System and method for enhanced video selection and categorization using metadata

• US 8,132,204 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visible World Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Haberman, Seth
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl, Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malangone, Carmine
• Application Number:
  US11/445,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,104 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 61, 725 86-104
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• 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 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods for presenting video asset information to a viewer to assist the view in selecting a video asset for viewing is described. The video assets can be available from a plurality of different video asset sources, such as VOD (video on demand), PVR (personal video recorders) and broadcast (including over the air, cable, and satellite). Images from the video assets are displayed in a uniform manner, along with information about the video assets. The information includes data in a metadata category, wherein metadata can be received from the video asset, external sources, or manually input by a user. The view can select one of the video assets for viewing, but also can navigate using metadata categories such as genre, actors, director, and the like. This allows a much easier and natural navigating and selection process for viewers.

Claims

1. A system for gathering video asset information to assist a user in selecting one or more video assets for viewing, the one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the system comprising:

a back end component comprising a metadata database that receives native metadata attached to a video asset and a first portion of customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets from at least one external source, the back end component including a data extractor to automatically extract a second portion of customized metadata information from a content portion of the one or more video assets, the first and second portions of customized metadata information identifying a property of the video asset with which it is associated;

wherein the back end component is configured to augment the native metadata with the first and second portions of customized metadata, the back end component further configured to analyze and link the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received first and second portions of customized metadata information, and wherein at least one grouping of video assets contains video assets available from the different video asset sources; and

a receiver device configured to format the linked one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view the one or more video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a closed caption portion of the one or more video assets.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from opening credits or closing credits of the one or more video assets.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more musical soundtracks of the one or more video assets.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more audio tracks of the one or more video assets.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a movie database found on the internet.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver device further includes an interface configured to receive input from the user to add or remove the first portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the video asset sources comprise VOD, PVR, or contemporaneous or future broadcast video.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one metadata category includes actor, director, genre, sport, league, team, player, or school.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the back end component further includes a selection setting component configured to determine from which video asset source a same video asset will be made available for viewing when the same video asset is available from a plurality of video asset sources.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the back end component further includes a searching component configured to search for other video assets available from the plurality of different video asset sources which have customized metadata information that substantially matches the customized metadata information from the formatted one or more video assets.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the back end component further includes an asset availability component configured to determine available video assets from the plurality of video asset sources.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the back end component further includes a clip component configured to receive and store at least one image associated with at least one of the grouped one or more video asset available from the plurality of different video asset sources.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the back end component further includes a personalization component configured to maintain a personal profile of the user, the personal profile configured to provide the user a personalized choice of video assets in the formatted one or more video assets.

15. A system for gathering video asset information to assist a user in selecting one or more video assets for viewing, the one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the system comprising:

a back end component comprising a metadata database that receives native metadata attached to a video asset and a first portion of customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets from at least one external source, the back end component including a data extractor to automatically extract a second portion of customized metadata information from a content portion of the one or more video assets, the first and second portions of customized metadata information identifying at least one property of the video asset with which it is associated;

means for augmenting at the back end component the native metadata with the first and second portions of customized metadata, and further means for analyzing and grouping the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received first and second portions of customized metadata information, and wherein at least one grouping of video assets contains video assets available from different video sources; and

means for formatting at the back end component the grouped one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view the one or more video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a closed caption portion of the one or more video assets.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from opening credits or closing credits of the one or more video assets.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more musical soundtracks of the one or more video assets.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more audio tracks of the one or more video assets.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the first portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a movie database found on the internet.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising a user interface capable of receiving input from the user to add or remove the first portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the video asset sources comprise VOD, PVR, or contemporaneous or future broadcast video.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one metadata category includes actor, director, genre, sport, league, team, player, or school.

24. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a clip component to receive and store at least one image associated with at least one of the grouped one or more video assets available from the plurality of different video asset sources.

25. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a personalization component for maintaining a personal profile of the user to provide the user a personalized choice of video assets in the formatted one or more video assets.

26. A method for gathering video asset information to assist a user in selecting a video asset for viewing, one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the method comprising:

receiving at a back end component native metadata attached to a video asset and a first portion of customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets from at least one external source or from a content portion of the one or more video assets;

extracting automatically at the back end component a second portion of customized metadata information from a content portion of the one or more video assets, the first and second portions of customized metadata information identifying at least one property of the video asset with which it is associated;

augmenting at the back end component the native metadata with the first and second portions of customized metadata;

analyzing and grouping at the back end component the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received first and second portions of customized metadata information, and wherein at least one grouping of video assets contains video assets available from the different video asset sources; and

formatting at the back end component grouped one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a closed caption portion of the one or more video assets.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from opening credits or closing credits of the one or more video assets.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more musical soundtracks of the one or more video assets.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the second portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from one or more audio tracks of the one or more video assets.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the first portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets includes information from a movie database found on the internet.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the first portion of the customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets is received from a user through a user interface.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising removing one or more native metadata or customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the video asset sources comprise VOD, PVR, or contemporaneous or future broadcast video.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one metadata category includes actor, director, genre, sport, league, team, player, or school.

36. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining from which video asset source a same video asset will be made available for viewing when the same video asset is available from a plurality of video asset sources.

37. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

searching for other video assets available from the plurality of different video asset sources which have customized metadata information that substantially matches the customized metadata information from the formatted one or more video assets.

38. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining available video assets from the plurality of video asset sources.

39. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving and storing at least one image associated with at least one of the grouped one or more video assets available from the plurality of different video asset sources.

40. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

maintaining a personal profile of the user to provide the user a personalized choice of video assets in the formatted one or more video assets.

41. A computer readable medium encoded with a plurality of machine executable instructions, the plurality of machine executable instructions including instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to:

receive at a back end component native metadata attached to a video asset and a first portion of customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets from at least one external source or from a content portion of the one or more video assets;

extract automatically at the back end component a second portion of customized metadata information from a content portion of the one or more video assets, the first and second portions of customized metadata information identifying at least one property of the video asset with which it is associated;

augment at the back end component the native metadata with the first and second portions of customized metadata;

analyze and group at the back end component the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received first and second portions of customized metadata information, and wherein at least one grouping of video assets contains video assets available from different video sources; and

the back end component grouped one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

42. A system for gathering video asset information to assist a user in selecting one or more video assets for viewing, the one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the system comprising:

an interface capable of receiving input from the user to add or remove a first portion of customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets, the first portion of customized metadata information identifying a property of the video asset with which it is associated;

a back end component comprising a metadata database that receives native metadata attached to a video asset, the back end component including a data extractor to automatically extract a second portion of customized metadata information from a content portion of the one or more video assets, the first and second portions of customized metadata information identifying a property of the video asset with which it is associated;

wherein the back end component is configured to group the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received customized metadata information, and wherein at least one grouping of video assets contains video assets available from the different video asset sources; and

wherein the back end component is further configured to format the grouped one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view the one or more video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

43. A system for gathering video asset information to assist a user in selecting one or more video assets for viewing, the one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the system comprising:

a back end component comprising a metadata database component that receives native metadata attached to a video asset and a first portion of customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets from at least one external source, the back end component including a data extractor to automatically extract a second portion of customized metadata information from a content portion of the one or more video assets, the first and second portions of customized metadata information identifying at least one property of the video asset with which it is associated;

an interface capable of receiving input from the user to add or remove the first portion of the customized metadata information;

means for augmenting at the back end component the native metadata with the first and second portions of customized metadata, and further means for analyzing and grouping the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the received first and second portions of customized metadata information, and wherein at least one grouping of video assets contains video assets available from the different video asset sources; and

means for formatting at the back end component the grouped one or more video assets for presentation to the user so that the user can select and view the one or more video assets irrespective of the video asset source.

44. A system for sharing video asset information to assist a user in selecting one or more video assets for viewing, the one or more video assets being available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the system comprising:

a back end component comprising a metadata database that receives native metadata attached to a video asset, the back end component further comprising a metadata retrieval component configured to receive a first portion of customized metadata information and a data extractor to automatically extract a second portion of customized metadata information from a content portion of the one or more video assets, the first portion of customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets from a first user, the customized metadata information identifying a property of the video asset with which it is associated;

wherein the back end component includes a metadata sharing component that is configured to share the first and second customized metadata information associated with the one or more video assets to a second user; and

wherein the back end component is configured to group the one or more video assets according to at least one metadata category, the metadata category being a function of the first and second portions of customized metadata information shared with second user, the group containing video assets available from the different video asset sources.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the back end component includes a metadata listing component that is configured to generate a list of customized metadata information available for selection by the second user.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the list of customized metadata information is arranged according to the number of times the customized metadata information was selected by the first user, the second user, and/or other users.