Television program recording with user preference determination

• US 8,351,763 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SAS (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Ismail, Labeeb K., Gogoi, Amar N., Stupak, Yuri
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wendmagegn, Girumsew
• Application Number:
  US10/305,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20030118323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,696 Days
• Field of Search: 386/83, 386/261, 386/344, 725/58, 360/15
• US Class Current: 386/291
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• 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 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A system for recording television programs for subsequent viewing by a user includes a preference determination module which is responsive to attribute information associated with television programs viewed by the user. The preference determination module categorizes the attribute information in accordance with categorization parameters to generate recordation preference information, indicative of television program viewing preferences of the user. The system also includes a recordation module which is responsive to the recordation preference information, for causing recordation on a storage medium of subsequently transmitted television programs, having attribute information corresponding to the recordation preference information.

Claims

1. A method for allowing recording of television signals for later playback, the method comprising:

allowing a user to specify criteria for recording of shows from a television signal input source;

selecting, via a processor, future shows from a program guide for recording based on said user specified criteria, wherein the selection of shows is based on correspondence with the user specified criteria and correspondence with a dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and the program guide, and wherein the processor further selects for removal a previously recorded show having a lower assigned priority than an assigned priority of the selected future shows if insufficient capacity exists for recording the future shows by comparing priority of a future show to be recorded with priority of previously recorded shows; and

recording the selected shows, wherein priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the user specified criteria differs from priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and the program guide.

2. The method as recited by claim 1 wherein the user specified criteria may be selected from one or more of show titles, director names, actor/actress names, show theme, categories-value pairs, identification code, and rating information.

3. The method as recited by claim 1 further comprising allowing the user to review and edit shows selected for recording.

4. The method as recited by claim 1 wherein the criteria for recording of shows is presented to the user in a menu for selection.

5. The method as recited by claim 1 wherein recording said selected shows comprises recording onto a randomly accessible recording media.

6. The method as recited by claim 5 wherein the randomly accessible recording media is a hard disk.

7. The method as recited by claim 1 further comprising the user selecting functions from one of play, rewind and fast forward while the selected shows are being recorded.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the user specified criteria is higher than priority assigned to shows selected based on specified category-value pairs.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein shows selected based on correspondence with the user specified criteria further include assigned relative priorities between each other that are user selectable.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and the program guide is less than the priority assigned to shows selected based on specified category-value pairs.

11. The method as recited by claim 1, wherein the recording of shows is automatic.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the automatic recording of shows is based on the correspondence with the user specified criteria and correspondence with the dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and the program guide.

13. The method as recited by claim 1, wherein the recording of shows is made without user interaction.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein previously recorded shows are selected for removal based on priority assigned to shows, where priority is based on correspondence with the user specified criteria, correspondence with the dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria, and the program guide.

15. The method as recited by claim 1, wherein the recording of suggested shows are automatic.

16. A television signal data recorder comprising:

a recording medium for recording television signals;

a television signal input port;

a received program guide;

a preference database;

a processor coupled in communication with the received program guide and the preference database and coupled to control the recording of television signals received on the television signal input port onto the recording medium based on the received program guide and the preference database, wherein the recording of video signals is based on correspondence with user specified criteria and correspondence with a dynamic viewing preference analysis of the preference database and the program guide, and wherein the recording of television signals includes removing from the recording medium any lower assigned priority shows when necessary to accommodate the recording of television signals assigned with a higher priority, wherein the removing is based on a comparison of priority of a future show to be recorded with priority of previously recorded shows, and

wherein priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the user specified criteria is different from priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and the program guide.

17. The video data recorder as recited by claim 16 wherein the video signal input port is selected from cable, satellite and broadcast.

18. The video data recorder as recited by claim 16 wherein the recording medium is a randomly accessible recording medium.

19. The video data recorder as recited by claim 16 wherein the program guide includes data indicating channel programming.

20. The video data recorder as recited by claim 19 wherein the program guide data is updated from a channel guide source.

21. The video data recorder as recited by claim 16 wherein the preference database stores criteria information from a first user.

22. A television signal data recorder comprising:

a recording medium for recording television signals;

a television signal input port for receiving television signals;

an input port for receiving a program guide;

data storage for storing the program guide;

a processor coupled in communication with the received program guide to control the recording of television signals received on the television signal input port onto the recording medium based on the program guide; and

a selection system for allowing a user to specify criteria for recording of shows received from television signal input port based on information in the program guide, wherein the selection system selects future shows based on one of either correspondence with the user specified criteria or correspondence with a dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and the program guide, and wherein the selection system selects for removal a previously recorded show having a lower assigned priority than an assigned priority of the future shows if insufficient capacity exists on the recording medium for recording the future shows by comparing assigned priority of future shows to be recorded with assigned priority of previously recorded shows,

wherein priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the user specified criteria is different from priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and the program guide.

23. The video data recorder as recited by claim 22 wherein the video signal input port is selected from cable, satellite and broadcast.

24. The video data recorder as recited by claim 22 wherein the recording medium is a randomly accessible recording medium.

25. The video data recorder as recited by claim 22 further comprising a data store storing a preference database.

26. The video data recorder as recited by claim 25 wherein the preference database stores criteria information from a first user.

27. A television signal recording apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a television signal;

television signal storage means for recording the television signal;

selection means for selecting the television signal based on one of either correspondence with user specified criteria or correspondence with a dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and a program guide, wherein the selection means further selects for removal a previously recorded television signal having a lower assigned priority than the assigned priority of the selected television signal by comparing priority of a future show to be recorded with priority of previously recorded shows if insufficient capacity exists for recording the television signal on the television signal storage means,

wherein priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the user specified criteria is different from priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and the program guide.

28. The video recorder as recited by claim 27 wherein the video storage means comprises a random access storage device.

29. The video recorder as recited by claim 27 wherein the video storage means is a disk.

30. The video recorder as recited by claim 27 further comprising an input for the program guide.

31. The video recorder as recited by claim 27 wherein the selection means is a processor.

32. The video recorder as recited by claim 27 wherein the video signal is stored in a stored preferred program channel.

33. A television signal recording apparatus comprising:

a television signal input coupled to receive a television signals received from a television signal source;

one or more stored preferred program channels coupled to allow storage of future television signals from the television signal input based on one of either correspondence with user desired characteristics or correspondence with a dynamic viewing preference analysis of user desired characteristics stored in a user Preference Database with the content of the television signal, and wherein the one or more stored preferred program channels further allows for removal of previously stored television signals of a lower assigned priority than the assigned priority of future television signals by comparing priority of the future television signals to be recorded with priority of the previously stored television signals when the storage is insufficient to record the future television signals,

wherein priority assigned to future television signals selected based on correspondence with user desired characteristics is different from priority assigned to future television signals selected based on correspondence with the dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user desired characteristics.

34. The video recorder as recited by claim 33 wherein the television signal input is coupled to receive television signals from a television signal source chosen from the group of broadcast television signals, cable television signal or satellite signals.

35. The video recorder as recited by claim 33 further comprising a program guide storing information on the content of video signals to be received on the video input.

36. A method comprising:

assigning a priority to a future show for recording based on a set of criteria;

determining if there is sufficient memory to record the future show;

if insufficient memory exists for recording the future show, removing one or more previously recorded shows assigned with lower priorities than the assigned priority of the future show based on comparing priority of the future show to be recorded with priority of the one or more previously recorded shows;

wherein the assigned priorities of the previously recorded shows are based on the set of criteria; and

recording the future show, wherein priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with a user specified criteria is different from priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with a viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and a program guide.

37. A machine-readable non-transitory recording medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

assign a priority to a future show for recording based on a set of criteria;

determine if there is sufficient memory to record the future show;

if insufficient memory exists for recording the future show, remove one or more previously recorded shows designated with assigned priorities based on the set of criteria that are lower than the priority of the future show by comparing priority of the future show to be recorded with priority of the one or more previously recorded shows; and

record the future show, wherein priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with a user specified criteria is different from priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with a viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and a program guide.

38. A method for allowing recording of television signals for later playback, the method comprising:

allowing a user to specify criteria for recording of shows from a television signal input source;

selecting, via a processor, future shows from a program guide for recording based on said user specified criteria, wherein the selection of shows is based on correspondence with the user specified criteria and correspondence with a dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and the program guide, and wherein the processor further selects for removal a previously recorded show having a lower assigned priority than an assigned priority of the selected future shows based on comparing priority of the selected future shows to be recorded with priority of the previously recorded show if insufficient capacity exists for recording the future shows and recording the selected shows, and further wherein priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the user specified criteria is different from priority assigned to shows selected based on correspondence with the dynamic viewing preference analysis of the user specified criteria and the program guide.