Methods and systems for customizing viewing environment preferences in a viewing environment control application

• US 8,949,901 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Hays, Zachary
• Primary Examiner(s): Shang, Annan
• Application Number:
  US13/172,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20130007809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37-118, 709217-232
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• 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 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game

Abstract

Systems and methods for customizing viewing environment preferences using an interactive media guidance application are provided. A media content may be accessed using an interactive media guidance application. A viewing environment preference may be configured and stored that defines attributes of components in the viewing environment. Media content can be associated to a viewing environment preference based on media guidance data. When a media content is accessed, a determination is made whether the accessed media content is associated to a previously stored viewing environment preference. If the accessed media content is associated to a previously stored viewing environment preference, data may be transmitted to a component external to a user equipment device to modify an attribute of the external component based on the previously stored viewing environment preference.

Claims

1. A method for customizing viewing environment preferences in an interactive media guidance application, the method comprising:

accessing, with a user equipment device, media content using an interactive media guidance application;

determining whether the accessed media content is associated with a previously stored viewing environment preference; and

in response to determining that the media content is associated with the previously stored viewing environment preference, transmitting data to a remote server to modify an attribute of the remote server corresponding to a first user based on the previously stored viewing environment preference, wherein the remote server makes the modified attribute available to a second user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the interactive media guidance application comprises a widget.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving input from the first user, comprising a viewing environment preference; and

storing the viewing environment preference in a user profile associated with the first user as a previously stored viewing environment preference.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted data comprises status update information, a message, and media guidance data associated with the accessed media content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted data identifies the first user accessing the media content, and the remote server identifies a profile of the first user based on the transmitted data, updates the profile of the first user based on the transmitted data, and indicates to the second user, based on the transmitted data, that the first user is accessing the media content.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an input from the first user, comprising an operation of the interactive media guidance application;

automatically generating a viewing environment preference based on the input from the first user; and

storing the viewing environment preference in a user profile associated with the first user as the previously stored viewing environment preference.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving rating information from an input at the user equipment, wherein transmitting the data to the remote server comprises transmitting the received rating input information.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to determining that the media content is associated with the previously stored viewing environment preference, prompting the first user for confirmation; and

wherein the transmitting data to the remote server is done in response to receiving user input based on the confirmation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessed media content is associated with the previously stored viewing environment preference by media guidance data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the media guidance data comprises one or more of:

a media title, a genre, actor information, a parental control rating, a media format, and advertisement information.

11. A system for customizing viewing environments preferences in an interactive media guidance application, the system comprising:

processing circuitry configured to;

access media content using an interactive media guidance application;

determine whether the accessed media content is associated with a previously stored viewing environment preference; and

in response to determining that the media content is associated with the previously stored viewing environment preference, transmit data to a remote server to modify an attribute of the remote server corresponding to a first user based on the previously stored viewing environment preference, wherein the remote server makes the modified attribute available to a second user.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the interactive media guidance application comprises a widget.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive input from the first user, comprising a viewing environment preference; and

store the viewing environment preference in a user profile associated with the first user as a previously stored viewing environment preference.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the transmitted data comprises status update information, a message, and media guidance data associated with the accessed media content.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the transmitted data identifies the first user accessing the media content, and the remote server identifies a profile of the first user based on the transmitted data, updates the profile of the first user based on the transmitted data, and indicates to the second user, based on the transmitted data, that the first user is accessing the media content.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive an input from the first user, comprising operations of the interactive media guidance application;

automatically generate a viewing environment preference based on the input from the first user; and

store the viewing environment preference in a user profile associated with the first user as the previously stored viewing environment preference.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive rating information from an input at a user equipment, wherein transmitting the data to the remote server comprises transmitting the received rating input information.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

in response to determining that the media content is associated with the previously stored viewing environment preference, prompt the first user for confirmation; and

wherein the transmitting data to the remote server is done in response to receiving user input based on the confirmation.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the accessed media content is associated with the previously stored viewing environment preference by media guidance data.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the media guidance data comprises one or more of:

a media title, a genre, actor information, a parental control rating, a media format, and advertisement information.