Method and apparatus for dynamic prioritization of content listings

• US 8,977,721 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roku, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Roku, Inc.
• Inventors: Goodwin, Mark, Marksworth, Thomas C., Westerhoff, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUBIN, BLAKE J
• Application Number:
  US13/431,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20130262633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25 Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication, learning user preferences for recommending movies maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/251 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08
• 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 21/26225 involving billing parameters, e.g. priority for subscribers of premium services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8402 involving a version number, e.g. version number of EPG data arrangements for version control in computers G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 : represented by keywords

Abstract

A method for presenting content to a client device through a platform server includes detecting a selection of current content at the platform server. An attribute of the current content is identified. Additional content based on the attribute is identified. A representation of the additional content configured to be displayed at the client device is transmitted. A selection of the additional content is detected at the platform server. The attribute is revised based on the selection of the additional content. A representation of revised content configured to be displayed at the client device is transmitted. The revised content is based on revising the attribute.

Claims

1. A method for presenting content to a client device through a platform server comprising:

detecting a first selection of current content at the platform server wherein the first selection of the current content is centrally displayed;

identifying a first attribute of the first selection of the current content, wherein the first attribute characterizes the first selection;

identifying a first additional content based on the first attribute wherein the first additional content is aggregated from multiple content providers;

displaying the first additional content concentrically around the first selection of the current content at the client device;

detecting a second selection from the first additional content at the platform server;

detecting a match between the first attribute and a second attribute associated with the second selection, wherein the second attribute characterizes the second selection;

centrally displaying the second selection in place of the first selection;

identifying a second additional content based on the first attribute when the match occurs wherein the second additional content and the first additional content are different;

selectively displaying the second additional content concentrically around the second selection when the match occurs;

identifying a third additional content based on the second attribute when the match does not occur, wherein the third additional content and the first additional content are different, such that the second attribute substitutes for the first attribute as the criteria for identifying the third additional content;

selectively displaying the third additional content concentrically around the second selection when the match does not occur;

detecting an activation of the second selection; and

transmitting content associated with the second selection configured to be displayed at the client device.

2. The method according to claim 1;

further comprising transmitting a representation of the first additional content from the platform server.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first additional content is graphically shown based on genres, actors, directors, and series.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first attribute is based on an attribute type selected from a genre, an actor, a director, and a series.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the first selection of the current content on the platform server.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising shifting a display screen based on the selection of first additional content whereby the selection of second additional content remains within a central portion of the display screen.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting the first selection further comprises detecting a position of a highlighted cursor.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting the first selection further comprises detecting a selection of content highlighted by a cursor.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second attribute has a second attribute type that is different from a first attribute type associated with the first attribute.