Media content watch list systems and methods

• US 9,571,784 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Roberts, Brian F., Higa, George M., Geiger, Joseph M., Sellers, Jayson, Relyea, Donald H., Johns, Greg A., Stallings, Heath
• Primary Examiner(s): LANGHNOJA, KUNAL N
• Application Number:
  US12/609,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20110107374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,664 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 61, 725/48
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/251 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

Exemplary media content watch list systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a media content watch list subsystem maintaining media content watch list data representing a plurality of media content instances available for experiencing by a user, receiving a request for a media content watch list from a media content access device associated with the user, generating the media content watch list based on the media content watch list data and the request, and transmitting data representative of the media content watch list to the media content access device for presentation to the user. The maintaining of the media content watch list data includes updating the media content watch list data based on at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation performed by the media content access device associated with the user. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a media content watch list subsystem from a media content access device, media content watch list data representing a plurality of media content instances available for experiencing by a user;

maintaining, by the media content watch list subsystem, the media content watch list data;

providing, by the media content watch list subsystem for presentation by the media content access device, a graphical user interface including one or more tools configured to facilitate a user configuration of automatic updates to the media content watch list data in response to performance, by the media content access device, of one or more non-watch-list-specific operations included in a plurality of non-watch-list-specific operations, the one or more tools comprising

a list of non-watch-list-specific operations and a plurality of user selectable options each corresponding to a non-watch-list-specific operation included in the list of non-watch-list-specific operations, and

a list of update operations and a plurality of additional user selectable options each corresponding to an update operation included in the list of update operations;

detecting, by the media content watch list subsystem, a user selection of at least one of the user selectable options corresponding to at least one of the non-watch-list-specific operations included in the list of non-watch-list-specific operations;

configuring, by the media content watch list subsystem in response to the user selection of the at least one of the user selectable options corresponding to the at least one of the non-watch-list-specific operations, the at least one of the non-watch-list-specific operations as at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation configured to trigger automatic updating of the media content watch list data in response to a performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device;

detecting, by the media content watch list subsystem, a user selection of at least one of the additional user selectable options corresponding to at least one of the update operations included in the list of update operations;

configuring, by the media content watch list subsystem in response to the user selection of the at least one of the additional user selectable options, the at least one of the update operations to be performed in response to the performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device;

detecting, by the media content watch list subsystem, a performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device;

automatically updating, by the media content watch list subsystem in response to the detecting of the performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device, the media content watch list data by performing the at least one of the update operations;

receiving, by the media content watch list subsystem, a request for a media content watch list from the media content access device;

generating, by the media content watch list subsystem, the media content watch list based on the updated media content watch list data and the request; and

transmitting, by the media content watch list subsystem, data representative of the media content watch list to the media content access device for presentation to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the media content access device comprises a set-top-box device; and

the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation comprises at least one of a digital video recorder facility operation, an electronic media program guide facility operation, a media-on-demand facility operation, and a media content presentation facility operation performed by the set-top-box device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation comprises a detection, by a media content recording facility of the media content access device, of a recording schedule conflict involving two or more media content instances; and

the automatically updating of the media content watch list data comprises adding data representing at least one of the two or more media content instances to the media content watch list data in response to the detection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically updating is further based on watch-list-specific user input received by the media content access device, the watch-list-specific user input comprising at least one of:

user input indicating a watch-list-specific keyword configured to be used to search for matching media content instances to be added to the media content watch list data;

user input indicating a request to add data associated with a user-selected media content instance to the media content watch list data;

user input indicating a request to delete data associated with a user-selected media content instance represented in the media content watch list data from the media content watch list data; and

user input indicating a request to change a priority level of a user-selected media content instance represented in the media content watch list data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filtering, by the media content watch list subsystem, a subset of the media content watch list data based on at least one of a media processing capability of the media content access device, a media content type, and a menu context within which the request for the media content watch list is initiated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the media content watch list comprises sorting data representing one or more of the media content instances included in the media content watch list based on at least one of a priority level for each of the media content instances, a media content type of each of the media content instances, and a date of addition of data representing each of the media content instances to the media content watch list data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining comprises:

receiving, by the media content watch list subsystem, a portion of the media content watch list data from each of a plurality of media content access devices associated with the user, the plurality of media content access devices including the media content access device; and

aggregating, by the media content watch list subsystem, each portion of the media content watch list data received from each media content access device included in the plurality of media content access devices associated with the user to produce the media content watch list data maintained by the media content watch list subsystem.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the plurality of media content access devices comprises media content access devices of distinct media content access platforms; and

the plurality of media content instances represented by the media content watch list data comprises media content instances of distinct media content types.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of media content devices associated with the user are configured to access media content via distinct media content distribution platforms.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-watch-list-specific operations included in the list of non-watch-list-specific operations comprise at least one of a media content recording operation, an electronic media program guide operation, a media-on-demand operation, and a media content presentation operation.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the update operations comprises at least one of adding data representative of a media content instance to the media content watch list data, deleting data representative of the media content instance from the media content watch list data, prompting the user to manually indicate whether data representative of the media content instance be kept or deleted from the media content watch list data, and changing a priority level associated with the media content instance in the media content watch list data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-watch-list-specific operations included in the list of non-watch-list-specific operations comprise a plurality of operations that are performed by one or more facilities included in the media content access device other than a watch list maintenance facility and a watch list generation facility included in the media content access device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-watch-list-specific operations included in the list of non-watch-list-specific operations comprise a plurality of operations that are performed by the media content access device in response to user input received by way of the media content access device.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by a media content watch list subsystem, media content watch list data from a plurality of media content access devices, the media content watch list data representing a plurality of media content instances;

aggregating and storing, by the media content watch list subsystem, the media content watch list data received from the plurality of media content access devices;

providing, by the media content watch list subsystem for presentation by a media content access device within the plurality of media content access devices, a graphical user interface including one or more tools configured to facilitate a user configuration of automatic updates to the media content watch list data in response to performance, by the media content access device, of one or more non-watch-list-specific operations included in a plurality of non-watch-list-specific operations, the one or more tools comprising

a list of non-watch-list-specific operations and a plurality of user selectable options each corresponding to a non-watch-list-specific operation included in the list of non-watch-list-specific operations, and

a list of update operations and a plurality of additional user selectable options each corresponding to an update operation included in the list of update operations;

detecting, by the media content watch list subsystem, a user selection of at least one of the user selectable options corresponding to at least one of the non-watch-list specific operations included in the list of non-watch-list-specific operations;

configuring, by the media content watch list subsystem in response to the user selection of the at least one of the user selectable options corresponding to the at least one of the non-watch-list-specific operations, the at least one of the non-watch-list-specific operations as at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation configured to trigger automatic updating of the media content watch list data in response to a performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device;

detecting, by the media content watch list subsystem, a user selection of at least one of the additional user selectable options corresponding to at least one of the update operations included in the list of update operations;

configuring, by the media content watch list subsystem in response to the user selection of the at least one of the additional user selectable options, the at least one of the update operations to be performed in response to the performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device;

detecting, by the media content watch list subsystem, a performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device within the plurality of media content access devices; and

automatically updating, by the media content watch list subsystem in response to the detected performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device, the media content watch list data by performing the at least one of the update operations.

15. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a plurality of watch list client facilities within a plurality of media content access devices, media content watch list data to a media content watch list subsystem, the media content watch list data representing a plurality of media content instances accessible by the plurality of media content access devices;

providing, by a watch list client facility within a media content access device included in the plurality of media content access devices, a graphical user interface for presentation by the media content access device, the graphical user interface including one or more tools configured to facilitate a user configuration of automatic updates to media content watch list data maintained by the media content watch list subsystem in response to performance, by the media content access device, of one or more non-watch-list-specific operations included in a plurality of non-watch-list-specific operations, the one or more tools comprising

a list of non-watch-list-specific operations and a plurality of user selectable options each corresponding to a non-watch-list-specific operation included in the list of non-watch-list-specific operations, and

a list of update operations and a plurality of additional user selectable options each corresponding to an update operation included in the list of update operations;

detecting, by the watch list client facility within the media content access device, a user selection of a user selectable option corresponding to a non-watch-list-specific operation included in the list of non-watch-list-specific operations;

configuring, by the watch list client facility within the media content access device in response to the user selection of the user selectable option corresponding to the non-watch-list-specific operation, the non-watch-list-specific operation to trigger an automatic update to the media content watch list data maintained by the media content watch list subsystem in response to a performance of the non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device;

detecting, by the watch list client facility within the media content access device, a user selection of at least one of the additional user selectable options corresponding to at least one of the update operations included in the list of update operations;

configuring, by the watch list client facility within the media content access device in response to the user selection of the at least one of the additional user selectable options, the at least one of the update operations to be performed in response to the performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device;

detecting, by the watch list client facility within the media content access device, the performance of the non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device;

automatically generating, by the watch list client facility within the media content access device in response to the detecting of the performance of the non-watch-list-specific operation by the media content access device, an update to the media content watch list data maintained by the media content watch list subsystem;

initiating, by the watch list client facility within the media content access, another transmission to the media content watch list subsystem, the another transmission including an update message configured to direct the media content watch list subsystem to perform the at least one of the update operations to the media content watch list data maintained by the media content watch list subsystem;

detecting, by the watch list client facility within the media content access device, user input requesting a media content watch list;

transmitting, by the watch list client facility within the media content access device to the media content watch list subsystem, a request for the media content watch list;

receiving, by the watch list client facility within the media content access device, data representative of the media content watch list from the media content watch list subsystem; and

generating and providing, by the watch list client facility within the media content access device, a media content watch list view for display in a graphical user interface based on the media content watch list data maintained by the media content watch list subsystem, the media content watch list view including graphical data representing the media content watch list.

16. A system comprising:

a watch list client facility within each of a plurality of media content access devices; and

a media content watch list subsystem configured to communicate with the plurality of media content access devices;

wherein the media content watch list subsystem

receives media content watch list data from the plurality of media content access devices, the media content watch list data representing a plurality of media content instances accessible by one or more of the plurality of media content access devices,

aggregates the media content watch list data received from the plurality of media content access devices,

continually and automatically updates the media content watch list data based on one or more watch list update messages received from one or more of the plurality of media content access devices by performing one or more update operations to the media content watch list data,

receives a request for a media content watch list from a media content access device included in the plurality of media content access devices,

generates the media content watch list based on the media content watch list data, and

transmits data representative of the media content watch list to the media content access device from which the request is received for presentation to the user, and

wherein each watch list client facility within each of the plurality of media content access devices is configured to

provide, for presentation by each of the plurality of media content access devices, a graphical user interface including one or more tools configured to facilitate a user configuration of automatic updates to media content watch list data maintained by the media content watch list subsystem in response to performance, by each of the plurality of media content access devices, of one or more non-watch-list-specific operations included in a plurality of non-watch-list-specific operations, the one or more tools comprising

a list of non-watch-list-specific operations and a plurality of user selectable options each corresponding to a non-watch-list-specific operation included in the list of non-watch-list-specific operations, and

a list of update operations and a plurality of additional user selectable options each corresponding to an update operation included in the list of update operations,

detect a user selection of at least one of the user selectable options corresponding to at least one of the non-watch-list-specific operations included in the list of non-watch-list-specific operations,

configure, in response to the user selection of the at least one of the user selectable options corresponding to the at least one of the non-watch-list-specific operations, the at least one of the non-watch-list-specific operations as at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation such that a performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by a corresponding media content access device is configured to automatically trigger an update to the media content watch list data,

detect a user selection of at least one of the additional user selectable options corresponding to at least one of the update operations included in the list of update operations, and

configure, in response to the user selection of the at least one of the additional user selectable options, the at least one of the update operations to be performed in response to the performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the corresponding media content access device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each watch list facility within each of the plurality of media content access devices is further configured to

detect a performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the corresponding media content access device,

automatically generate, in response to the detection of the performance of the at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation by the corresponding media content access device, the update to the media content watch list data, and

initiate a transmission of an update message to the media content watch list subsystem, the update message configured to direct the media content watch list subsystem to perform the at least one of the update operations to the media content watch list data.