Preemptive preloading of television program data

• US 8,804,042 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2013
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Kozloski, James R., Pickover, Clifford Alan, Sand, Anne R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahman, Mustafizur
• Application Number:
  US13/740,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20140198254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 348/570, 348/734, 348/731, 348/571, 348/522, 348/510, 348/725, 348/729, 348/732, 348/739, 348/706, 348/714, 348/719, 348/14.03, 348/231.3, 725/109, 725/44, 725/46, 725/38, 725/34, 725/39, 725/40, 725/47, 725/50, 725/55, 725/56, 725/58, 725/68, 725/72, 725/86, 725/93, 725/94, 725/96, 725/100, 725/110, 725/115, 725/116, 725/140, 725/142, 725/152, 715/700, 715/707, 715/727, 715/733, 715/737, 715/748, 715/762, 375/240.08, 375/240.12, 375/240.25
• US Class Current: 348/570
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

Digital television channels are preemptively cached based on a modeling of a user to reduce delays while switching channels. A current television channel is selected using a first tuner. A future television channel selection of the user is then predicted based on a modeling of the user. The recorded content of the predicted future television channel is preemptively cached using a second tuner. A buffer of the recorded content of the predicted future television channel is displayed when the user switches from the current television channel to the predicted future television channel. The modeling of the user is updated and stored in storage.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a user selected current television channel using a first tuner;

predicting, with a processing device, a future television channel selection of the user based on a modeling of the user;

caching recorded content of the predicted future television channel preemptively using a second tuner;

displaying a buffer of the recorded content of the predicted future television channel when the user switches from the current television channel to the predicted future television channel; and

storing an updated modeling of the user in storage,

wherein a button on a remote control is used to specify the user currently using the remote control, and

wherein the modeling of the user includes an evaluation of a collaborative rating among related users in a social network and is determined by an indication of approval or disapproval for programming related to sets of channels by users of the social network.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the caching of recorded content includes a plurality of tuners and a plurality of memory buffers.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modeling of the user includes an evaluation of a speed or rhythm of channel zapping by the user over a region of a tuner over a predetermined time period.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the collaborative rating is determined by an indication of approval or disapproval for programming related to the current channel by users of the social network.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modeling of the user includes an evaluation of the user'"'"'s preferences selected from a group comprising a genre or topic of a program, an actor or actress of the program, and a time of the program.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predicting of a future television channel selection includes an evaluation of channels the user commonly enters when performing a manual entry.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predicting of a future television channel selection includes a compensation for channel entry errors, the compensation including a channel checker that presents predicted replacement channels for channel entry errors based on a selected one or more from a group comprising a time of a day, a user interest, a nearby keypad number, and a user history.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein an auxiliary window displays a user'"'"'s most frequently or most recently channel entry errors and predicted replacement channels.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the caching of recorded content includes storing content of one or more channels immediately above or below the current channel in one or more buffers when a continuous pressing of an up or down button on a remote control is detected.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modeling of the user includes an evaluation of a direction of channel zapping by the user.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modeling of the user includes an evaluation of a zapping history of the user over a predetermined period of time.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the social network is comprised of registered users who live in the same vicinity, share the same interests, and share the same demographic.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code stored thereon that, when executed, performs a method, the method comprising;

receiving a user selected current television channel using a first tuner;

predicting, with a processing device, a future television channel selection of the user based on a modeling of the user;

caching recorded content of the predicted future television channel preemptively using a second tuner;

displaying a buffer of the recorded content of the predicted future television channel when the user switches from the current television channel to the predicted future television channel; and

storing an updated modeling of the user in storage,

wherein a button on a remote control is used to specify the user currently using the remote control, and

wherein the modeling of the user includes an evaluation of a collaborative rating among related users in a social network and is determined by an indication of approval or disapproval for programming related to sets of channels by users of the social network.