Promotional philosophy for a video-on-demand-related interactive display within an interactive television application

• US 8,931,008 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: McCoy, Robert H., Lumley, Daniel I., Drummond, Bryan Mitchell, DeWeese, Toby
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Chenea
• Application Number:
  US12/559,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing an interactive display having indicators of video-on-demand programs are described. The systems and methods select indicators for inclusion in the interactive display according to a promotional selection algorithm.

Claims

1. A method for providing video-on-demand program listings in an interactive display according to a promotional selection algorithm, the method comprising:

receiving video-on-demand program listings and first data that is based on a first promotional philosophy, wherein the first data identifies a subset of less than all of the received video-on-demand listings and includes a condition for selecting the identified subset of video-on-demand listings;

detecting situational data;

determining, using the detected situational data, whether the condition for selecting the subset of video-on-demand listings is satisfied;

based on the determination that the condition for selecting the subset of video-on-demand listings is satisfied, selecting the subset of video-on-demand listings for inclusion in the interactive display;

generating the interactive display that presents the subset of video-on-demand listings;

receiving second data that is based on a second promotional philosophy; and

updating the condition for selecting the subset of video-on-demand listings according to the second promotional philosophy using the second data.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the interactive display is a browse display that provides a user with an opportunity to browse through the video-on-demand program listings.

3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the interactive display is a video-on-demand program listings display that provides a user with an opportunity to navigate within the video-on-demand program listings.

4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the interactive display is a screening room that provides a user with an opportunity to preview a video-on-demand program associated with the subset of video-on-demand listings.

5. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising generating for display the video-on-demand program listings.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the detected situational data comprises a user preference profile.

7. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:

generating a selection log that includes a list of the selected video-on-demand program listings;

generating a first database that includes data defining desirable selections of video-on-demand listings;

generating a second database that includes data defining undesirable selections of video-on-demand listings; and

updating the first promotional philosophy based on the selection log, the first database and the second database.

15. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising selecting one or more advertisements for inclusion in the interactive display, wherein the one or more selected advertisements promote programs other than those associated with the subset of video-on-demand listings.

17. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the first promotional philosophy is configured to target a first audience and the second promotional philosophy is configured to target a second audience.

19. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the second data is received periodically or on-demand.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the situational data comprises one of the group of:

time of day, upcoming holiday or event, day of the week, current weather, a user'"'"'s channel lineup, a user'"'"'s channel subscription, or user demographics.

8. A system in which video-on-demand program listings are provided in an interactive display according to a promotional selection algorithm, the system comprising:

a communications device configured to receive video-on-demand program listings, first data based on a first promotional philosophy wherein the first data identifies a subset of less than all of the received video-on-demand listings and includes a condition for selecting the identified subset of video-on-demand listings, and second data based on a second promotional philosophy;

an indicator selector configured to;

detect situational data,

determine, using the detected situational data, whether the condition for selecting the subset of video-on-demand listings is satisfied,

select, based on the determination that the condition for selecting the subset of video-on-demand listings is satisfied, the subset of video-on-demand listings for inclusion in the interactive display, and

update the condition for selecting the subset of video-on-demand listings according to the second promotional philosophy using the second data; and

an interactive application configured to generate an interactive display that presents the subset of video-on-demand listings.

9. The system defined in claim 8 wherein the interactive display is a browse display that provides a user with an opportunity to browse through the video-on-demand program listings.

10. The system defined in claim 8 wherein the interactive display is a video-on-demand program listings display that provides a user with an opportunity to navigate within the video-on-demand program listings.

11. The system defined in claim 8 wherein the interactive display is a screening room that provides a user with an opportunity to preview a video-on-demand program associated with the subset of video-on-demand listings.

12. The system defined in claim 8 further comprising a data source configured to generate for display the video-on-demand program listings.

13. The system defined in claim 8 wherein the detected situational data comprises a user preference profile.

14. The system defined in claim 8 further comprising:

a log generator configured to generate a selection log that includes a list of the selected video-on-demand program listings; and

a log analyzer configured to;

generate a first database that includes data defining desirable selections of video-on-demand listings;

generate a second database that includes data defining undesirable selections of video-on-demand listings; and

receive the selection log and update the first promotional philosophy based on the selection log, the first database and the second database.

16. The system defined in claim 8, wherein the indicator selector selects one or more advertisements for inclusion in the interactive display, and wherein the one or more selected advertisements promote programs other than those associated with the subset of video-on-demand listings.

18. The system defined in claim 8, wherein the first promotional philosophy is configured to target a first audience and the second promotional philosophy is configured to target a second audience.

20. The system defined in claim 8, wherein the second data is received periodically or on-demand.

22. The system of claim 8, wherein the situational data comprises one of the group of:

time of day, upcoming holiday or event, day of the week, current weather, a user'"'"'s channel lineup, a user'"'"'s channel subscription, or user demographics.