Smart media selection based on viewer user presence

• US 8,949,871 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Fishman, Alex, Chai, Crx K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dubasky, Gigi L
• Application Number:
  US12/877,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20120060176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 725 10- 12
• US Class Current: 725/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies

Abstract

In various exemplary embodiments, a system and method to provide smart media selection to a set of one or more individuals at a location associated with a display device of a receiver system is provided. In example embodiments, an indication of a presence change at the location is received. User specific information associated with the set of the one or more individuals identified as being at the location is accessed. A recommendation playlist based on the user specific information is generated.

Claims

1. A method for customizing displayed media content, the method comprising:

automatically, without human intervention, detecting a change in presence of at least one viewer viewing media content displayed on a display device at a viewing location;

accessing user specific information for each individual remaining at the viewing location, the specific information including a user history for each of the remaining individuals, the user history including a list of previously viewed media content and currently stored media content for each individual, the currently stored media content comprising a preselected list of a plurality of media content that are recorded or queued up for later viewing, the accessing being triggered by the detecting of the change in presence;

generating a single recommendation playlist for the remaining individuals in the viewing location based on commonalities within the user specific information and user history of each of the remaining individuals, the recommendation playlist generated at least by compiling a list of common currently stored media content comprising the preselected list of the plurality of media content that are recorded or queued up for later viewing and removing the previously viewed media content of each of the remaining individuals; and

triggering, by one or more processors, a change of the media content displayed based on the user specific information for each of the remaining individuals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in presence at the viewing location is a departure of the at least one viewer from the viewing location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in presence at the viewing location is an arrival of the at least one viewer at the viewing location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging the at least one viewer into or out of a source system based on the detecting of the change in presence.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user specific information comprises a user profile for each of the remaining individuals, the user profile indicating preferences and attributes provided by each of the individuals.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the change in presence comprising receiving presence information generated by a presence detector.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining an identity of a user associated with the presence information.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the presence information comprises one or more of an image, a gesture, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, a voice recording, and a biometric indicator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering of the change of the media content comprises

presenting the recommendation playlist for display on the display device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a media content from the recommendation playlist; and

providing the selected media content to the display device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering of the change of the media content comprises pausing or stopping current playback of a media content.

12. A system to customize displayed media content, the system comprising:

a processor of a machine;

a presence detection module configured to automatically, without human intervention, detect a change in presence of at least one viewer viewing media content displayed on a display device at a viewing location;

a user profile module configured to access user specific information for each individual remaining at the viewing location, the specific information including a user history for each of the remaining individuals, the user history including a list of previously viewed media content and currently stored media content for each individual, the currently stored media content comprising a preselected list of a plurality of media content that are recorded or queued up for later viewing, the accessing being triggered by the detecting of the change in presence;

a recommendation module configured to generate a single recommendation playlist for the remaining individuals in the viewing location based on commonalities within the user specific information and user history of each of the remaining individuals, the recommendation playlist generated at least by compiling a list of common currently stored media content comprising the preselected list of the plurality media content that are recorded or queued up for later viewing and removing the previously viewed media content of each of the remaining individuals; and

a media presentation module to trigger, implemented by the processor of the machine, a change of the media content displayed based on the user specific information for each of the remaining individuals.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a user identity module configured to determine an identity of the at least one viewer associated with the detected change in presence.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a history module configured to maintain the user history for each of the remaining individuals.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the user specific information comprises a user profile for each of the remaining individuals, the user profile indicating preferences and attributes provided by each of the individuals.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a presence detector configured to generate presence information to be sent to the presence detection module.

17. A machine-readable storage medium having no transitory signals and storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform an operations comprising:

automatically, without human intervention, detecting a change in presence of at least one viewer viewing media content displayed on a display device at a viewing location;

accessing user specific information for each individual remaining at the viewing location, the specific information including a user history for each of the remaining individuals, the user history including a list of previously viewed media content and currently stored media content for each individual, the currently stored media content comprising a preselected list of a plurality of media content that are recorded or queued up for later viewing, the accessing being triggered by the detecting of the change in presence;

generating a single recommendation playlist for the remaining individuals in the viewing location based on commonalities within the user specific information and user history of each of the remaining individuals, the recommendation playlist generated at least by compiling a list of common currently stored media content comprising the preselected list of the plurality of media content that are recorded or queued up for later viewing and removing the previously viewed media content of each of the remaining individuals; and

triggering a change of the media content displayed based on the user specific information for each of the remaining individuals.