System, method, and software application for targeted advertising via behavioral model clustering, and preference programming based on behavioral model clusters

• US 8,850,465 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Bentolila, Isaac, Zhou, Yiming, Ismail, Labeeb K., Humpleman, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Kieu Oanh T
• Application Number:
  US13/238,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20120011530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 725/14, 725/32, 725/42, 725/46
• US Class Current: 725/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• 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 21/4663 involving probabilistic networks, e.g. Bayesian networks
• 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 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

The method and system for TV user profile data prediction and modeling allows accurate and narrowly focused behavioral clustering. A client-side system classifies television consumers into representative user profiles. The profiles target individual user advertising and program preference category groups. A contextual behavioral profiling system determines the user'"'"'s monitor behavior and content preferences, and the system may be continually updated with user information. A behavioral model database is queried by various system modules. The programming, including targeted advertising for television and interactive television is based on the profile data prediction, modeling and preference determination. The system is enabled to present a complete program sequence to the viewer based on the preference determination and stored programming. The latter is referred to as automatic program sequence (virtual channel) creation and the virtual channel can be presented as a separate channel in an electronic programming guide (EPG).

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a listing of a plurality of virtual channels based on a profile of a user;

displaying, via a display device, a program guide comprising a plurality of channels including a first one of said virtual channels, wherein programs are placed into said first virtual channel according to said profile of said user and said profile of said user comprises behavioral information including a number of hops per program, wherein a hop represents an act of leaving and returning to a same program; and

in response to said user selecting a program listed on said first virtual channel, adjusting said profile of said user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein advertisements are also placed into said first virtual channel according to said profile of said user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first virtual channel is displayed as a separate channel along side at least one non-virtual channel in said program guide.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said behavioral information comprises at least one of:

an indication that said user liked a program, and an indication that said user did not like said program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said programs placed into said first virtual channel are stored in a data storage device for a system associated with said display device.

6. A system, comprising:

means for generating a listing of a plurality of virtual channels based on a profile of a user, wherein said profile of said user comprises behavioral information including a number of hops per program, wherein a hop represents an act of leaving and returning to a same program;

means for enabling display of a program guide comprising a plurality of channels including a first one of said virtual channels, wherein programs are placed into said first virtual channel according to said profile of said user; and

means for adjusting said profile of said user in response to said user selecting a program listed on said first virtual channel.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein advertisements are also placed into said first virtual channel according to said profile of said user.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said first virtual channel is displayed as a separate channel along side at least one non-virtual channel in said program guide.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said behavioral information comprises at least one of:

an indication that said user liked a program, and an indication that said user did not like said program.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said programs placed into said first virtual channel are stored in a data storage device associated with said system.

11. A method for operating a system having a program guide, said method comprising:

generating a first virtual channel based on a profile of a user, wherein programs are placed into said first virtual channel according to said profile of said user and said profile comprises behavioral information including a number of hops per program, wherein a hop represents an act of leaving and returning to a same program;

displaying, via a display device associated with said system, a listing of said program guide comprising a plurality of channels including said first virtual channel; and

in response to said user selecting a program listed on said first virtual channel in said program guide, adjusting said profile of said user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein advertisements are also placed into said first virtual channel according to said profile of said user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said first virtual channel is displayed as a separate channel along side at least one non-virtual channel in said program guide.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said behavioral information comprises at least one of:

an indication that said user liked a program, and an indication that said user did not like said program.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said programs placed into said first virtual channel are stored in a data storage device associated with said system.