Recommendation-based electronic program guides with user-imperceptible preferences
First Claim
1. A method of modifying viewership traffic, comprising:
- configuring a traffic process within an electronic programming guide (EPG) in a content distribution system, the traffic process operable by a system operator to modify a first rating of a first content in response to receipt of a first monetary consideration from a first sponsor;
within the traffic process, receiving the first rating for the first content to be viewed by a human viewer;
within the traffic process, applying to the received first rating a first boost transform to generate a modified first rating; and
displaying, to the human viewer, at least one recommendation display entry having a characteristic controlled by the modified first rating, the characteristic tending to encourage more viewership traffic to the first program.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for enabling the operators of television broadcasting systems or other content distribution systems to effectively alter the program viewing patterns of viewers or subscribers to direct viewership traffic to selected television programs or other content. In a recommendation based EPG system, the rating or recommendation assigned to a program is increased or decreased in accordance with the desire of the operator to increase or decrease viewership or in exchange for monetary or other consideration from content providers, advertisers or others. In one aspect, a boost value is applied to alter the recommended rating/ranking of program content, including selectively in a manner which may be substantially imperceptible to viewers. In another aspect, a sponsored program is assigned a premium position in a list of programs in exchange for receipt of monetary or other consideration. In another aspect, the program may be given an ordinal boost, elevating the program by one or more positions in a rank-ordered list of recommendations. In still another aspect, premium positions in the list are auctioned, or greater consideration is collected for providing higher values of ordinal or numerical boost.
28 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of modifying viewership traffic, comprising:
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configuring a traffic process within an electronic programming guide (EPG) in a content distribution system, the traffic process operable by a system operator to modify a first rating of a first content in response to receipt of a first monetary consideration from a first sponsor; within the traffic process, receiving the first rating for the first content to be viewed by a human viewer; within the traffic process, applying to the received first rating a first boost transform to generate a modified first rating; and displaying, to the human viewer, at least one recommendation display entry having a characteristic controlled by the modified first rating, the characteristic tending to encourage more viewership traffic to the first program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of modifying viewership traffic, comprising:
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receiving a rank-ordered list of content to be viewed in a content distribution system that includes an electronic programming guide (EPG); designating, in the rank-ordered list, at least one premium position; applying to the rank-ordered list a transform operable to generate a modified list by assigning a selected content to the premium position; and displaying, to a human viewer, the modified list with the selected content assigned to the premium position, the premium position tending to encourage more viewership traffic to the selected content; wherein the applying of the transform is enabled by a system operator in response to receipt of a monetary consideration from a sponsor of the selected content. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of modifying viewership traffic, comprising:
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receiving a rank-ordered list of recommended content to be viewed in a content distribution system including an electronic programming guide (EPG); applying to the rank-ordered list a transform operable to ordinally advance, within the list, a selected content, thereby to generate a modified list, ordinal advance tending to encourage more viewership traffic to the selected content; and displaying the modified list to a human viewer; wherein the applying of the transform is enabled by a system operator in response to receipt of a monetary consideration from a sponsor of the selected content. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of modifying viewership traffic, comprising:
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configuring a traffic process to be operable to receiving a plurality of ratings from a recommendation process in an electronic programming guide (EPG); in the traffic process, receiving from the recommendation process a first rating, for a first content; in the traffic process, applying to the received first rating a first boost transform to generate a modified first rating, by a system operator in response to receipt of a monetary consideration from a sponsor of the first content; and displaying to a human viewer, at least one recommendation display entry having a characteristic controlled by the modified first rating, the characteristic tending to encourage more viewership traffic to the first content. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of modifying viewership traffic, comprising:
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receiving a rank-ordered list of content from an electronic programming guide (EPG); designating, in the rank-ordered list, at least one premium position; applying to the rank-ordered list a transform operable to generate a modified list by assigning, to the premium position, a selected content, the premium position tending to encourage more viewership traffic to the selected content; and displaying, to a human viewer, the modified list with the selected content assigned to the premium position; wherein the applying of the transform is performed by a system operator in response to receipt of a monetary consideration from a sponsor of the selected content.
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32. A method of modifying viewership traffic, comprising:
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receiving a rank-ordered list of recommended-television shows from an electronic programming guide (EPG); applying to the rank-ordered list a transform operable to ordinally advance, with the list, a selected television show, thereby to generate a modified list, the ordinal advance tending to encourage more viewership traffic to the selected television show; and displaying the modified list to a human viewer; wherein the applying of the transform is performed by a system operator in response to receipt of a monetary consideration from a sponsor of the selected television show.
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33. An electronic programming guide (EPG) apparatus, comprising:
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a recommendation means for generating at least a first rating, for a first content to be viewed; a transform means, in communication with the recommendation means, for applying to the first rating a first boost transform, to generate a modified first rating; and a display means, in communication with the transform means, for displaying, to a human viewer, at least one recommendation display entry having a characteristic controlled by the modified first rating; wherein the applying of the transform is performed by a system operator in response to receipt of monetary consideration from a sponsor of the first content. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An electronic programming guide (EPG) apparatus, comprising:
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a means for receiving a rank-ordered list of a plurality of content to be viewed; a means for designating, in the rank-ordered list, at least one premium position; a transform means for applying to the rank-ordered list a transform operable to generate a modified list by assigning, to the premium position, the first content, the premium position tending to encourage more viewership traffic to the first content; and a display means, in communication with the transform means, for displaying, to a human viewer, the modified list with the first content assigned to the premium position; wherein applying the transform is performed by a system operator in response to receipt of a monetary consideration from a sponsor of the first content.
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41. An electronic programming guide (EPG) apparatus, comprising:
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a means for receiving a rank-ordered list of content to be viewed; a transform means for applying to the rank-ordered list a transform operable to ordinally advance, within the list, a first content, thereby to generate a modified list the ordinal advance tending to encourage more viewership traffic to the first content; and a display means, in communication with the transform means, for displaying the modified list to a human viewer; wherein applying the transform is performed by a system operator in response to receipt of a monetary consideration.
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Specification