Systems and methods for ranking assets relative to a group of viewers

• US 9,148,701 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2013
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Craner, Michael L., Baxter, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US13/940,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20130305290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 725/46, 725/11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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 21/44224 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 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for ranking assets relative to a group of viewers. A group is formed by a user by selecting a number of different viewer preference profiles or automatically by the system as a function of analyzing similarities among viewer preference profiles. Individual preference values are computed for each viewer in the group relative to an asset. A group preference value is then computed by performing a function on the individual preference values. A display is generated that represents the individual preference values and the group preference value relative to an asset. Based on the information provided in the display, the asset most relevant to the group may be selected.

Claims

1. A method for providing asset recommendations for a group, the method comprising:

generating, using control circuitry, a display including an identifier for an asset;

determining a first individual preference value relative to the asset for a first viewer and a second individual preference value relative to the asset for a second viewer;

computing a group preference value relative to the asset based on the first and the second individual preference values; and

generating, for inclusion in the display, a representation of the first and the second individual preference values and the group preference value for the asset, wherein the first and the second individual preference values are visually distinguished from the group preference value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second individual preference values is a vector individual preference value and wherein computing the group preference value comprises performing a vector sum of the first and second individual preference values.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the first and second individual preference values comprises a set of magnitudes, each magnitude of the set of magnitudes corresponding to a difference between a characteristic value setting associated with the first or second viewer and a characteristic value associated with the asset.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating for display an equalizer for at least the first viewer, the equalizer comprising an initial asset characteristic value setting representing an initial preference relative to an asset characteristic for the first viewer; and

receiving a user input modifying the initial asset characteristic value setting of the equalizer to create a new asset characteristic value setting representing the first viewer'"'"'s new preference relative to the asset characteristic.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

searching a plurality of preference profiles to identify at least two preference profiles having one or more similar asset characteristic values; and

providing a recommendation to form a group that includes the identified at least two preference profiles.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising combining a plurality of preference profiles to form at least two subject matter specific groups, each subject matter specific group including at least two of the plurality of preference profiles, wherein:

a first plurality of assets having a first subject matter are identified as relevant to a first of the at least two subject matter specific groups, and

a second plurality of assets having a second subject matter different from the first subject matter are identified as relevant to a second of the at least two subject matter specific groups.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring viewing behavior of at least the first viewer to determine the first viewer'"'"'s preference relative to an asset characteristic; and

computing the first viewer'"'"'s individual preference value relative to the asset based on the first viewer'"'"'s monitored viewing behavior.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving the first viewer'"'"'s local preferences relative to a first asset characteristic from a first memory of a first user equipment device; and

receiving the first viewer'"'"'s remote preferences relative to the first asset characteristic from an external source, wherein the first viewer'"'"'s first individual preference values are computed based on the local and remote viewer preferences relative to each asset.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a best compromise identifier, the best compromise identifier identifying an asset from a list of assets that features a most balanced appeal to all viewers in the group.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the computing the first and second individual preference values comprises:

adjusting a weight for each viewer such that the weight adjustment indicates priority when computing the first individual preference values; and

modifying the computed preference values for viewers as a function of the weight adjustments.

11. A system for providing asset recommendations for a group, the system comprising:

control circuitry configured to;

generate a display including an identifier for an asset;

determine a first individual preference value relative to the asset for a first viewer and a second individual preference value relative to the asset for a second viewer;

compute a group preference value relative to the asset based on the first and the second individual preference values; and

generate, for inclusion in the display, a representation of the first and the second individual preference values and the group preference value for the asset, wherein the first and the second individual preference values are visually distinguished from the group preference value.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein each of the first and second individual preference values is a vector individual preference value and wherein the control circuitry is configured to compute the group preference value by performing a vector sum of the first and second individual preference values.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second individual preference values comprises a set of magnitudes, each magnitude of the set of magnitudes corresponding to a difference between a characteristic value setting associated with the first or second viewer and a characteristic value associated with the asset.

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

generate for display an equalizer for at least the first viewer, the equalizer comprising an initial asset characteristic value setting representing an initial preference relative to an asset characteristic for the first viewer; and

receive a user input modifying the initial asset characteristic value setting of the equalizer to create a new asset characteristic value setting representing the first viewer'"'"'s new preference relative to the asset characteristic.

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

search a plurality of preference profiles to identify at least two preference profiles having one or more similar asset characteristic values; and

provide a recommendation to form a group that includes the identified at least two preference profiles.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to combine a plurality of preference profiles to form at least two subject matter specific groups, each subject matter specific group including at least two of the plurality of preference profiles, wherein:

a first plurality of assets having a first subject matter are identified as relevant to a first of the at least two subject matter specific groups, and

a second plurality of assets having a second subject matter different from the first subject matter are identified as relevant to a second of the at least two subject matter specific groups.

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

monitor viewing behavior of at least the first viewer to determine the first viewer'"'"'s preference relative to an asset characteristic; and

compute the first viewer'"'"'s individual preference value relative to the asset based on the first viewer'"'"'s monitored viewing behavior.

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

retrieve the first viewer'"'"'s local preferences relative to a first asset characteristic from a first memory of a first user equipment device; and

receive the first viewer'"'"'s remote preferences relative to the first asset characteristic from an external source, wherein the first viewer'"'"'s first individual preference values are computed based on the local and remote viewer preferences relative to each asset.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the display comprises a best compromise identifier, the best compromise identifier identifying an asset from a list of assets that features a most balanced appeal to all viewers in the group.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is configured to compute the first and second individual preference values by:

adjusting a weight for each viewer such that the weight adjustment indicates priority when computing the first individual preference values; and

modifying the computed preference values for viewers as a function of the weight adjustments.