Broadcast content screening system and method

• US 7,500,257 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berstis, Viktors
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, MUSHFIKH I
• Application Number:
  US10/821,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20050229202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 725/22
• US Class Current: 725/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/14 for monitoring programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/16 on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/372 Programme
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/375 Commercial
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/42 for identifying broadcast areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• 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 21/4532 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 21/47214 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 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Mechanisms for screening broadcast programming are provided. A viewer is configured to receive broadcast programming, to receive commands from a user, to receive commands from an interface coupled to the viewer, to present the received broadcast programming to the user based on commands from the user, and to present the received broadcast programming to the user based on commands from the interface. A processor is coupled to the interface and configured to receive a screening signal, to receive user input from the interface, to store the received user input, to generate a local action signal based on the user input and the received screening signal, and to transmit the local action signal to the interface. The interface is configured to receive the local action signal, to transmit commands to the viewer based on the local action signal, and to receive user input from the user, the user input comprising at least an action preference.

Claims

1. A system for screening broadcast programming, comprising:

a viewer configured to receive broadcast programming, to receive commands from a user, to receive commands from an interface coupled to the viewer, to present the received broadcast programming to the user based on commands from the user, and to present the received broadcast programming to the user based on commands from the interface;

a processor coupled to the interface and configured to receive a real time screening signal (RTSS) and a precision screening signal (PSS), to receive user input from the interface, to store the received user input, to generate a local action signal based on the user input and at least one of the received RTSS or PSS, and to transmit the local action signal to the interface;

the interface configured to receive the local action signal, to transmit commands to the viewer based on the local action signal, and to receive the user input from the user, the user input comprising at least an action preference; and

a broadcast recorder coupled to the interface and configured to receive broadcast programming, to store the received broadcast programming, and to transmit the stored broadcast programming to the viewer in response to user commands, wherein the RTSS is generated based on real time monitoring of the broadcast programming being presented in real time, the PSS is generated based on a playback of at least one portion of a recording of the broadcast programming, wherein the processor, in response to the broadcast programming being presented to the user via the viewer in real time, generates the local action signal based on the RTSS, and wherein, in response to the broadcast programming being presented to the user via the viewer as a playback of the stored broadcast programming, the processor generates the local action signal based on the PSS, wherein the RTSS is generated by reconciling a plurality of screening signals from a plurality of different viewers of the broadcast programming prior to the broadcast programming being presented to the user, and wherein the PSS is generated based on the RTSS by having a second user view portions of the recording of the broadcast programming, prior to the broadcast programming being presented to the user via the viewer, based on content of interest segments present in the broadcast programming as specified by the RTSS and identifying a start or end of the content of interest segments present in the broadcast programming.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast recorder is further configured to modify the stored broadcast programming based on commands from the interface.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the viewer is configured to present audio broadcast programming to the user.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the action preference identifies an action that the system is to take in response to encountering a content of interest segment in the broadcast programming.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the action that the system is to take is to edit the content of interest segment out of the stored broadcast programming.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the action that the system is to take is to start stop storing the broadcast programming in response to encountering the content of interest segment and to restart storing of the broadcast programming in response to the content of interest segment no longer being encountered.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the action that the system is to take is to skip the content of interest segment during the presentation of the broadcast programming to the user.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input specifies a time period to delay presentation of the received broadcast programming to the user such that the broadcast programming is stored by the broadcast recorder and the PSS is used to generate the local action signal.

4. A system for screening broadcast programming, comprising:

a viewer configured to receive broadcast programming, to receive commands from a user, to receive commands from an interface coupled to the viewer, to present the received broadcast programming to the user based on commands from the user, and to present the received broadcast programming to the user based on commands from the interface; and

the interface configured to receive a real time screening signal (RTSS) and a precision screening signal (PSS), to receive user input from the user, the user input comprising at least an action preference, to store the received user input, and to transmit commands to the viewer based on the user input and at least one of the received RTSS or PSS, wherein;

the RTSS is generated based on real time monitoring of the broadcast programming being presented in real time,

the PSS is generated based on a playback of at least one portion of a recording of the broadcast programming,

in response to the broadcast programming being presented to the user via the viewer in real time, the commands are generated based on the RTSS, and

in response to the broadcast programming being presented to the user via the viewer as a playback of the stored broadcast programming, the commands are generated based on the PSS, wherein the RTSS is generated by reconciling a plurality of screening signals from a plurality of different viewers of the broadcast programming prior to the broadcast programming being presented to the user, and wherein the PSS is generated based on the RTSS by having a second user view portions of the recording of the broadcast programming, prior to the broadcast programming being presented to the user via the viewer, based on content of interest segments present in the broadcast programming as specified by the RTSS and identifying a start or end of the content of interest segments present in the broadcast programming.

16. The system of claim 4, wherein the RTSS is generated based on real time monitoring of the broadcast programming, the PSS is generated based on a playback of at least one portion of a recording of the broadcast programming, wherein the RTSS is used to control presentation of the broadcast programming to the user via the viewer in real time, and wherein the PSS is used to control presentation of the broadcast programming to the user via the viewer as a playback of stored broadcast programming.

5. A system for screening broadcast programming, comprising:

a processor coupled to an interface and configured to receive a real time screening signal (RTSS) and a precision screening signal (PSS), to receive user input from the interface, to store the received user input, to generate a local action signal based on the user input and at least one of the received RTSS or PSS, and to transmit the local action signal to the interface; and

the interface configured to receive the local action signal, to transmit the local action signal to a viewer, and to receive user input from the user, the user input comprising at least an action preference, wherein the RTSS is generated based on real time monitoring of the broadcast programming being presented in real time, the PSS is generated based on a playback of at least one portion of a recording of the broadcast programming, wherein the RTSS is used to control presentation of the broadcast programming to the user via the viewer in real time, and wherein the PSS is used to control presentation of the broadcast programming to the user via the viewer as a playback of stored broadcast programming, wherein the RTSS is generated by reconciling a plurality of screening signals from a plurality of different viewers of the broadcast programming prior to the broadcast programming being presented to the user, and wherein the PSS is generated based on the RTSS by having a second user view portions of the recording of the broadcast programming, prior to the broadcast programming being presented to the user via the viewer, based on content of interest segments present in the broadcast programming as specified by the RTSS and identifying a start or end of the content of interest segments present in the broadcast programming.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein:

the processor is further configured to transmit the RTSS and the PSS to the interface; and

the interface is further configured to receive the RTSS and the PSS and to transmit the RTSS and the PSS to the viewer for use in generating a presentation of the broadcast programming.

7. A computer program product for screening broadcast programming, the computer program product having a recordable medium with a computer program recorded thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to:

receive a real time screening signal (RTSS) and a precision screening signal (PSS);

receive user input from a user, the user input comprising at least an action preference;

store the received user input;

generate a local action signal based on the user input and the received screening signal;

receive the broadcast programming;

store the received broadcast programming; and

present the broadcast programming to a user, wherein the RTSS is generated based on real time monitoring of the broadcast programming being presented in real time, the PSS is generated based on a playback of at least one portion of a recording of the broadcast programming, wherein the RTSS is used to control presentation of the broadcast programming to the user in real time, and wherein the PSS is used to control presentation of the broadcast programming to the user as a playback of the stored broadcast programming, wherein the RTSS is generated by reconciling a plurality of screening signals from a plurality of different viewers of the broadcast programming prior to the broadcast programming being presented to the user, and wherein the PSS is generated based on the RTSS by having a second user view portions of the recording of the broadcast programming, prior to the broadcast programming being presented to the user via the viewer, based on content of interest segments present in the broadcast programming as specified by the RTSS and identifying a start or end of the content of interest segments present in the broadcast programming.

8. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the computer program further causes the computing device to modify the stored broadcast programming based on the user input and at least one of the received RTSS or PSS.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the broadcast programming is audio broadcast programming.

17. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the action preference identifies an action that the system is to take in response to encountering a content of interest segment in the broadcast programming.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the action that the system is to take is to edit the content of interest segment out of the stored broadcast programming.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the action that the system is to take is to start stop storing the broadcast programming in response to encountering the content of interest segment and to restart storing of the broadcast programming in response to the content of interest segment no longer being encountered.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the action that the system is to take is to skip the content of interest segment during the presentation of the broadcast programming to the user.

21. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the user input specifies a time period to delay presentation of the received broadcast programming to the user such that the broadcast programming is stored by the broadcast recorder and the PSS is used to generate the local action signal.

10. A method for screening broadcast programming, comprising:

receiving a real time screening signal (RTSS) and a precision screening signal (PSS), the RTSS and PSS associated with a broadcast programming, the broadcast programming comprising at least a content of interest (COI) segment;

receiving the broadcast programming;

receiving user input from a user, the user input comprising at least a COI segment type, wherein the user input further comprises at least an action preference;

generating a local action signal based on at least one of the RTSS or the PSS and the user input;

storing the broadcast programming; and

presenting the broadcast programming to a user, wherein the RTSS is generated based on real time monitoring of the broadcast programming being presented in real time, the PSS is generated based on a playback of at least one portion of a recording of the broadcast programming, wherein the RTSS is used to control presentation of the broadcast programming to the user in real time, and wherein the PSS is used to control presentation of the broadcast programming to the user as a playback of the stored broadcast programming wherein the RTSS is generated by reconciling a plurality of screening signals from a plurality of different viewers of the broadcast programming prior to the broadcast programming being presented to the user, and wherein the PSS is generated based on the RTSS by having a second user view portions of the recording of the broadcast programming, prior to the broadcast programming being presented to the user via the viewer, based on content of interest segments present in the broadcast programming as specified by the RTSS and identifying a start or end of the content of interest segments present in the broadcast programming.

22. The method of claim 10, wherein the user input further comprises at least one action preference associated with the COI segment type.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one action preference identifies an action that the system is to take in response to encountering a content of interest segment in the broadcast programming.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the action that the system is to take is to edit the content of interest segment out of the stored broadcast programming.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the action that the system is to take is to start stop storing the broadcast programming in response to encountering the content of interest segment and to restart storing of the broadcast programming in response to the content of interest segment no longer being encountered.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the action that the system is to take is to skip the content of interest segment during the presentation of the broadcast programming to the user.

27. The method of claim 10, wherein the user input specifies a time period to delay presentation of the received broadcast programming to the user such that the broadcast programming is stored by the broadcast recorder and the PSS is used to generate the local action signal.