 : for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 : for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 : for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 : Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A method and an apparatus suggests programs for viewing by a subscriber. Terminals installed at a subscriber'"'"'s home and at central locations, such as bookstores, video rental stores and libraries, provide responsive or intelligent search functions to suggest programs for viewing according to a subscriber'"'"'s viewing preferences. Responsive searching includes posing questions to and receiving answers from the subscribers. Intelligent searching includes gathering historical data, such as the subscriber'"'"'s history of programs watched. The programs include videotapes, videodiscs, television programs and electronic books. Subscribers indicate their selection and order the programs using a menu system. An automated billing system tracks the programs ordered.

Claims

1. A system for suggesting programs, comprising:

a menu, wherein search criteria are provided to assist a search of programs for suggestion, wherein the search criteria is a mood criteria, wherein the mood criteria allows the selection of a subjective mood;

a control, wherein desired search criteria can be selected;

a database of descriptions of a plurality of programs; and

a processor, wherein the processor performs the search of programs for selection by searching the database of program descriptions with the selected search criteria and other search criteria selected from a thesaurus in response to said selected search criteria, the processor generating a list of suggested programs for viewing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the subjective mood is at least one of serious, thoughtful, light, tired, sad, happy and blue, wherein when a first mood is selected, the processor presents selection of a mood opposite the first mood, and wherein selected moods are cross-referenced to key words from the thesaurus, the key words used to search the database.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the search criteria is a type, wherein the type criteria allows the selection of a type of program.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the type is one or more of action, horror, foreign, adult, comedy, sitcom, black and white, thriller, sci-fi, drama, documentary, biography, western, murder, or mystery.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the search criteria includes a categories/genre criteria, wherein the category/genre criteria allows for the selection of a program category.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the program category is one or more of educational, childrens, sports, news, movie, cartoon, documentary, or specials.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the search criteria is actor, wherein the actor criteria allows the selection of an actor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the actor may be selected by entering one or more of an actor'"'"'s name, and a portion of an actor'"'"'s name, wherein when the portion of the actor'"'"'s name is entered, the processor searches for a closest match to the portion of the actor'"'"'s name.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the search criteria is a time criteria, wherein the time criteria allows the selection of a preferred time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the preferred time is one or more of the preferred time of day, the preferred duration, or the preferred day of the week.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the search criteria is a year criteria, wherein the year criteria allows the selection of the year of the program.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the year of the program is the current year, five to ten years old, ten to twenty years old, twenty to forty years old, or older than forty years.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the search criteria includes a standard rating criteria, wherein the standard rating criteria allows the selection of the program'"'"'s rating.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the search criteria is a negative search criteria, wherein the negative search criteria allows the entry of words descriptive of a program of no interest, and wherein if the descriptive words are found in a program, the program is excluded from the list of suggested programs.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the control allows cursor movement on the menu.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the control allows the entering of words.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the control is a remote control.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the programs are movies.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the program descriptions are programs abstracts.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the program descriptors include video clips of the program.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the search criteria are key words that are used to search the database.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one submenu corresponding to one of the search criteria, wherein the submenu contains key words, which may be selected, further refining the search.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the search criteria that at least one submenu corresponds to is mood, and the submenu contains a list of subjective moods.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the search criteria that at least one submenu corresponds to is type, and the submenu contains a number of descriptive adjectives of the types of programs.

25. The system of claim 1, further comprising a selection menu, wherein the selection menu lists the suggested programs found by the search.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the list includes the program descriptions of the suggested programs.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the control may be used to select a suggested program.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the search criteria is a personal profile of a viewer.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the personal profile includes demographic data.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the personal profile is generated with answers to a series of questions presented to the viewer.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the series of questions are presented to the viewer by a plurality of menus.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the series of questions asks at least one of a viewer'"'"'s name, a viewer'"'"'s age, a viewer'"'"'s sex, a viewer'"'"'s place of birth, a viewer'"'"'s place of higher education, a viewer'"'"'s employment type, a viewer'"'"'s level of education, a viewer'"'"'s amount of television viewing, a number of programs watched in particular categories by the viewer.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the personal profile is stored in a memory.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein the programs are arranged by particular program categories.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the particular categories include at least one of sports, movies, documentaries, and sitcoms.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein the programs are electronic books.

37. The system of claim 1, further comprising a viewer that displays the menu, search results, and program description.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the viewer is located at a video rental store, and the programs are for rental and sale.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the viewer is at least one of a display of a personal computer and a television display.

40. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor targets advertisements to an individual subscriber, based on the subscriber'"'"'s personal profile and a current program selection.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the advertisement is one of a commercial and an infomercial.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the suggest programs include an interactive selection feature, the interactive selection feature allowing the subscriber to purchase an item advertised.

43. An apparatus for suggesting programs, comprising:

a memory, wherein program abstracts are stored;

a control coupled to the memory, wherein viewer preferences can be entered, wherein the viewer preferences comprise mood preferences; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the control, wherein the processor performs a search of the program abstracts based on the entered preferences and other preferences selected from a thesaurus in response to said entered preferences, wherein said processor suggests a program based on the search.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein graphics are stored in the memory, the apparatus further comprising:

a graphics decompressor that decompresses the graphics stored in memory;

a text generator coupled to the graphics decompressor that generates text for a menu; and

a video combiner coupled to the text generator, wherein the processor, graphics decompressor, text generator, and video combiner generate at least one menu.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the processor directs the displaying of menus

and wherein the menus can be navigated with the control.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the menus facilitate the entry of preferences.

47. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the menus contain search criteria that are selected to reflect viewer preferences.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the processor, graphics decompressor, text generator, and video combiner generate a series of submenus that allow the viewer to choose entries indicative of viewer preferences.

49. A system for suggesting videos to rent, comprising:

a plurality of menus that present a series of questions, wherein answers to the questions are used to build a personal profile;

a control, whereby the answers to the questions may be entered;

a processor coupled to the control, wherein the processor interprets the answers to build the personal profile and uses the personal profile to suggest programs; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the personal profile and information about a plurality of programs are stored in the memory;

wherein said plurality of menus comprise at least one mood question menu that presents questions to determine a viewer'"'"'s mood; and

wherein the processor compares the personal profile, the viewer'"'"'s mood, and the information about the programs to suggest a program.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the personal profile, the viewer'"'"'s mood, and the information about the programs are assigned different weights that affect the program suggestion.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein historical data is maintained in the memory and analyzed by the processor in order to learn a personal profile.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein the historical data includes viewer programs watched data.

53. An interactive kiosk, using a search algorithm, for suggesting programs for viewing by a subscriber, comprising:

a database of program available for selection by the subscriber;

an interface that receives inputs from the subscriber and displays results to the subscriber, wherein the inputs from the subscriber comprise mood preferences;

a memory coupled to the interface that receives information related to program preferences of the subscriber, wherein the program preferences include the inputs from the subscriber;

a processor coupled to the database and the memory, the processor searching the database, based on the program preferences and other preferences selected from a thesaurus in response to said program preferences and the search algorithm, to generate a list of suggested programs, the list displayed on the interface.

54. The kiosk of claim 53, wherein the information related to program preferences includes viewer habits related to one or more of programs watched and subscriber demographic data.

55. The kiosk of claim 53, wherein the inputs includes subscriber responses to queries displayed at the interface.

56. A system for suggesting programs, comprising:

a menu, wherein search criteria are provided to assist a search of programs for suggestion, wherein the search criteria are mood criteria, and wherein the mood criteria allow the selection of a subjective mood;

a control, wherein the search criteria can be selected by a user;

a database of descriptions of a plurality of programs; and

a processor, wherein the processor performs the search of programs for selection by searching the database of program descriptions with the selected search criteria, the processor generating a list of suggested programs for viewing.