System and method for creating and using a smart electronic programming guide

• US 9,094,717 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imagine Communications Limited (Gores Broadcast Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Imagine Communications Limited (Gores Broadcast Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Beadle, Edward R., DeLay, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parra, Omar S
• Application Number:
  US11/812,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20080320521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,959 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 61
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

Systems and/or methods are disclosed herein to identify a user interacting with a content presentation system, adaptively learn, in a passive manner, a user'"'"'s pattern of accessing content over time, and globally store the user'"'"'s identifying and use information. Specifically, disclosed are systems and/or methods for creating a smart electronic programming guide, including determining an identity of a user interacting with a content presentation system, collecting channel use information for each of a plurality of channels from the user'"'"'s interaction with the content presentation system, storing the channel use information, determining a value for each of the plural channels as a function of the channel use information, and creating a smart electronic programming guide for the plural channels as a function of the determined value.

Claims

1. A method for creating a smart electronic programming guide, comprising:

(a) determining an identity of a user interacting with a content presentation system;

(b) collecting channel use information for each of a plurality of channels from the user'"'"'s interaction with the content presentation system;

(c) storing the channel use information;

(d) determining a value for each of said plural channels as a function of the channel use information; and

(e) creating a smart electronic programming guide for said plural channels as a function of the determined value;

further comprising creating a first smart electronic programming guide for said plural channels for a first mode of content delivery by said content presentation system and creating a second smart electronic programming guide for said plural channels for a second mode of content delivery by said content presentation system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said content presentation system is selected from the group consisting of:

a television, a radio, an internet-connected device, a music playing device, a portable entertainment device, a personal digital assistant, a cellular phone/information system, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said content presentation system is a television and said first mode of content delivery is via a main television display and said second mode of content delivery is via a picture-in-picture display.

4. A method for creating a smart electronic programming guide, comprising:

(a) determining an identity of a user interacting with a content presentation system;

(b) collecting channel use information for each of a plurality of channels from the user'"'"'s interaction with the content presentation system;

(c) storing the channel use information;

(d) determining a value for each of said plural channels as a function of the channel use information; and

(e) creating a smart electronic programming guide for said plural channels as a function of the determined value,

wherein said smart electronic programming guide includes a first section listing a first channel of said plurality of channels based on said determined value, and a second section listing a second channel of said plurality of channels wherein said second channel is related to said first channel, and

said relationship between said first and second channels is based on a type of program associated with said first channel.

5. A system for creating a smart electronic programming guide, comprising:

circuitry for determining an identity of a user interacting with a content presentation system;

circuitry for collecting channel use information for each of a plurality of channels from the user'"'"'s interaction with said content presentation system;

an electronic storage device for storing said channel use information;

circuitry for determining a value for each of said plural channels as a function of said channel use information; and

circuitry for creating a smart electronic programming guide for said plural channels as a function of said determined value,

further comprising circuitry for creating a first smart electronic programming guide for said plural channels for a first mode of content delivery by said content presentation system and circuitry for creating a second smart electronic programming guide for said plural channels for a second mode of content delivery by said content presentation system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said content presentation system is selected from the group consisting of:

a television, a radio, an internet-connected device, a music playing device, a portable entertainment device, a personal digital assistant, a cellular phone/information system, and combinations thereof.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said content presentation system is a television and said first mode of content delivery includes circuitry for displaying content via a main television display and said second mode of content delivery includes circuitry for displaying content via a picture-in-picture display.