Method and system for content recording and indexing

• US 8,689,257 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gibbon, David, Basso, Andrea, Begeja, Lee, Liu, Zhu, Renger, Bernard S., Shahraray, Behzad
• Primary Examiner(s): Parry, Chris
• Application Number:
  US11/967,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20090172733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,283 Days
• Field of Search: 725/49, 725/55, 725/59
• US Class Current: 725/41
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

Methods and systems for content recording and indexing are described. Content may be accessed from a content source. The content may be processed to generate an index of the content. Programming data for future content may be accessed. A content selection guide may be generated in accordance with the index and the programming data. The content selection guide may include a listing of the indexed content and the future content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing, by a system comprising a processor, content from a content source, the content comprising video content and wherein the system is a receiver device;

generating, by the system, metadata for the content according to a remote control device;

processing, by the system, the content to generate an index of the content;

accessing, by the system, programming data for the content from a database;

generating, by the system, a pictorial view of the content, wherein the pictorial view is generated at a quality based on a capability of the remote control device;

generating, by the system, a content selection guide in accordance with the index, the metadata, and the programming data, the content selection guide being generated for presentation at a display device of the remote control device, the content selection guide including a listing of the content and the programming scheduled for future broadcast, wherein the content selection guide has access to multiple media streams for obtaining the content and the programming scheduled for future broadcast, and wherein the remote control device is configured to communicate with a set top box for controlling presentation by the set top box of the content and the programming scheduled for future broadcast;

providing, by the system, the content selection guide and the pictorial view of the content to the remote control device;

receiving, by the system, a content viewing selection from the remote control device;

receiving, by the system, a first content portion and first metadata associated with the first content portion from the content source according to the content viewing selection;

adding, by the system, the first metadata to stored metadata;

analyzing, by the system, the stored metadata to determine a content viewing profile;

ranking, by the system, the first content portion according to the content viewing profile to generate a first content ranking;

providing, by the system, the first content ranking to the remote control device;

receiving, by the system, a search request from the remote control device;

searching, by the system, the index of the content, the programming data, and the metadata for a segment of the content in accordance with the search request;

providing, by the system, a search result from the searching for presentation at the remote control device;

providing, by the system, a topic description for the segment of the content with the search result provided for presentation;

differentiating, by the system, a portion of the topic description provided for presentation that includes the search request;

receiving, by the system, a topic match selection from the portion of the topic description; and

providing, by the system, the segment of the content that is associated with the topic match selection for presentation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the system, whether to provide the index to the remote control device; and

providing, by the system, the index to the remote control device according to the determining to provide the index.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pictorial view is generated in response to a request for the pictorial view from the remote control device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is accessed from a local content source.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the system, a second search request and a time range for a topic;

searching, by the system, the content selection guide for a topic match in accordance with the second search request and the time range; and

providing, by the system, the topic match for presentation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the listing comprises program text identifying a program of the content.

7. A method comprising:

identifying, by a system comprising a processor, an advertisement associated with received content, wherein the content comprises video content and wherein the system comprises a receiver device;

obtaining, by the system, programming schedule data from a database according to the advertisement;

generating, by the system, metadata for the content according to a remote control device;

generating, by the system, a pictorial view of the content, wherein the pictorial view is generated at a quality based on a capability of the remote control device;

generating, by the system, a content selection guide in accordance with the program programming schedule data and the metadata;

providing, by the system, the content selection guide and the pictorial view of the content to the remote control device;

presenting, by the system, a listing portion of a content selection guide on a display device of a remote control device, the listing portion being associated with the content and the programming scheduling data, the listing portion being generated by the remote control device;

receiving, by the system, a hierarchical navigation selection for the listing portion;

providing, by the system, a different listing portion of the content selection guide in accordance with the hierarchical navigation selection for presentation on the display device of the remote control device, wherein the remote control device is configured to communicate with a set top box for controlling presentation of media content by the set top box;

receiving, by the system, a content viewing selection from the remote control device;

receiving, by the system, a first content portion and first metadata associated with the first content portion from a content source according to the content viewing selection;

adding, by the system, the first metadata to stored metadata;

analyzing, by the system, the stored metadata to determine a content viewing profile;

ranking, by the system, the first content portion according to the content viewing profile to generate a first content ranking;

providing, by the system, the first content ranking to the remote control device;

receiving, by the system, a search request from the remote control device;

searching, by the system, the content, the programming data, and the metadata for a segment of the content in accordance with the search request;

providing, by the system, a search result from the searching for presentation at the remote control device;

providing, by the system, a topic description for the segment of the content with the search result provided for presentation;

differentiating, by the system, a portion of the topic description provided for presentation that includes the search request;

receiving, by the system, a topic match selection from the portion of the topic description; and

providing, by the system, the segment of the content that is associated with the topic match selection for presentation.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating, by the system, an index according to the content;

determining, by the system, whether to provide the index to the remote control device; and

providing, by the system, the index to the remote control device according to the determining to provide the index.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the different listing portion comprises a uniform resource location associated with the content.

10. A method comprising:

accessing, by a system comprising a processor, a content portion of first content stored in a memory device, wherein the first content comprises video content;

generating, by the system, an index for the content portion;

obtaining, by the system, schedule data associated with a future broadcast from a database according to an advertisement associated with the first content;

accessing, by the system, a visual content representation associated with the content portion of the first content;

determining, by the system, programming scheduled for the future broadcast according to the schedule data;

generating, by the system, metadata for the first content according to a remote control device;

generating, by the system, a pictorial view of the first content, wherein the pictorial view is generated at a quality based on a capability of the remote control device;

generating, by the system, a content selection guide based on the index, the metadata, and the programming schedule using the processor of the remote control device;

providing, by the system, the content selection guide and the pictorial view of the first content for presentation on a display device of the remote control device, wherein the remote control device is configured to communicate with a set top box for controlling presentation of media content by the set top box;

receiving, by the system, a content viewing selection from the remote control device;

receiving, by the system, a first content portion and first metadata associated with the first content portion from a content source according to the content viewing selection;

adding, by the system, the first metadata to stored metadata;

analyzing, by the system, the stored metadata to determine a content viewing profile;

ranking, by the system, the first content portion according to the content viewing profile to generate a first content ranking;

providing, by the system, the first content ranking to the remote control device;

receiving, by the system, a search request from the remote control device;

searching, by the system, the index of the content, the programming data, and the metadata for a segment of the content in accordance with the search request;

providing, by the system, a search result from the searching for presentation at the remote control device;

providing, by the system, a topic description for the segment of the content with the search result provided for presentation;

differentiating, by the system, a portion of the topic description provided for presentation that includes the search request;

receiving, by the system, a topic match selection from the portion of the topic description; and

providing, by the system, the segment of the content that is associated with the topic match selection for presentation.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying, by the system, a user associated with the remote control device;

wherein the visual content representation is accessed in accordance with the identifying the user associated with the remote control device, and

wherein the content selection guide has access to multiple streams of content.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the content selection guide has access to multiple streams of media content simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the pictorial view is generated in response to a request for the pictorial view.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the visual content representation includes a textual description, a pictorial view, or combinations thereof.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

accessing content from a content source, the content comprising video content;

processing the content to generate an index of the content;

accessing programming data for content from a database;

generating metadata for the content according to a remote control device;

generating a pictorial view of the content, wherein the pictorial view is generated at a quality based on a capability of the remote control device;

generating a content selection guide in accordance with the index, the metadata, and the programming data for presentation at a display device of the remote control device, the content selection guide including a listing of the content and the programming scheduled for future broadcast, wherein the content selection guide has access to multiple media streams to obtain the content and the programming scheduled for future broadcast, wherein the remote control device is configured to communicate with a set top box for controlling presentation by the set top box of the content and the programming scheduled for future broadcast;

providing the content selection guide and the pictorial view of the content to the remote control device;

receiving a content viewing selection from the remote control device;

receiving a first content portion and first metadata associated with the first content portion from the content source according to the content viewing selection;

adding the first metadata to stored metadata;

analyzing the stored metadata to determine a content viewing profile;

ranking the first content portion according to the content viewing profile to generate a first content ranking;

providing the first content ranking to the remote control device;

receiving a search request from the remote control device;

searching the index of the content, the programming data, and the metadata for a segment of the content in accordance with the search request;

providing a search result from the searching for presentation at the remote control device;

providing a topic description for the segment of the content with the search result provided for presentation;

differentiating a portion of the topic description provided for presentation that includes the search request;

receiving a topic match selection from the portion of the topic description; and

providing the segment of the content that is associated with the topic match selection for presentation.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising providing the index to another device on a network, wherein the content selection guide has access to the multiple media streams simultaneously.