Content recommendations

• US 8,973,049 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pickelsimer, Lisa A., Patil, Anant, Thompson, Catherine Elizabeth
• Primary Examiner(s): Chung, Jason J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malangone, Carmine
• Application Number:
  US12/959,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20110138423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 725/46, 725 52- 53
• US Class Current: 725/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score

Abstract

Content recommendations may be provided. First, in response to a received input and concurrent with a shrunken programming content, a media guide may be displayed. The media guide may comprise a first card, a second card, and a third card. The first card may comprise a plurality of recommendation types. The second card may comprise a plurality of subcategories corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of recommendation types. The third card may comprise a plurality of content program names corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of subcategories. The plurality of content program names may be in an order. Next, in response to a selection of a one of the plurality of content program names, an action card maybe displayed. Then a selected one of the plurality of actions may be executed.

Claims

1. A method for providing content recommendations, the method comprising:

receiving a first input;

displaying a main menu in response to the received first input;

receiving a second input corresponding to a content recommendations element from the main menu;

shrinking, in response to the received second input, a currently displayed programming content;

displaying the shrunken programming content;

displaying, in response to the received second input and concurrent with the shrunken programming content, a media guide comprising;

a first card comprising a plurality of recommendation types comprising picks for me, community picks, critics'"'"' picks, picks for kids, and sponsor picks,

a second card comprising a plurality of subcategories corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of recommendation types from the first card the plurality of subcategories comprising a plurality of options comprising the following;

currently airing, all programs, highest rated, most watched, different critics enterprises, children'"'"'s age ranges, different sponsor enterprises, and content genres, and

a third card comprising a plurality of content program names corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of subcategories from the second card;

displaying a button to browse a listing of the plurality of program content names displayed in the third card in at least one of;

a poster view and a video view;

receiving a selection of the button to browse the listing of program content names by the at least one of;

the poster view and the video view;

displaying, in response to the selection of the button to browse the listing of the plurality of program content names by the poster view, a poster corresponding to a program content in each of the first card, the second card, and the third card, wherein displaying the poster corresponding to the program content in each of the first card, the second card, and the third card further comprises displaying a video, in response to the selection to browse the listing of the plurality of program content names by the video view, corresponding to the program content in each of the first card, the second card, and the third card; and

displaying an action card comprising a plurality of actions comprising watch now, record, program info, browse related, rate &

feedback, set reminder, and send to.

2. The method of claim 1, where displaying the media guide comprising the second card comprising the plurality of subcategories comprises displaying the media guide comprising the second card further comprising the plurality of subcategories comprising all programs and currently airing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the action card further comprises displaying the action card wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the action card further comprises displaying the action card wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card, the program type comprising one of the following:

linear, on demand, and recorded on a user'"'"'s digital video recorder.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the action card further comprises displaying the action card wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card and the plurality of actions are placed in an order of relevance based on the program type.

6. The method of claim 1, where displaying the media guide comprises displaying the second card to the right of the first card and placing the third card to the right of the second card.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the poster corresponding to the program content in each of the first card, the second card, and the third card comprises displaying a plurality of posters in the poster view, the plurality of posters corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of content program names.

8. The method of claim 1, where displaying the third card comprising the plurality of content program names comprises displaying the plurality of content program names in one of the following orders:

most highly recommended, highest rated, most watched, alphabetical, chronological, and vendor specified.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the shrunken programming content concurrently with the media guide comprises displaying the shrunken programming content concurrently with the media guide to fit at least the width of a high-definition television (HDTV) display.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a reset input; and

resetting, in response to the reset input, a recommendation process configured to cause a recommendation engine to re-analyze with fresh information corresponding to a user.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for providing content recommendations, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

receiving a first input;

displaying a main menu in response to the received first input;

receiving a second input corresponding to a content recommendations element from the main menu;

shrinking, in response to the received second input, a currently displayed programming content;

displaying the shrunken programming content;

displaying, in response to the received second input and concurrent with the shrunken programming content, a media guide comprising;

a first card comprising a plurality of recommendation types comprising picks for me, community picks, critics'"'"' picks, picks for kids, and sponsor picks,

a second card comprising a plurality of subcategories corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of recommendation types from the first card the plurality of subcategories comprising a plurality of options comprising the following;

currently airing, all programs, highest rated, most watched, different critics enterprises, children'"'"'s age ranges, different sponsor enterprises, and content genres, and

a third card comprising a plurality of content program names corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of subcategories from the second card;

displaying a button to browse a listing of the plurality of program content names

displayed in the third card in at least one of;

a poster view and a video view;

receiving a selection of the button to browse the listing of program content names by the at least one of;

the poster view and the video view;

displaying, in response to the selection of the button to browse the listing of the plurality of program content names by the poster view, a poster corresponding to a program content in each of the first card, the second card, and the third card, wherein displaying the poster corresponding to the program content in each of the first card, the second card, and the third card further comprises displaying a video, in response to the selection to browse the listing of the plurality of program content names by the video view, corresponding to the program content in each of the first card, the second card, and the third card; and

displaying an action card comprising a plurality of actions comprising watch now, record, program info, browse related, rate &

feedback, set reminder, and send to.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, where displaying the media guide comprising the second card comprising the plurality of subcategories comprises displaying the media guide comprising the second card further comprising the plurality of subcategories comprising all programs and currently airing.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein displaying the action card further comprises displaying the action card wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein displaying the action card further comprises displaying the action card wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card, the program type comprising one of the following:

linear, on demand, and recorded on a user'"'"'s digital video recorder.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein displaying the action card further comprises displaying the action card wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card and the plurality of actions are placed in an order of relevance based on the program type.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, where displaying the media guide comprises displaying the second card to the right of the first card and placing the third card to the right of the second card.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein displaying the poster corresponding to the program content in each of the first card, the second card, and the third card comprises displaying a plurality of posters in the poster view, the plurality of posters corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of content program names.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, where displaying the third card comprising the plurality of content program names comprises displaying the plurality of content program names in one of the following orders:

most highly recommended, highest rated, most watched, alphabetical, chronological, and vendor specified.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein displaying the shrunken programming content concurrently with the media guide comprises displaying the shrunken programming content concurrently with the media guide to fit at least the width of a high-definition television (HDTV) display.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a reset input; and

resetting, in response to the reset input, a recommendation process configured to cause a recommendation engine to re-analyze with fresh information corresponding to a user.

21. A system for providing content recommendations, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

receiving a first input;

displaying a main menu in response to the received first input;

receiving a second input corresponding to a content recommendations element from the main menu;

shrinking, in response to the received second input, a currently displayed programming content;

displaying the shrunken programming content;

displaying, in response to the received second input and concurrent with the shrunken programming content, a media guide comprising;

a first card comprising a plurality of recommendation types comprising picks for me, community picks, critics'"'"' picks, picks for kids, and sponsor picks,

a second card comprising a plurality of subcategories corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of recommendation types from the first card the plurality of subcategories comprising a plurality of options comprising the following;

currently airing, all programs, highest rated, most watched, different critics enterprises, children'"'"'s age ranges, different sponsor enterprises, and content genres, and

a third card comprising a plurality of content program names corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of subcategories from the second card;

displaying a button to browse a listing of the plurality of program content names displayed in the third card in at least one of;

a poster view and a video view;

receiving a selection of the button to browse the listing of program content names by the at least one of;

the poster view and the video view;

displaying, in response to the selection of the button to browse the listing of the plurality of program content names by the poster view, a poster corresponding to a program content in each of the first card, the second card, and the third card, wherein displaying the poster corresponding to the program content in each of the first card, the second card, and the third card further comprises displaying a video, in response to the selection to browse the listing of the plurality of program content names by the video view, corresponding to the program content in each of the first card, the second card, and the third card; and

displaying an action card comprising a plurality of actions comprising watch now, record, program info, browse related, rate &

feedback, set reminder, and send to.

22. The system of claim 21, where the processing unit being operative to display the media guide comprising the second card comprising the plurality of subcategories comprises the processing unit being operative to display the media guide comprising the second card further comprising the plurality of subcategories comprising all programs and currently airing.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the processing unit being operative to display the action card further comprises the processing unit being operative to display the action card wherein the actions displayed are a function of a program type corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of content program names from the third card.