Entering programming preferences while browsing an electronic programming guide

• US 7,617,511 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Marsh, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Idowu, Olugbenga O
• Application Number:
  US10/160,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20030226145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,720 Days
• Field of Search: 725/45, 725/46
• US Class Current: 725/45
• 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 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for entering user preference for particular program attribute values while a user is browsing an electronic programming guide (EPG). When a program description is highlighted on the EPG, a preference control invokes a preference entry page when activated. The preference entry page contains several program attribute values associated with the highlighted program. A user can enter new preference ratings or modify previously saved preference ratings for one or more program attribute values on the preference entry page. The user is thus provided with the convenience of entering programming preferences at a time when such preferences are fresh on the user'"'"'s mind.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying an electronic programming guide (EPG) user interface that includes;

an EPG with one or more program descriptions that identify and describe multimedia programs available for viewing; and

a selectable preference button;

receiving an indication that the preference button has been selected via the EPG user interface;

in response to receiving the indication that the preference button has been selected;

identifying a currently indicated program within the EPG;

displaying multiple program attribute values of the program in a preference entry user interface to enable entry of a preference rating that corresponds to a program attribute value of the program, the preference rating indicating a degree of like or dislike for the program attribute value, wherein entering a preference rating comprises selecting the program attribute value to indicate that the program attribute value is a preferred program attribute value;

entering a corresponding preference rating for each of a subset of the multiple program attribute values of the program to create preferred program attribute values of the program; and

storing the preferred program attribute values and corresponding preference ratings in a user preference file (UPF); and

associating a numerical significance value with each stored preferred program attribute value, each numerical significance value denoting a relative importance of each stored preferred program attribute value with regard to each other stored preferred program attribute value;

identifying each stored preferred program attribute value that matches an attribute value of an upcoming program, wherein each matching preferred program attribute value and each corresponding preference rating of each matching preferred program attribute value are associated with the upcoming program and stored in a matches file, wherein when the user invokes a preference entry user interface associated with the upcoming program, the preference ratings of the matching preferred program attribute values are populated in the preference entry user interface from the matches file;

calculating a score for each matching preferred program attribute value stored in the matches file, the calculation of the score comprising the use of the numerical significance value and the associated preference rating of the matching preferred program attribute value;

deriving a program score for the upcoming program based on the score for each matching preferred program attribute value; and

determining to recommend the upcoming program based on the program score.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein an absence of entering a preference rating comprises indicating that the program attribute value is not a preferred program attribute value.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein entering a preference rating comprises entering a numerical value to be associated with the program attribute value, the numerical value indicating the degree of like or dislike of the program attribute value.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein entering a numerical value comprises entering a numerical value in a preference rating block associated with the program attribute value.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising selecting the numerical value to be entered from a predefined list of numerical values.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the numerical value is a numerical value in a range from one to ten.

7. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the numerical value is a numerical value in a range from negative five to positive five.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein contains one or more preferred program attribute values and corresponding preference ratings associated with one or more other programs.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein previously entered preference ratings for the program attribute value or one or more other program attribute values associated with the program are displayed along with program attribute values with no preference ratings entered via the preference entry user interface.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the program attribute value is a first program attribute value;

the preference rating is a first preference rating;

displaying a preference entry user interface to enable entry of a preference rating comprises enabling entry of a second preference rating for a second program attribute value; and

the storing comprises also storing the second program attribute value and the second preference rating.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the program attribute values and the corresponding preference ratings are associated with each other when they are stored in such a way as they can be identified together at a later time.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein identifying the currently indicated program within the EPG comprises identifying a highlighted program description.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the one or more program descriptions comprises a title of a program.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multimedia programs are television programs.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multimedia programs are audio programs.

16. A system comprising:

an electronic programming guide (EPG) that displays a selection control and partial program description of one or more selectable multimedia programs available for user access, wherein when the selection control is actuated by a user via the EPG when a program is selected, a preference entry page associated with the selected program is displayed, the preference entry page comprising;

multiple program attribute values of the selected program, each program attribute value having an associated entry region to facilitate user entry of a corresponding preference rating; and

a save control, that when actuated, facilitates storage of each entered preference rating and corresponding program attribute value, wherein each entered preference rating provides an indication of like or dislike for the corresponding program attribute value, wherein the entering and the storing of each preference rating indicates that the corresponding program attribute value is a preferred program attribute value; and

a matching engine that;

associates a numerical significance value with each preferred program attribute value, each numerical significance value denoting a relative importance of each preferred program attribute value with regard to each other preferred program attribute value;

determines each preferred program attribute value that matches an attribute value of an upcoming program to identify one or more matching preferred program attribute values;

populates a matches file with the one or more matching preferred program attribute values and the associated preference ratings of the one or more matching preferred program attribute values; and

calculates a program score for the upcoming program, the calculation facilitated by the numerical significance value and the preference rating associated with each of the one or more matching preferred program attribute values.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein an absence of entering and storing a preference rating for a corresponding program attribute value indicates that the corresponding program attribute value is not a preferred program attribute value.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the preference entry page further comprises a preference entry block entry region into which a numerical value can be entered to indicate a degree of like or dislike for a program attribute value associated with the preference entry block.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, further comprising a preference entry control that displays a list of predefined numerical values that may be entered into the preference entry block.

20. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the numerical value is a numerical value in a range from a first non-negative integer to a second non-negative integer.

21. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the numerical value is a numerical value in a range from a negative integer to a non-negative integer.

22. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the preference entry page further comprises a detailed description of the selected program together with a preference rating entry region to facilitate entry of a preference rating for one or more words selected from the detailed description, wherein when a preference rating is entered and the save control is actuated, the one or more selected words are stored as a preferred program attribute value along with the associated entered preference rating.

23. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the preference entry page further comprises a genre block that includes one or more genre attribute values associated with the selected program.

24. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the preference entry page further comprises a content block that includes one or more content attribute values associated with the selected program.

25. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the preference entry page further comprises an intent block that includes one or more intent attribute values associated with the selected program.

26. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the preference entry page displays one or more previously saved preference ratings when the preference entry page is invoked.

27. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein one or more preference ratings may be entered for one or more respective program attribute values.

28. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the preference entry page further comprises the save control as a preference button that, when actuated, saves changed preference ratings to a user preference file.

29. The system as recited in claim 16, further comprising a highlighter module configured to highlight any one of the partial program descriptions, and wherein the program selected from the EPG is determined to be a program that corresponds to a highlighted program description.

30. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the partial program descriptions further comprise at least a portion of a title of the programs associated with the partial program descriptions.

31. One or more computer storage media comprising instructions that, when executed, direct a computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:

invoking a preference entry page, wherein the preference entry page comprises;

at least one program attribute value associated with a program identified in an electronic programming guide (EPG);

a preference rating area associated with each program attribute value through which a preference rating may be indicated, the preference rating indicating a user like or dislike for the program attribute value associated with the preference rating area, wherein the preference entry page associated with the program is invoked by the user from the EPG; and

a save control, that when actuated, facilitates storage of each indicated preference rating and corresponding program attribute value, wherein entering and storing the preference rating indicates that the program attribute value associated with the preference rating is a preferred program attribute value; and

associating a numerical significance value with each preferred program attribute value, each numerical significance value denoting a relative importance of each preferred program attribute value with regard to each other preferred program attribute value, wherein for each preferred program attribute value that matches an attribute value of an upcoming program, the associated numerical significance value and the associated preference rating facilitate calculation of a program score for the upcoming program.

32. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 31, wherein an absence of entering and storing a preference rating indicates that the program attribute value associated with the preference rating is not a preferred program attribute value.

33. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 31, wherein the preference rating area comprises a preference rating block into which a rating value is entered to indicate a degree of like or dislike for the program attribute value associated with the preference rating block.

34. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 31, wherein the preference rating area comprises a preference entry control that displays one or more preference ratings that may be entered into the preference rating area.

35. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 31, wherein the preference rating comprises a numerical value in a range from a first non-negative integer to a second non-negative integer.

36. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 31, wherein the preference rating comprises a numerical value in a range from a negative integer to a positive integer.

37. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 31, wherein the preference entry page further comprises a genre block that includes one or more genre attribute values associated with the program that can be preference rated.

38. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 31, wherein the preference entry page further comprises an intent block that includes one or more intent attribute values associated with the program that can be preference rated.

39. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 31, wherein the preference entry page further comprises a content block that includes one or more content attribute values associated with the program that can be preference rated.

40. One or more computer storage media containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform a method, the method comprising:

displaying an electronic programming guide (EPG);

receiving a selection of a user preference command wherein the user preference command is invoked from the EPG;

determining a currently selected program in the EPG;

displaying one or more program attribute values associated with the currently selected program;

displaying a preference rating object for each of the displayed program attribute values;

receiving a preference rating from at least one of the preference rating objects;

storing the received preference rating and the program attribute value associated with the preference rating object that is associated with the received preference rating in a user preference file (UPF); and

associating a numerical significance value with each stored program attribute value, the numerical significance value denoting a relative importance of each stored program attribute value with regard to each other stored program attribute value, wherein for each stored program attribute value that matches an attribute value of an upcoming program, the associated numerical significance value and the associated preference rating are used to calculate a program score for the upcoming program.

41. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 40, wherein displaying the EPG comprises displaying at least a partial description for one or more programs that are available for user access.

42. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 40, wherein displaying the preference rating object comprises displaying a selectable preference rating object that, when selected, identifies the program attribute value associated with the preference rating object as a preferred program attribute value.

43. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 40, wherein displaying the preference rating object comprises displaying a preference rating block into which a preference rating may be entered, the preference rating indicating a degree of like or dislike for the program associated with the preference rating block.

44. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 40, the method further comprising displaying a preference rating control that displays one or more selectable preference ratings that may be selected for entry via the preference rating object.

45. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 40, the method further comprising displaying one or more previously saved preference ratings from the UPF.

46. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 40, wherein the preference rating is a numerical value between a first non-negative integer and a second non-negative integer.

47. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 40, wherein the preference rating is a numerical value between a negative integer and a positive integer.

48. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 40, wherein the program is a television program.

49. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 40, wherein the program is an audio program.

50. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 40, the method further comprising displaying a preference actuator and only performing the storing if the preference actuator is actuated.

51. The one or more computer storage media as recited in claim 40, the method further comprising displaying an exit actuator, discarding the received preference rating and foregoing the storing if the exit actuator is actuated.