Electronic programming guide system and method

• US 7,363,591 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cluts, Jonathan C., Heath, Pamela J., Pleyer, Sven, Ashok, Immaneni, Baumert, David William, Goldthwaite, Flora, Woodman, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHURI, ANITA
• Application Number:
  US10/348,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20040140995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,918 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/763, 715/764, 715/838, 715/835, 715/839, 715/967, 715/976, 715/977
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• 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 21/4532 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/967 Visual or iconic programming

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and system for use in customizing, organizing and presenting digital information for selection and interaction by end users. The present invention conveys multiple pieces of information to a user in a multi-dimensional metaphor. A user is presented with a selection of content options that are catered to the user. Presented information is filtered on the basis of configurable user criteria, wherein the criteria includes both what is represented and how it is presented, as it relates to current and past user choices of content. The present invention also presents ancillary information that is associated with the digital content. Additionally, the present invention provides user interface features directed to content from a variety of media, including on air, video, photos, music, games and books.

Claims

1. A method for the consolidated display and presentation of digital information for interaction by a participant, comprising:

providing content items from a plurality of content sources, the content items including a set of community information that enables the participant to discover the presence of one or more other participants, at least two of said content sources having different media types, the media types including at least two of on-air, video, photos, music, games, and books;

capturing said content items based at least in part on an historical preference associated with said participant, said historical preference based on at least one of an historical pattern of content access by said participant and a historical selection of content by said participant; and

multi-dimensionally presenting at least one indicia of said content items and at least one piece of meta-data associated with one or more of said content items, said content items organized based upon said historical preference associated with said participant, for use by said participant, wherein said at least one piece of meta-data includes at least one piece of ancillary information associated with said content items.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one indicia is selectable.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said at least one indicia is a pictorial representation of at least one of said content items.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said at least one indicia of the organized content items is representative of a collection of multiple content items.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said at least one indicia can be expanded to display and allow selection of indicia of individual content items included in said collection.

6. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

accepting a selection of a first indicia;

if the selected first indicia is representative of a collection of multiple content items then displaying a plurality of selectable pictorial indicia representative of the content items comprising the collection; and

if the selected first indicia is representative of a single content item then displaying additional information about the organized content item associated with said first indicia.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein presenting meta-data further comprises presenting an indicia corresponding to the at least one piece of meta-data associated with the one or more content items.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said at least one piece of meta-data comprises a textual description of said one or more content items.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said at least one piece of meta-data is represented to the participant by at least one emoticon.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein capturing said content items comprises at least one of filtering and grouping said content items.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said media types comprises at least one of digitally stored movies, music, books and video clips.

12. A system for organizing and selecting digital content information comprising:

an input means for receiving selections from a participant;

a multi-dimensional output device means for conveying multiple pieces of information relating to media content from a plurality of media sources, the media content including a set of community information that enables the participant to discover the presence of one or more other participants, at least two of said media sources having different media types, the media types including at least two of on-air, video, photos, music, games, and books;

a configurable filter means; and

a processing means;

wherein said processing means is configured to accept selections from said input means and apply said configurable filter means to provide digital content information and associated meta-data to said participant through said multi-dimensional output device means, said associated meta-data including at least one piece of ancillary information associated with said digital content information, and

wherein said configurable filter means is configured to capture digital content information at least in part on the basis of an historical preference associated with said participant, said historical preference based on at least one of an historical pattern of content access by said participant and a historical selection of content by said participant.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein said multi-dimensional output device means is a visual display.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said display is a personal computer monitor.

15. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said display is a television screen.

16. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein said multi-dimensional output device means presents content related information as an emoticon that is associated with said media content.

17. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein said multi-dimensional output device means presents meta-data relating to a content event.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein said meta-data includes links to other information that is relevant to said content event.

19. A method for presenting digital content, comprising:

providing a selection of content items from a plurality of sources, the content items including a set of community information that enables the participant to discover the presence of one or more other participants, at least two of said sources having different media types, the media types including at least two of on-air, video, photos, music, games, and books;

grouping and sorting said content items at least in part on the basis of an historical preference associated with a user, said historical preference based on at least one of an historical pattern of content access by said user and a historical selection of content by said user; and

presenting said content items as icons, and presenting associated meta-data as emoticons, to convey multiple items of information relevant to said content items for selection by said user, wherein said associated meta-data includes at least one piece of ancillary information associated with said content items.

20. A computer readable medium having computer executable code for performing a method for presenting digital content, the method comprising:

providing a selection of content items from a plurality of sources, the content items including a set of community information that enables the participant to discover the presence of one or more other participants, at least two of said sources having different media types, the media types including at least two of on-air, video, photos, music, games, and books;

grouping and sorting said content items at least in part on the basis of an historical preference associated with a user, said historical preference based on at least one of an historical pattern of content access by said user and a historical selection of content by said user; and

presenting said content items as icons, and presenting associated meta-data as emoticons, to convey multiple items of information relevant to said content items for selection by said user, wherein said associated meta-data includes at least one piece of ancillary information associated with said content items.

21. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to execute a method for presenting digital content, the method comprising:

providing a selection of content items from a plurality of sources, the content items including a set of community information that enables the participant to discover the presence of one or more other participants, at least two of said sources having different media types, the media types including at least two of on-air, video, photos, music, games, and books;

grouping and sorting said content items at least in part on the basis of an historical preference associated with a user, said historical preference based on at least one of an historical pattern of content access by said user and a historical selection of content by said user; and

presenting said content items as icons, and presenting associated meta-data as emoticons, to convey multiple items of information relevant to said content items for selection by said user, wherein said associated meta-data includes at least one piece of ancillary information associated with said content items.

22. A computer readable medium having computer executable code for performing a method for the consolidated display and presentation of digital information for interaction by a participant, the method comprising:

providing a selection of content items from a plurality of sources, the content items including a set of community information that enables the participant to discover the presence of one or more other participants, at least two of said sources having different media types, the media types including at least two of on-air, video, photos, music, games, and books;

organizing said content items at least in part on the basis of an historical preference associated with said participant, said historical preference based on at least one of an historical pattern of content access by said participant and a historical selection of content by said participant; and

presenting the organized content items with at least one indicia of the content items and at least one piece of meta-data associated with at least one of said content items, for consumption or further use by said participant, wherein said associated meta-data includes at least one piece of ancillary information associated with said organized content items.

23. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to execute a method for the consolidated display and presentation of digital information for interaction by a participant, the method comprising:

providing a selection of content items from a plurality of sources, the content items including a set of community information that enables the participant to discover the presence of one or more other participants, at least two of said sources having different media types, the media types including at least two of on-air, video, photos, music, games, and books;

organizing said content items at least in part on the basis of an historical preference associated with said participant, said historical preference based on at least one of an historical pattern of content access by said participant and a historical selection of content by said participant; and

presenting the organized content items with at least one indicia of the content items and at least one piece of meta-data associated with at least one of said content items, for consumption or further use by said participant, wherein said associated meta-data includes at least one piece of ancillary information associated with said organized content items;

wherein the presented associated meta-data is an emoticon.