Method for interpreting and executing user preferences of audiovisual information

• US 7,055,168 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2000
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Errico, James, Van Beek, Petrus
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ustaris, Joseph G.
• Application Number:
  US09/668,777
• Time in Patent Office: 2,076 Days
• Field of Search: 725/34, 725/35, 725/46, 725/53, 725/45, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/6
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• 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 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4665 involving classification methods, e.g. Decision trees
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 represented by keywords
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

An agent for audiovisual materials is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for selecting at least one of audio and video comprising:

(a) receiving user attribute information corresponding to user preferences, where said user attribute information includes first hierarchical levels, wherein said first hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first user attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third user attribute information of a second level and a fourth user attribute information of a third level associated with said second attribute information;

(b) receiving program attribute information corresponding to said at least one of audio and video, where said program attribute information includes second hierarchical levels, wherein said second hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first program attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third program attribute information of a second level and a fourth program attribute information of a third level associated with said second program information;

(c) providing a mapping that interrelates at least a portion of said user attribute information and at least a portion of said program attribute information based upon said first and second hierarchical levels; and

(d) selecting, in response to receiving said user attribute information and said program attribute information, at least one of audio and video based upon said mapping between said user attribute information and said program attribute information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said user attribute information includes an individual preference element including a name identifier and a value, and said program attribute information includes a program description element including a name identifier and a value.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said values are compared.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said mapping includes a first path of said user attribute information within said first hierarchical levels that identifies at least one of said user attribute information, a second path of said program attribute information within said second hierarchical levels that identifies at least one of said program attribute information.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein at least one of said first path and said second path uniquely identifies a respective one of said at least one of said user attribute information and said at least one of said program attribute information.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said first path uniquely identifies said at least one of said user attribute information.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said at least one of said user attribute information includes a name identifier that is not unique within said user attribute information.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein said first path interrelates to information identified by said second path and said mapping includes a third path of said user attribute information within said first hierarchical levels that is interrelated to said information identified by said second path.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said mapping includes identification of instances of multiple children of a parent.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said mapping includes identification of a particular child of a parent, where said parent includes multiple children.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said mapping includes identification of a particular parent for restricting said selecting.

12. A method for selecting at least one of audio and video comprising:

(a) receiving user attribute information corresponding to user preferences, where said user attribute information includes first hierarchical levels, wherein said first hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first user attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third user attribute information of a second level and a fourth user attribute information of a third level associated with said second attribute information;

(b) receiving program attribute information corresponding to said at least one of audio and video, where said program attribute information includes second hierarchical levels, wherein said second hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first program attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third program attribute information of a second level and a fourth program attribute information of a third level associated with said second program information; and

(c) providing a mapping that interrelates at least a portion of said user attribute information and at least a portion of said program attribute information based upon said first and second hierarchical levels, said mapping including a test operation between respective interrelations comprising at least one of;

(i) substring-case-insensitive;

(ii) substring-case-sensitive;

(iii) string-match-case-insensitive;

(iv) string-match-case-sensitive;

(v) value-less-than;

(vi) value-less-than-or-equal-to;

(vii) value-greater-than;

(viii) value-greater-than-or-equal-to;

(ix) not equal to;

(x) equal to; and

(xi) value-approximately.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising selecting, in response to receiving said user attribute information and said program attribute information, at least one of audio and video based upon said mapping between said user attribute information and said program attribute information.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said test operation is substring-case-insensitive, characterized by said portion of said user attribute information being a substring of said portion of said program attribute information without matching the case of said matching substring.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said test operation is string-case-insensitive, characterized by said portion of said user attribute information being a matching string of said portion of said program attribute information without matching the case of said matching string.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said test operation is substring-case-sensitive, characterized by said portion of said user attribute information being a substring of said portion of said program attribute information with matching the case of said matching substring.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said test operation is string-case-sensitive, characterized by said portion of said user attribute information being a matching string of said portion of said program attribute information with matching the case of said matching string.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said test operation is less than, characterized by said portion of said user attribute information being less than said portion of said program attribute information.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein said test operation is greater than, characterized by said portion of said user attribute information being greater than said portion of said program attribute information.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein said test operation is less than or equal to, characterized by said portion of said user attribute information being less than or equal to said portion of said program attribute information.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein said test operation is greater than or equal to, characterized by said portion of said user attribute information being greater than or equal to said portion of said program attribute information.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein said test operation is not equal to, characterized by said portion of said user attribute information being not equal to said portion of said program attribute information.

23. The method of claim 13 wherein said test operation is equal to, characterized by said portion of said user attribute information being equal to said portion of said program attribute information.

24. The method of claim 13 wherein said test operation is approximately, characterized by said portion of said user attribute information being approximately the same as said portion of said program attribute information.

25. A method for selecting at least one of audio and video comprising:

(a) receiving user attribute information corresponding to user preferences, where said user attribute information includes first hierarchical levels, wherein said first hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first user attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third user attribute information of a second level and a fourth user attribute information of a third level associated with said second attribute information;

(b) receiving program attribute information corresponding to said at least one of audio and video, where said program attribute information includes second hierarchical levels, wherein said second hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first program attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third program attribute information of a second level and a fourth program attribute information of a third level associated with said second program information; and

(c) providing a mapping that interrelates at least a portion of said user attribute information and at least a portion of said program attribute information based upon said first and second hierarchical levels, said mapping including a combinatorial operator between respective at least pairs of interrelations comprising at least one of;

(i) AND;

(ii) OR;

(iii) CAND;

(iv) MAX;

(v) MIN;

(vi) PROD;

(vii) SAND;

(viii) SUM;

(ix) FREQ; and

(x) RATIO.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising selecting, in response to receiving said user attribute information and said program attribute information, at least one of audio and video based upon said mapping between said user attribute information and said program attribute information.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said combinatorial operator is said AND, characterized by said respective at least pairs of interrelations boolean ANDed together.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein said combinatorial operator is said OR, characterized by said respective at least pairs of interrelations boolean ORed together.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein said combinatorial operator is said MAX, characterized by said respective at least pairs of interrelations combined arithmetically in a maximum function.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein said combinatorial operator is said MIN, characterized by said respective at least pairs of interrelations combined arithmetically in a minimum function.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein said combinatorial operator is said PROD, characterized by said respective at least pairs of interrelations combined arithmetically in a product function.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein said combinatorial operator is said SUM, characterized by said respective at least pairs of interrelations combined arithmetically in a sum function.

33. The method of claim 26 wherein said combinatorial operator is said FREQ, characterized by said respective at least pairs of interrelations boolean counted together with the resulting sum normalized.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein said combinatorial operator is said RATIO, characterized by said respective at least pairs of interrelations boolean counted together with the resulting sum normalized by the number of individual preference tests.

35. The method of claim 26 wherein said combinatorial operator is said CAND, characterized by said respective at least pairs of interrelations constrained common node tested.

36. The method of claim 26 wherein said combinatorial operator is said SAND, characterized by said respective at least pairs of interrelations ANDed together in a non-boolean manner.

37. A method for selecting at least one of audio and video comprising:

(a) receiving user attribute information corresponding to user preferences, where said user attribute information includes first hierarchical levels, wherein said first hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first user attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third user attribute information of a second level and a fourth user attribute information of a third level associated with said second attribute information;

(b) receiving program attribute information corresponding to said at least one of audio and video, where said program attribute information includes second hierarchical levels, wherein said second hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first program attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third program attribute information of a second level and a fourth program attribute information of a third level associated with said second program information;

(c) providing a first mapping that interrelates at least a portion of said user attribute information and at least a portion of said program attribute information based upon said first and second hierarchical levels, said first mapping including a first combinatorial operator between respective at least pairs of interrelations; and

(d) providing a second mapping including a second combinatorial operator between respective at least pairs of the result of said first mapping.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising selecting, in response to receiving said user attribute information and said program attribute information, at least one of audio and video based upon said first mapping between said user attribute information and said program attribute information.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein said second combinatorial operator operates on the results of said first mapping that have dissimilar reference names.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein said second combinatorial operator operates on the results of said first mapping that have the same reference names.

41. The method of claim 40 further providing a third mapping including a third combinatorial operator between respective at least pairs of the result of said first mapping, wherein said third combinatorial operator operates on the results of said first mapping that have the same reference names.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein said first mapping includes a first path of said user attribute information within said first hierarchical levels that identifies at least one of said user attribute information, a second path of said program attribute information within said second hierarchical levels that identifies at least one of said program attribute information, said second combinatorial operator operates on the results of said first mapping constrained by a base path.

43. A method for selecting at least one of audio and video comprising:

(a) receiving user attribute information corresponding to user preferences, where said user attribute information includes first hierarchical levels, wherein said first hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first user attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third user attribute information of a second level and a fourth user attribute information of a third level associated with said second attribute information;

(b) receiving program attribute information corresponding to said at least one of audio and video, where said program attribute information includes second hierarchical levels, wherein said second hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first program attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third program attribute information of a second level and a fourth program attribute information of a third level associated with said second program information;

(c) selecting, in response to receiving said user attribute information and said program attribute information, at least one of audio and video based upon a mapping between said user attribute information and said program attribute information; and

(d) further selecting, based upon the selecting of step (c), at least one of said audio and video based upon information regarding how the user desires to consume said at least one of audio and video.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein said consume includes at least one of volume, contrast, and audio/visual summary.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein said further selecting is provided by a service provider remote to said user.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein said further selecting is performed based upon multiple potential service levels provided by a service provider.

47. The method of claim 43 wherein said further selecting is based, at least in part, upon the user'"'"'s available storage.

48. The method of claim 43 wherein said further selecting is based, at least in part, upon the user'"'"'s available bandwidth to receive said at least one of audio and video.

49. A method for selecting at least one of audio and video comprising:

(a) receiving user attribute information corresponding to user preferences, where said user attribute information includes first hierarchical levels, wherein said first hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first user attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third user attribute information of a second level and a fourth user attribute information of a third level associated with said second attribute information;

(b) receiving program attribute information corresponding to said at least one of audio and video, where said program attribute information includes second hierarchical levels wherein said second hierarchical levels includes at least three levels with a first program attribute information of a first level associated with both a second and a third program attribute information of a second level and a fourth program attribute information of a third level associated with said second program information;

(c) selecting, in response to receiving said user attribute information and said program attribute information, at least one of audio and video based upon a mapping between said user attribute information and said program attribute information; and

(d) further selecting, based upon the selecting of step (c), at least one of said audio and video based upon information regarding at least one of;

(i) the user'"'"'s available bandwidth to receive said at least one of audio and video;

(ii) the user'"'"'s available storage for said at least one of audio and video; and

(iii) multiple potential service levels provided by a service provider.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein said information regarding is said user'"'"'s available bandwidth.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein said information regarding is said user'"'"'s available storage.

52. The method of claim 49 wherein said information regarding is said multiple potential service levels.

53. The method of claim 49 wherein said selecting is performed by a service provider remote to said user.

54. The method of claim 50 wherein said selecting is performed by a service provider remote to said user.

55. The method of claim 51 wherein said selecting is performed by a service provider remote to said user.

56. The method of claim 52 wherein said selecting is performed by a service provider remote to said user.