Suggestive content based on habit

• US 9,432,743 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Silver, Edward Michael, Roberts, Linda Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANG, ANNAN Q
• Application Number:
  US14/737,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20150281797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 725/46, 725/47, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• 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 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/472 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 21/4826 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 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 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence

Abstract

Suggestions for content are based on a habit of a user. Favored genres of content are determined at different times of day. Should content be requested at a particular time of day for which no favored genre of content is determined, then one of the known favored genres of content is suggested.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processor, genres of content based on habitual content selections;

receiving, by the processor, a request for content specifying a particular time of day;

querying, by the processor, an electronic table for the particular time of day specified in the request for content, the electronic table having electronic associations between the genres of content and times of days;

determining, by the processor, that no genre of content is associated in the electronic table with the particular time of day specified in the request for content;

selecting, by the processor, any genre of the genres of content in the electronic table; and

generating, by the processor, a suggestion for the genre in response to the request for content specifying the particular time of day.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a program associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a channel associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a content offering associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing unfavored genres of content not based on the habitual content selections.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying titles of content associated with the genre.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving a program associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing code that when executed causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

determining genres of content based on habitual content selections;

receiving a request for content specifying a particular time of day;

querying an electronic table for the particular time of day specified in the request for content, the electronic table having electronic associations between the genres of content and times of days;

determining that no genre of content is associated in the electronic table with the particular time of day specified in the request for content;

selecting any genre of the genres of content from the electronic table; and

suggesting the genre in response to the request for content specifying the particular time of day.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise selecting a program associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise selecting a channel associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise selecting a content offering associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise removing unfavored genres of content not based on the habitual content selections.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise displaying titles of content offerings associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a content offering associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

15. A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

determining genres of content based on habitual content selections;

receiving a request for content specifying a particular time of day;

querying an electronic table for the particular time of day specified in the request for content, the electronic table having electronic associations between the genres of content and times of days;

determining that none of the genres of content is associated in the electronic table with the particular time of day specified in the request for content;

selecting any genre of the genres of content in the electronic table; and

suggesting the genre in response to the request for content specifying the particular time of day.

16. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise selecting a program associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

17. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise selecting a channel associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

18. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise selecting a content offering associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

19. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise displaying titles of content offerings associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.

20. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a content offering associated with the genre selected in the electronic table.