Systems and methods for content surfing

• US 9,038,103 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Craner, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHNURR, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US14/132,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20140109143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 725/37, 725/38, 725/41, 725/43, 725/52, 725/142
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/00 Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 ; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/482 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 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving or suggesting alternatives to content surfing are provided. When it is detected that a user wishes to surf, a pipeline tuning sequence is implemented where by storing one or more frames of a first content selection to the user equipment and acquiring a subsequent content selection while concurrently displaying the previously stored one or more frames. Content suggestions, program listing grids, media guidance application and tuning hints, advertisements, digital audio, and live video may also be presented to user while content surfing. In some embodiments, content surf landing channels may be anticipated based on user history, user profiles, or any other suitable information. In some embodiments, thumbnails of the user'"'"'s recently tuned, or paused on, content are displayed to the user while content surfing. In multiple tuner systems, more than one thumbnail may be displayed in full motion video.

Claims

1. A method for content surfing on user equipment, the method comprising:

generating a sequential display in a first area, from a list of a plurality of content selections in a content surf, of the plurality of content selections;

determining whether a user request to pause the content surf was received when a display is generated, in a second area, of a given one of the content selections;

generating a content identifier of the given one of the content selections in response to determining that the user request to pause the content surf was received when the display was generated, in the second area, of the given one of the content selections; and

updating the sequential display generated in the first area with another one of the plurality of content selections while maintaining the generated display of the given one of the content selections in the second area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content identifier includes a content listing.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a visual representation of the given one of the content selections corresponding to the content identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a display of the given one of the content selections corresponding to the content identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the content identifier;

terminating the content surf responsive to the user selection; and

generating a display of the given one of the content selections corresponding to the selected content identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of content selections is determined based on user profile data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the content identifier is a first content identifier in a plurality of content identifiers, the method further comprising:

determining whether another user request to pause the content surf was received when a display is generated of another one of the content selections;

generating a second content identifier of the another one of the content selections in response to determining that the another user request to pause the content surf was received when the display was generated of the another one of the content selections; and

adding the second content identifier to the plurality of content identifiers.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing the generation of another content identifier corresponding to another content selection of the plurality of content selections if a user request to pause the content surf is not received when a display of the another content selection is generated.

9. A system for content surfing on user equipment, the system comprising:

control circuitry configured to;

generate a sequential display in a first area, from a list of a plurality of content selections in a content surf, of the plurality of content selections;

determine whether a user request to pause the content surf was received when a display is generated, in a second area, of a given one of the content selections;

generate a content identifier of the given one of the content selections in response to determining that the user request to pause the content surf was received when the display was generated, in the second area, of the given one of the content selections; and

update the sequential display generated in the first area with another one of the plurality of content selections while maintaining the generated display of the given one of the content selections in the second area.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the content identifier includes a content listing.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

generate a visual representation of the given one of the content selections corresponding to the content identifier.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

generate a display of the given one of the content selections corresponding to the content identifier.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a user selection of the content identifier;

terminate the content surf responsive to the user selection; and

generate a display of the given one of the content selections corresponding to the selected content identifier.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of content selections is determined based on user profile data.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the content identifier is a first content identifier in a plurality of content identifiers and the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine whether another user request to pause the content surf was received when a display is generated of another one of the content selections;

generate a second content identifier of the another one of the content selections in response to determining that the another user request to pause the content surf was received when the display was generated of the another one of the content selections; and

add the second content identifier to the plurality of content identifiers.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

prevent the generation of another content identifier corresponding to another content selection of the plurality of content selections if a user request to pause the content surf is not received when a display of the another content selection is generated.