User preference information structure having multiple hierarchical structure and method for providing multimedia information using the same

• US 7,383,314 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoon, Kyoung Ro, Jun, Sung Bae, Song, Jung Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Oanh
• Application Number:
  US09/666,280
• Time in Patent Office: 2,812 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/226, 709/229, 709/203, 709/224, 709/232, 707/10, 707/5, 707/101, 707/104, 707/3, 707/104.1, 725/34, 725/46, 725/9, 725/47
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 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 21/4755 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 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A user preference information structure having a multiple hierarchical structure in which an information is provided to a user according to a user preference in a multi-media environment consisting of an information provider and an information user, comprising

• • user use information by using information desired by the user; user preference information of information desired by the user; and individual user preference information that is differently set depending on situations in which the user is put and positioned in a sub-tree of the user preference information. The hierarchical data structure is able to provide the user preference for providing information desired by the user is provided depending on the environment, based on which various information can be provided. The hierarchical data structure constructing the user preference makes it possible for the user to receive information fitting the situation in which he or she is put by using a proper individual user preference information, automatically or according to user'"'"'s selection.

Claims

1. A method implemented by an apparatus for processing multimedia content and user preferences related to multimedia content consumption, the method comprising:

storing, in a multiple hierarchical data structure, personal information to identify a user;

storing, in the hierarchical data structure, a user preference description to describe the user'"'"'s preferences for filtering and searching for multimedia content, the hierarchical data structure including a first parent preference element and a second parent preference element at the same level of the hierarchical data structure, the first parent preference element having one or more first child preference elements and including a first content description element and a first preference value that characterizes the user'"'"'s preference for multimedia content corresponding to the first content description element, wherein the first parent preference element in the hierarchical data structure includes a first preference condition that specifies a first place to which the first parent and first child preference elements apply, and wherein the second parent preference element includes a second content description element, a second preference value, and a second preference condition that specifies a second place to which the second parent preference element applies;

in accordance with the first preference condition, using the first content description element and the first preference value in the first parent preference element for a search and recommendation of selected multimedia content preferred by the user at the first place from multimedia content available in a television broadcast environment from an information provider; and

at the first place, receiving at least a portion of the selected multimedia content based on a result of the search and recommendation in accordance with the first preference condition.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input defining at least a portion of the first parent and first child preference elements.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in the hierarchical data structure, a usage history describing events of consuming multimedia content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first content description element in the first parent preference element specifies a multimedia genre.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first content description element in the first parent preference element specifies an actor or a director.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first child preference elements of the first parent preference element includes a further preference condition.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the user preference description.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal information includes a user identifier specifying a name for the user.

9. A method implemented by an apparatus for processing multimedia content and user preferences related to multimedia content consumption, the method comprising:

receiving a user preference description in a multiple hierarchical data structure to describe a user'"'"'s preferences for filtering and searching for multimedia content, the hierarchical data structure including a first parent preference element and a second parent preference element at the same level of the hierarchical data structure, the first parent preference element having one or more first child preference elements and including a first content description element and a first preference value that characterizes the user'"'"'s preference for multimedia content corresponding to the first content description element, wherein the first parent preference element in the hierarchical data structure includes a first preference condition that specifies a first place to which the first parent and first child preference elements apply, and wherein the second parent preference element includes a second content description element, a second preference value, and a second preference condition that specifies a second place to which the second parent preference element applies;

in accordance with the first preference condition, using the first content description element and the first preference value in the first parent preference element for a search and recommendation of selected multimedia content preferred by the user at the first place from multimedia content available in a television broadcast environment from an information provider; and

at the first place, receiving at least a portion of the selected multimedia content based on a result of the search and recommendation in accordance with the first preference condition.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first content description element in the first parent preference element specifies a multimedia genre.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first content description element in the first parent preference element specifies an actor or a director.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein one of the first child preference elements includes a further preference condition.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

updating the user preference description.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing the user preference description.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the user preference description is associated with a user identifier that includes a name for the user.

16. A system for processing multimedia content and user preferences related to multimedia content consumption, the system comprising:

a data storage device; and

data processing apparatus configured to perform operations comprising;

providing, in a multiple hierarchical data structure, a user preference description to describe a user'"'"'s preferences for filtering and searching for multimedia content, the hierarchical data structure including a first parent preference element and a second parent preference element at the same level of the hierarchical data structure, the first parent preference element having one or more first child preference elements and including a first content description element and a first preference value that characterizes the user'"'"'s preference for multimedia content corresponding to the first content description element, wherein the first parent preference element in the hierarchical data structure includes a first preference condition specifying a first place to which the first parent and first child preference elements apply, and wherein the second parent preference element includes a second content description element, a second preference value, and a second preference condition that specifies a second place to which the second parent preference element applies;

storing the hierarchical data structure with the user preference description in the data storage device;

in accordance with the first preference condition, using the first content description element and the first preference value in the first parent preference element for a search and recommendation of selected multimedia content preferred by the user at the first place from multimedia content available in a television broadcast environment from an information provider; and

at the first place, receiving at least a portion of the selected multimedia content based on a result of the search and recommendation in accordance with the first preference condition.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein providing the user preference description includes receiving user input defining at least a portion of the first parent and first child preference elements.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the data processing apparatus is further configured to perform operations comprising:

storing, in the data storage device as a portion of the hierarchical data structure, a usage history describing events of consuming multimedia content.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first content description element in the first parent preference element specifies a multimedia genre.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the data processing apparatus is further configured to perform operations comprising:

updating the user preference description.

21. A system for processing multimedia content and user preferences related to multimedia content consumption, the system comprising:

a data storage device to store, in a multiple hierarchical data structure, a user preference description to describe a user'"'"'s preferences for filtering and searching for multimedia content, the hierarchical data structure including a first parent preference element and a second parent preference element at the same level of the hierarchical data structure, the first parent preference element having one or more first child preference elements and including a first content description element and a first preference value that characterizes the user'"'"'s preference for multimedia content corresponding to the first content description element, wherein the first parent preference element includes a first preference condition specifying a first place to which the first parent and first child preference elements apply, and wherein the second parent preference element includes a second content description element, a second preference value, and a second preference condition that specifies a second place to which the second parent preference element applies; and

data processing apparatus configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving the user preference description from the data storage device;

in accordance with the first preference condition, using the first content description element and the first preference value in the first parent preference element for a search and recommendation of selected multimedia content preferred by the user at the first place from multimedia content available in a television broadcast environment from an information provider, and

at the first place, receiving at least a portion of the selected multimedia content based on a result of the search and recommendation in accordance with the first preference condition.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first content description element in the first parent preference element specifies a multimedia classification attribute.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the data processing apparatus is further configured to perform operations comprising:

updating the user preference description.

24. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer readable medium, for processing multimedia content and user preferences related to multimedia content consumption, the computer program comprising instructions to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

storing, in a multiple hierarchical data structure, personal information to identify a user;

storing, in the hierarchical data structure, user preference description to describe the user'"'"'s preferences for filtering and searching for multimedia content, the hierarchical data structure including a first parent preference element and a second parent preference element having, the first parent preference element having one or more first child preference elements and including a first content description element and a first preference value that characterizes the user'"'"'s preference for multimedia content corresponding to the first content description element, wherein the first parent preference element in the hierarchical data structure includes a first preference condition specifying a first place to which the first parent and first child preference elements apply, and wherein the second parent preference element includes a second content description element, a second preference value, and a second preference condition that specifies a second place to which the second parent preference element applies;

in accordance with the first preference condition, using the first content description element and the first preference value in the first parent preference element for a search and recommendation of selected multimedia content preferred by the user at the first place from multimedia content available in a television broadcast environment from an information provider; and

at the first place, receiving at least a portion of the selected multimedia content based on a result of the search and recommendation in accordance with the first preference condition.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the computer program further includes instructions to cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

storing, in the hierarchical data structure, a usage history describing events of consuming multimedia content.

26. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer readable medium, for processing multimedia content and user preference related to multimedia content consumption, the computer program comprising instructions to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving a user preference description in a multiple hierarchical data structure to describe a user'"'"'s preferences for filtering and searching for multimedia content, the hierarchical data structure including a first parent preference element and a second parent preference element, the first parent preference element having one or more first child preference elements, and including a first content description element and a first preference value that characterizes the user'"'"'s preference for multimedia content corresponding to the first content description element, wherein the first parent preference element includes a first preference condition specifying a first place to which the first parent and first child preference elements apply, and wherein the second parent preference element includes a second content description element, a second preference value, and a second preference condition that specifies a second place to which the second parent preference element applies;

in accordance with the first preference condition, using the first content description element and the first preference value in the first parent preference element for a search and recommendation of selected multimedia content preferred by the user at the first place from multimedia content available in a television broadcast environment from an information provider; and

at the first place, receiving at least a portion of the selected multimedia content based on a result of the search and recommendation in accordance with the first preference condition.