Media content search results ranked by popularity

• US 7,801,888 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rao, Pradhan S., Sloo, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DEBBIE M
• Application Number:
  US11/716,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20080222106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 7, 725/32, 725/53, 725/91
• US Class Current: 707/728
• CPC Class Codes: D01B 1/08 Saw gins
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• 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 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Media content search results ranked by popularity is described. In embodiment(s), a search request for television media content can be initiated by a viewer, and television media content that is relevant to the search request can be identified. The relevant television media content can then be ranked based on a popularity rating such that the relevant television media content can be displayed in an ordered list that is ordered by popularity rankings.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a media content device that includes a computing system, the method comprising:

identifying relevant television media content that is relevant to search requests for various television media content; and

ranking the relevant television media content according to a popularity rating that is based at least in part on the search requests for the various television media content; and

generating an ordered list of multiple selections of the relevant television media content that are ordered by the ranking of the relevant television media content according to the popularity rating, the multiple selections indicating the relevant television media content that a viewer would likely request for viewing.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising tracking television programming choices of a viewer who initiates the search requests, and wherein the popularity rating is based at least in part on the television programming choices of the viewer.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising tracking television programming choices of multiple viewers, and wherein the popularity rating is based on the television programming choices of the multiple viewers.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising tracking the search requests for the various television media content.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising tracking the relevant television media content that is recorded, and wherein the popularity rating is based at least in part on the relevant television media content that is recorded.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising tracking information requests for the relevant television media content, and wherein the popularity rating is based on the information requests for the relevant television media content.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the relevant television media content is identified based on an incorrect search term of the search request when the incorrect search term is compared to popularity metadata associated with the relevant television media content.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the relevant television media content that is relevant to the search requests is new television media content, and wherein the popularity rating is based on a projected popularity of the new television media content.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying the ordered list of the multiple selections of the relevant television media content that are ordered by the ranking of the relevant television media content according to the popularity rating.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the ordered list is displayable to include paid placement of particular television media content at a prominent position in the ordered list.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying the ordered list to include paid placement of particular television media content at a first position in the ordered list, a likely viewer choice based on television programming choices of the viewer at a second position in the ordered list, and at least an additional likely viewer choice based on television programming choices of multiple viewers at a third position in the ordered list.

12. A system, comprising:

a television system device configured to receive a search request for television media content, the television system device including a computing system comprising at least a memory and a processor configured to implement;

a search module configured to identify relevant television media content that is relevant to the search request; and

a tracking module configured to;

track at least one of search requests for the relevant television media content, information requests, programming choices, recordings of the relevant television media content, or new television media content to develop a popularity rating; and

rank the relevant television media content according to the popularity rating that is based at least in part on the search requests for the relevant television media content, the relevant television media content being ranked according to the popularity rating to determine popular media content that a viewer would likely request for viewing, and the popular media content being displayable in an ordered list according to rank.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the search module is further configured to identify the relevant television media content based on a partial match to a search term of the search request when the search term is compared to popularity metadata associated with the relevant television media content.

14. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the search module is further configured to identify the relevant television media content based on an incorrect search term of the search request when the incorrect search term is compared to popularity metadata associated with the relevant television media content.

15. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the tracking module is further configured to rank the relevant television media content based on a projected popularity of the new television media content.

16. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the ordered list of the popular media content is further displayable to include paid placement of particular media content at a prominent position in the ordered list, and displayable to include at least one likely viewer choice.

17. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the tracking module is a component of the television system device.

18. A system as recited in claim 12, further comprising a content provider configured to provide the television media content to the television client device, and wherein the content provider includes the tracking module.

19. Computer-readable storage media encoded with computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing system, direct the computing system in a television system device to:

generate popularity metadata associated with tracked television media content that is tracked for at least one of searches for the television media content, information requests, programming choices, recordings of the television media content, or new media content;

determine popular media content based on a popularity rating generated from the popularity metadata that includes the search requests for the television media content; and

generate an ordered list of the popular media content that are ordered according to the popularity rating, the ordered list being displayable to display the popular media content that a viewer would likely request for viewing.

20. Computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 19, further encoded with computer-executable instructions that, if executed, direct the television system device to rank search results for the television media content based on the popularity rating to determine the popular media content that a viewer would likely request for viewing.