Interactive media guidance application with intelligent navigation and display features

• US 8,316,394 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2009
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TV Guide Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Yates, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENGESHA, MULUGETA A
• Application Number:
  US12/634,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20100153999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 39, 725/41, 725 44- 46, 725/56
• US Class Current: 725/39
• 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 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed that allow a user to efficiently navigate media selections in an interactive media guidance application and easily identify media for viewing. The disclosed methods and systems provide an environment wherein video assets are displayed according to a user preference on a mosaic page with multiple cells. A subset of the assets appropriate for display in a particular cell is determined based on the user preference. Relevance scores of the assets meeting the user preference are computed, and the asset having the greatest relevance for the user is selected and displayed the corresponding cell. The relevance scores can be computed based on the user'"'"'s historic viewing habits, user interaction with a media guidance application, or on specific user input.

Claims

1. A method for displaying, at a user equipment device, video assets of interest to a user, comprising:

arranging on a mosaic page a plurality of cells;

receiving a selection from the user of a first of the

plurality of cells;

receiving an input from the user specifying a criterion for the user selected first;

for each of a plurality of video assets matching the user specified criterion, determining, in a processor, a score indicative of relevance of the respective video asset to the user by comparing historic or expressed user preferences with data associated with the respective video asset;

filtering the plurality of video assets to remove video assets having scores below a predetermined threshold value;

selecting from the filtered plurality of video assets, for display in the user selected first cell, a video asset having the greatest score indicative of relevance to the user; and

displaying the selected video asset in the user selected first cell on the user equipment device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user preferences include at least one of an asset'"'"'s genre, a broadcast channel supplying the asset, and a media source supplying the asset.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the relevance to the user is associated with the user'"'"'s viewing frequency of the asset.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user preferences are entered in form of alphanumeric characters using a remote input device or a keyboard.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying on the mosaic page information associated with the displayed video asset.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user preferences are entered by the user manually or selected from a displayed list.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the score indicative of relevance to the user further comprises comparing the user preferences with at least one of a title, a name of a performer, a show time, a media channel, and a synopsis of the identified content supplied by the interactive media guidance application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected video asset is selected from a television channel, a television service provider, a video-on-demand (VOD) channel, a pay-per-view (PPV) channel, a recorded video (DVR) program, an interactive media guidance application, a web-site, a program guide service provider, a service, a digital music programmer, a radio station, and any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected video asset is displayed as a full-motion video.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mosaic page is personalized for a user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a layout of the plurality of cells on the mosaic page is selected from at least one template.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein comparing includes performing a fuzzy match between the user preference and the data.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the user selected first cell of the mosaic page with interactive features.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the interactive features are accessed via a remote control device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the interactive features are selected from the group consisting of a shopping opportunity, a program promotion, a selection of additional program content, a recording button, and availability of interactive program snipes.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a plurality of mosaic pages, said plurality of mosaic pages arranged hierarchically, with each mosaic page containing at least one cell having the greatest score indicative of relevance to the user.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising making information about the mosaic page on a first user device available on a second different user device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein making the information available comprises storing the information on a portable medium, storing the information at a central location accessible to the first and second user device, or transmitting the information from the first to the second user device via a network connection, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the portable medium is selected from the group consisting of an infrared remote control, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cell phone, a memory stick, a memory card, a recordable CD and a recordable DVD.

39. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting, in response to determining that the filtered plurality of video assets is empty, supplementary information for display in the first cell.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the supplementary information includes a message about the current or future availability of an additional plurality of video assets.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the supplementary information includes an option to modify the expressed user preferences.

20. A system for displaying, at a user equipment device, video assets of interest to a user, comprising:

a display displaying a mosaic page having a plurality of cells; and

user equipment configured to;

receive a selection from the user of a first of the plurality of cells;

receive an input from the user specifying a criterion for the user selected first cell;

for each of a plurality of video assets matching the user specified criterion, determine a score indicative of relevance of the respective video asset to the user by comparing historic or expressed user preferences with data associated with the respective video asset;

filter the plurality of video assets to remove video assets having scores below a predetermined threshold value;

select from the filtered plurality of video assets, for display in the user selected first cell, a video asset having the greatest score indicative of relevance to the user; and

display the selected video asset in the user selected first cell on the display.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the user preference include at least one of an asset'"'"'s genre, a broadcast channel supplying the asset, and a media source supplying the asset.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the relevance to the user is associated with the user'"'"'s viewing frequency of the asset.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the user preferences are entered in form of alphanumeric characters using a remote input device or a keyboard.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the display further displays on the mosaic page information associated with the displayed video asset.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the user preferences are entered by the user manually or selected from a displayed list.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the score indicative of relevance to the user is determined by comparing the user preferences with at least one of a title, a name of a performer, a show time, a media channel, and a synopsis of the identified content supplied by the interactive media guidance application.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the selected video asset is selected from a television channel, a television service provider, a video-on-demand (VOD) channel, a pay-per-view (PPV) channel, a recorded video (DVR) program, an interactive media guidance application, a web-site, a program guide service provider, a service, a digital music programmer, a radio station, and any combination thereof.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the selected video asset is displayed as a full-motion video.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the mosaic page is personalized for a user.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein a layout of the plurality of cells on the mosaic page is selected from at least one template.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the user equipment is configured to perform a fuzzy match between the user preference and the data.

32. The system of claim 20, wherein the user equipment is configured to associate the user selected first cell of the mosaic page with interactive features.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the interactive features are accessed via a remote control device.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the interactive features are selected from the group consisting of a shopping opportunity, a program promotion, a selection of additional program content, a recording button, and availability of interactive program snipes.

35. The system of claim 20, wherein the user equipment is configured to configure a plurality of mosaic pages, said plurality of mosaic pages arranged hierarchically, with each mosaic page containing at least one cell having the greatest score indicative of relevance to the user.

36. The system of claim 20, wherein the user equipment is configured to make information about the mosaic page on a first user device available on a second different user device.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the information is made available by storing the information on a portable medium, storing the information at a central location accessible to the first and second user device, or transmitting the information from the first to the second user device via a network connection, or a combination thereof.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the portable medium is selected from the group consisting of an infrared remote control, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cell phone, a memory stick, a memory card, a recordable CD and a recordable DVD.

42. The system of claim 20, wherein the user equipment is further configured to select, in response to determining that the filtered plurality of video assets is empty, supplementary information for display in the first cell.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the supplementary information includes a message about the current or future availability of an additional plurality of video assets.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the supplementary information includes an option to modify the expressed user preferences.