System and method for generating dynamically filtered content results, including for audio and/or video channels

• US 9,015,147 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Concert Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Porto Technology, LLC (Concert Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Curtis, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Mamillapalli, Pavan
• Application Number:
  US11/961,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20090164448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,679 Days
• Field of Search: 707/600, 707/721, 707/723, 715/200
• US Class Current: 707/721
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/637 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialization, adaptation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/743 a collection of video files or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars

Abstract

A system and method for allowing a user to more effectively generate focused content results, including audio and/or video content. Content is dynamically filtered to generate content results in response to initial filtering settings or characteristics. The content results are provided to a user. Once the user finds and selects a content result of interest, additional filtering characteristics associated with the selected result are provided to the user as a suggestion for additional filtering. In this manner, the user is made aware of additional filtering settings or characteristics that can be used to focus the search results. Subsequent filter settings and filtering operations can be based on characteristics of previous relevant results in an iterative and dynamic manner. Focused results are more likely produced, because additional filtering settings are provided and adjusted according to characteristics of results deemed relevant by the user.

Claims

1. A method for filtering content, comprising:

generating, by a server, first content results based on first filter settings applied to a source of content;

receiving, by the server, a content selection from a user device from among the first content results;

in response to receipt of the content selection, generating, on the server, a suggestive characteristic associated with the content selection and unaccounted for in the first filter settings applied to the source of content;

providing, by the server, the suggestive characteristic to the user device;

receiving, by the server, a selection of the suggestive characteristic from the user device;

in response to receipt of the selection, adding, by the server, the suggestive characteristic received from the user device to the first filter settings to provide second filter settings, wherein at least one of the first filter settings or the second filter settings comprise a tag grouping including a tag defining a characteristic of content;

assigning a level of importance to the tag grouping in at least one of the first filter settings or the second filter settings to control the level of importance of the tag grouping in the at least one of the first filter settings or second filter settings, respectively; and

generating second content results based on the second filter settings applied to the source of content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the second content results on a user interface of the user device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a channel based on the second filter settings.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the second content results based on the first filter settings applied to a source of content comprises generating the first content results based on tuner settings being applied to the source of content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the suggestive characteristic is a first suggestive characteristic;

wherein the selection of the first suggestive characteristic is a first selection;

wherein the content selection is a first content selection; and

the method further comprising;

generating, by the server, a second suggestive characteristic that was unaccounted for in the second filter settings based on a second content selection from among the second content results;

receiving a second selection, from the user device, of the second suggestive characteristic;

in response to receipt of the second selection, adding, by the server, the second suggestive characteristic to the second filter settings to provide third filter settings; and

generating, by the server, third content results based on the third filter settings applied to the source of content.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the filter settings on a user interface of the user device; and

displaying the suggestive characteristic in the visually distinct manner from the first filter settings.

7. A device for filtering content, comprising:

a tuner coupled to a source of content, wherein the tuner is configured;

to generate first content results based on first tuner settings being applied to the source of content;

to receive a content selection from a user device, from among the first content results;

to generate, in response to receipt of the content selection, a suggestive characteristic associated with the content selection and unaccounted for in the first tuner settings applied to the source of content;

to provide the suggestive characteristic to the user device;

to receive a selection from the user device of the suggestive characteristic;

in response to receipt of the selection, to add the suggestive characteristic to the first tuner settings to create second tuner settings, wherein at least one of the first filter settings or the second filter settings comprise a tag grouping including a tag defining a characteristic of content;

to assign a level of importance to the tag grouping in at least one of the first filter settings or the second filter settings to control the level of importance of the tag grouping in the at least one of the first filter settings or second filter settings, respectively; and

to generate second content results based on the second tuner settings applied to the source of content.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the tuner is further configured to display the second content results on a user interface of the user device.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the tuner is further configured to create a channel based on the second tuner settings.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the source of content includes a group consisting of audio media, video media, and audio and video media.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the tuner settings comprise a tag defining a characteristic of content.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the tuner is further adapted to assign a level of importance to the tag in at least one of the first tuner settings or the second tuner settings to control the level of importance of the tag in the tuner settings.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the suggestive characteristic is a first suggestive characteristic, and the selection from the user device of the first suggestive characteristic is a first selection;

and

wherein the tuner is further configured;

to generate a second suggestive characteristic unaccounted for in the second tuner settings based upon the second content results;

to receive a second selection from the user device of the second suggestive characteristic;

to add the second suggestive characteristic to the second tuner settings to create third tuner settings; and

to generate third content results based on the third tuner settings being applied to the source of content.

14. The device of claim 7, wherein the tuner is further configured:

to receive a selection from the user device of a filter characteristic unassociated with the content selection; and

to include the filter characteristic unassociated with the content selection in the tuner settings to provide updated tuner settings.

15. The device of claim 7, wherein the tuner is further configured:

to display at least one of the first tuner settings or the second tuner settings on the user device; and

to display the at least one suggestive characteristic in a visually distinct manner from the tuner settings on the user device.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer program code stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program code executable on a computer server to carry out:

an instruction to generate first content results based on first filter settings being applied to a source of content;

an instruction to receive a content selection from a user device from among the content results;

an instruction to generate, in response to receipt of the content selection, a suggestive characteristic associated with the content selection and that was unaccounted for in the first filter settings applied to the source of content;

an instruction to provide at least one suggestive characteristic regarding the content selection to the user device that was unaccounted for in the first filter settings;

an instruction to receive a selection from the user device of the suggestive characteristic;

an instruction to include the suggestive characteristic selected by the user at the user device in the first filter settings to provide second filter settings, wherein at least one of the first filter settings or the second filter settings comprise a tag grouping including a tag defining a characteristic of content;

an instruction to assign a level of importance to the tag grouping in at least one of the first filter settings or the second filter settings to control the level of importance of the tag grouping in the at least one of the first filter settings or second filter settings, respectively; and

an instruction to generate second content results based on the second filter settings being applied to the source of content.