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VOD offerings based on popular demand

  • US 8,839,316 B2
  • Filed: 12/08/2008
  • Issued: 09/16/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method performed by a set-top box, the method comprising:

  • receiving, by the set-top box and from a user of a subscription television service, a video-on-demand (VOD) programming suggestion;

    automatically sending, by the set-top box and to a server, the VOD programming suggestion;

    receiving, by the set-top box and from the server, a notification that a program corresponding to the VOD programming suggestion is available for purchase,the availability of the VOD programming suggestion being based on a compiled VOD programming suggestion that includes the VOD programming suggestion and other VOD programming suggestions from other set-top boxes,the compiled VOD programming suggestion being created by ranking the VOD programming suggestion with the other VOD programming suggestions, andthe other VOD programming suggestions from the other set-top boxes including corresponding ranking weights based on a number of previous VOD programs purchased by the other set-top boxes within a predetermined period of time,a first ranking weight, of the corresponding ranking weights, being associated with a first set-top box of the other set-top boxes, the first set-top box being associated with a first plurality of purchased VOD programs,a second ranking weight, of the corresponding ranking weights, being associated with a second set-top box of the other set-top boxes, the second set-top box being associated with a second plurality of purchased VOD programs,the first ranking weight being based only on a number of the first plurality of purchased VOD programs associated with the first set-top box within the predetermined period of time,the second ranking weight being based only on a number of the second plurality of purchased VOD programs associated with the second set-top box within the predetermined period of time, andthe first ranking weight being greater than the second ranking weight when the number of the plurality of purchased VOD programs, associated with the first set-top box, is greater than the number of the plurality of purchased VOD programs, associated with the second set-top box; and

    providing, by the set-top box, the availability of the program corresponding to the VOD programming suggestion to the user.

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