Method and apparatus for audio/data/visual information
First Claim
1. A method of selecting desired audio/data/visual information from a broadcast of a first plurality of programs, the method comprising acts of:
- determining viewing preferences of a viewer, the viewing preferences are supplied by the viewer, are automatically updated, and indicate a focus selected from at least one of an identity of a participant in, a type of an event in, a location of the event in, a specific action performed in one or more of the plurality of programs;
receiving on a user apparatus at a viewer'"'"'s location, an EPG describing characteristics of a first plurality of audio/data/visual programs;
selecting a second plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs from the first plurality of audio/data/visual programs excluding programs described in the EPG as not having characteristics associated with the viewing preferences;
extracting and indexing closed-captioned or transcribed text and monitoring frequency of occurrence of words in the text from each of the second plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs to indicate their focus;
comparing the focus of said viewing preferences with the focus extracted from each of the second plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs to identify desired audio/data/visual information;
ranking the desired audio/data/visual information based on conformance of their focus with the focus of the viewing preferences; and
providing access to the ranked desired audio/data/visual information, wherein access to higher ranked desired audio/data/visual information is given priority.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of selecting, storing and delivering desired audio/data/visual information includes the steps of determining viewing preferences of a viewer and receiving a first group of audio/data/visual signals, for example, broadcast and cable television signals or internet-based signals. Based on the first group of audio/data/visual signals, a second group of audio/data/visual signals, which is a subset of the first group of audio/data/visual signals, is identified. The second group of audio/data/visual signals is selected based on the association of EPG data for each signal with the viewing preferences of the viewer. Content data is then extracted from the second group of audio/data/visual signals and compared with the viewing preferences. The content data may include, for example, closed-captioned text, EPG data, audio information, visual information and transcript information. Based on the comparison of the content data extracted from the second group of audio/data/visual signals with the viewing preferences, audio/data/visual information contained in the second group of audio/data/visual signals which is of interest to the viewer is identified and stored for review at the viewers convenience.
99 Citations
82 Claims
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1. A method of selecting desired audio/data/visual information from a broadcast of a first plurality of programs, the method comprising acts of:
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determining viewing preferences of a viewer, the viewing preferences are supplied by the viewer, are automatically updated, and indicate a focus selected from at least one of an identity of a participant in, a type of an event in, a location of the event in, a specific action performed in one or more of the plurality of programs; receiving on a user apparatus at a viewer'"'"'s location, an EPG describing characteristics of a first plurality of audio/data/visual programs; selecting a second plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs from the first plurality of audio/data/visual programs excluding programs described in the EPG as not having characteristics associated with the viewing preferences; extracting and indexing closed-captioned or transcribed text and monitoring frequency of occurrence of words in the text from each of the second plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs to indicate their focus; comparing the focus of said viewing preferences with the focus extracted from each of the second plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs to identify desired audio/data/visual information; ranking the desired audio/data/visual information based on conformance of their focus with the focus of the viewing preferences; and providing access to the ranked desired audio/data/visual information, wherein access to higher ranked desired audio/data/visual information is given priority. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of selecting desired audio/data/visual information from a broadcast of a first plurality of programs, the method comprising acts of:
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determining by a user apparatus viewing preferences of a user, the viewing preferences are supplied by the user, are automatically updated, and indicate a focus selected from at least one of an identity of a participant in, a type of an event in, a location of the event in, a specific action performed in one or more of the plurality of programs; selecting a subset from a plurality of audio/data/visual programs on a basis of a characteristics described in an EPG received by the user apparatus at a users location, wherein the programs in the subset excludes programs described in the EPG as not having characteristics associated with the viewing preferences; extracting and indexing closed-captioned or transcribed text and monitoring frequency of occurrence of words in the text from each of the second plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs to indicate their focus; comparing the focus of said viewing preferences with the focus extracted from each program of the subset of the plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs to identify desired audio/data/visual information; ranking the desired audio/data/visual information based on conformance of their focus with the focus of the viewing preferences; and providing access to the ranked desired audio/data/visual information, wherein access to higher ranked desired audio/data/visual information is given priority. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An audio/data/visual program selection system comprising:
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an input device for providing viewing preferences of a viewer, the viewing preferences are supplied by the viewer, are automatically updated, and indicate a focus selected from at least one of an identity of a participant in, a type of an event in, a location of the event in, a specific action performed in one or more of the plurality of programs; and an information selector for; receiving at a viewer'"'"'s location, an EPG describing characteristics of a first plurality of audio/data/visual programs; selecting a second plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs from the first plurality of audio/data/visual programs excluding programs described in the EPG as not having characteristics associated with the viewing preferences; extracting and indexing closed-captioned or transcribed text and monitoring frequency of occurrence of words in the text from each of the second plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs to indicate their focus; comparing the focus of said viewing preferences with the focus extracted from each of the second plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs to identify desired audio/data/visual information; ranking the desired audio/data/visual information based on conformance of their focus with the focus of the viewing preferences; and providing access to the ranked identified audio/data/visual information, access to higher ranked desired audio/data/visual information is given priority. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. An audio/data/visual program selection system comprising:
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an input device for providing viewing preferences of a user, the viewing preferences are supplied by the user, are automatically updated, and indicate a focus selected from at least one of an identity of a participant in, a type of an event in, a location of the event in, a specific action performed in one or more of the plurality of programs; and an information selector for; selecting a subset from a plurality of audio/data/visual programs on a basis of a characteristics described in an EPG received at a users location, wherein the programs in the subset excludes programs described in the EPG as not having characteristics associated with the viewing preferences; extracting and indexing closed-captioned or transcribed text and monitoring frequency of occurrence of words in the text from each of the second plurality of unmodified audio/data/visual programs to indicate their focus; comparing the focus of said viewing preferences and the focus extracted from each of the subset of audio/data/visual programs to identify desired audio/data/visual information; ranking the desired audio/data/visual information based on conformance of their focus with the focus of the viewing preferences; and providing access to the desired audio/data/visual information, wherein access to higher ranked desired audio/data/visual information is given priority. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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Specification