Technique for identifying favorite program channels for receiving entertainment programming content over a communications network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for updating a common list of user-preferred program channels comprising:
- a network;
at least first and second set-top terminals (STTs) connected to the network, wherein the first STT comprises a first memory, a first timer and a first processing unit and wherein the second STT comprises a second memory, a second timer and a second processing unit;
a common list of “
k”
user-preferred program channels stored in the first and second memories;
a first channel table stored in the first memory, wherein the first channel table comprises a first list of viewed channels as selected by the first STT, wherein each viewed channel of the first list of viewed channels is associated with a first cumulative count value;
a second channel table stored in the second memory, wherein the second channel table comprises a second list of viewed channels as selected by the second STT, wherein each viewed channel of the second list of viewed channels is associated with a second cumulative count value; and
an application server connected to the network, wherein the application server executes instructions that cause the application server to;
receive the first and second channel table from the first and second STTs;
generate a common channel table from the first and second channel tables; and
send the common channel table to the first and second STTs.wherein the first and second processing units execute instructions causing the first and second processing units to;
select from the common channel table the “
k”
program channels having the highest cumulative count values; and
update the common list of user-preferred program channels to reflect the selected “
k”
program channels.
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Abstract
A favorites list of program channels which a cable TV user likely prefers is generated automatically from which the user may select a program channel to watch. Each program channel in the favorites list is identified based on a measure of the duration in which the program channel is continuously tuned to. In an embodiment, this measure varies nonlinearly with such a duration. The favorites list may further comprise sublists of program channels which may correspond to different periods of a day, week, etc. The favorites list may be generated from programs watched on multiple viewing devices.
34 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system for updating a common list of user-preferred program channels comprising:
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a network; at least first and second set-top terminals (STTs) connected to the network, wherein the first STT comprises a first memory, a first timer and a first processing unit and wherein the second STT comprises a second memory, a second timer and a second processing unit; a common list of “
k”
user-preferred program channels stored in the first and second memories;a first channel table stored in the first memory, wherein the first channel table comprises a first list of viewed channels as selected by the first STT, wherein each viewed channel of the first list of viewed channels is associated with a first cumulative count value; a second channel table stored in the second memory, wherein the second channel table comprises a second list of viewed channels as selected by the second STT, wherein each viewed channel of the second list of viewed channels is associated with a second cumulative count value; and an application server connected to the network, wherein the application server executes instructions that cause the application server to; receive the first and second channel table from the first and second STTs; generate a common channel table from the first and second channel tables; and send the common channel table to the first and second STTs. wherein the first and second processing units execute instructions causing the first and second processing units to; select from the common channel table the “
k”
program channels having the highest cumulative count values; andupdate the common list of user-preferred program channels to reflect the selected “
k”
program channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for updating a common list of user-preferred program channels comprising:
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storing in a first memory of a first set top terminal (STT) a common list of “
k”
user-preferred program channels and a first channel table, wherein the first channel table comprises a list of channels viewed from the first STT and wherein each viewed channel is associated with a first cumulative count value;storing in a second memory of a second set top terminal (STT) a common list of “
k”
user-preferred program channels and a second channel table, and the second channel table comprises a list of channels viewed from the second STT, wherein each viewed channel is associated with a second cumulative count value;sending the first and second channel tables to an application server; generating at the application server a common channel table from the first and second channel tables; and sending the common channel table to the first and second STTs. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28)
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24. The system of method 23, wherein the common list of “
- k”
user-preferred program channels comprises a time-based common list of “
k”
user-preferred program channels for each time period. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
- k”
Specification