Method and apparatus for collecting and providing viewer feedback to a broadcast

• US 9,749,698 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Shah-Nazaroff, Anthony A., Goldschmidt Iki, Jean M., Moore, Kenneth A., Hackson, David N., Smith, Eric O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Idowu, Olugbenga
• Application Number:
  US14/969,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/30 characterised by the use of a return channel, e.g. for collecting users' opinions, for returning broadcast space/time information or for requesting data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• 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 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus to collect and provide viewer feedback to broadcasts. According to one aspect of the present invention, a rating is generated for a broadcast by a server system. The rating is based at least in part on viewer feedback to the broadcast, and the rating indicates a likelihood of interest in the broadcast for potential subsequent viewers. According to another aspect of the present invention, the rating is provided from the server system to an entertainment system, and the broadcast can be selected for viewing at an entertainment system. In one embodiment, the viewer feedback is received at the entertainment system in response to a feedback questionnaire.

Claims

1. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

transmit a survey to a computer of a first viewer;

receive preferences of the first viewer associated with a broadcast in response to a request from the first viewer to provide the preferences;

generate, via a processor, ratings for the broadcast based at least in part on the received preferences of the first user, wherein the ratings are further based on a plurality of viewers who are currently viewing the broadcast together, wherein the plurality of viewers comprise viewer characteristic categories in common and the ratings are further based on a weighted average of the plurality of viewers; and

transmit content to a second viewer'"'"'s computer, wherein the content is based in part on ratings associated with preferences from at least the first viewer.

2. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the preferences of the first viewer are received in response to the first viewer initiating a response to the survey.

3. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

request the first viewer to enter feedback into the survey, wherein the feedback comprises the received preferences of the first viewer in response to a request from the first viewer to provide preferences.

4. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the preferences include ratings provided by the first viewer.

5. A method, comprising:

transmitting a survey to a computer of a first viewer;

receiving preferences of the first viewer associated with a broadcast in response to a request from the first viewer to provide the preferences;

generating, via a processor, ratings for the broadcast based at least in part on the received preferences of the first user, wherein the ratings are further based on a plurality of viewers who are currently viewing the broadcast together, wherein the plurality of viewers comprise viewer characteristic categories in common and the ratings are further based on a weighted average of the plurality of viewers; and

transmitting content to a second viewer'"'"'s computer, wherein the content is based in part on ratings associated with preferences from at least the first viewer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the preferences of the first viewer are received in response to the first viewer initiating a response to the survey.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising requesting the first viewer to enter feedback into the survey, wherein the feedback comprises the received preferences of the first viewer in response to a request from the first viewer to provide preferences.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the preferences include ratings provided by the first viewer.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

transmit a survey to a computer of a first viewer;

receive preferences of the first viewer associated with a broadcast in response to a request from the first viewer to provide the preferences;

generate, via the processor, ratings for the broadcast based at least in part on the received preferences of the first user, wherein the ratings are further based on a plurality of viewers who are currently viewing the broadcast together, wherein the plurality of viewers comprise viewer characteristic categories in common and the ratings are further based on a weighted average of the plurality of viewers; and

transmit content to a second viewer'"'"'s computer, wherein the content is based in part on ratings associated with preferences from at least the first viewer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the preferences of the first viewer are received in response to the first viewer initiating a response to the survey.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising instructions which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

request the first viewer to enter feedback into the survey, wherein the feedback comprises the received preferences of the first viewer in response to a request from the first viewer to provide preferences.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the preferences include ratings provided by the first viewer.