Information processor, information processing method and computer program

• US 9,788,070 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Narahara, Tatsuya, Fujiwara, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): FLYNN, RANDY A
• Application Number:
  US14/718,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20150256892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/44224 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Disclosed is a content-view supporting system to recommend to a user a clear result of searched contents, based on a group of similar users'"'"' favorite programs, through a user-basis collaborative filtering process. The system selects similar users whose program view history is similar to that of a recommended user, maps the program view history in a collaborative filtering matrix registers, in the collaborative filtering matrix, a virtual user whose program view history includes a group of hit programs obtained based on a search condition served for realizing a predetermined search topic. The system also counts the numbers of reservations or views achieved by each user according to program content based on the program view history, in the collaborative filtering matrix, which counted numbers are set as matching numbers, and outputs a search result representing a recommendation list of the contents arrayed in the descending order of matching number.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing content recommendations to a first user, the apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to

control display of a first list that includes recommended content programs that satisfy search terms input by the user, the recommended content programs being in a descending order according to a total recording count of each respective recommended content program by a plurality of users, the plurality of users not including the first user; and

control display of a second list that includes alternative content programs that do not satisfy the search terms input by the user, the alternative content programs being in a descending order according to a total recording count of each respective alternative content program by the plurality of users.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

for each respective recommended content program, the total recording count is a sum of a number of times the respective recommended content program is recorded or reserved to be recording by the plurality of users, and

for each respective alternative content program, the total recording count is a sum of a number of times the respective alternative content program is recorded or reserved to be recording by the plurality of users.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the total recording count of each respective recommended content program is a sum of a number of times the respective recommended content program is viewed by the plurality of users, and

the total recording count of each respective alternative content program is a sum of a number of times the respective alternative content program is viewed by the plurality of users.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a content information management database, wherein

the circuitry is further configured to

receive the search terms input by the user,

search the content information management database according to the search terms, and

receive search results from the content information management database.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to

compare a viewing history of the first user with a viewing history of each of the plurality of users, and

select the plurality of users according to a similarity between the viewing history of the first user and the viewing history of each of the plurality of viewers.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to control display of the search terms input by the user.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the circuitry is further configured to control display of an underline between the search terms.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

each of the first and second lists include program labels, and

each of the first and second lists are controlled to be displayed in an ascending order of the program labels.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first list includes a content title for each respective recommended content program, and

the second list includes a content title for each respective alternative content program.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to

control display of the total recording count of each respective recommended content program, and

control display of the total recording count of each respective alternative content program.

11. A method for providing content recommendations to a first user, the method comprising:

controlling, by circuitry, display of a first list that includes recommended content programs that satisfy search terms input by the user, the recommended content programs being in a descending order according to a total recording count of each respective recommended content program by a plurality of users, the plurality of users not including the first user; and

controlling, by the circuitry, display of a second list that includes alternative content programs that do not satisfy the search terms input by the user, the alternative content programs being in a descending order according to a total recording count of each respective alternative content program by the plurality of users.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

for each respective recommended content program, the total recording count is a sum of a number of times the respective recommended content program is recorded or reserved to be recording by the plurality of users, and

for each respective alternative content program, the total recording count is a sum of a number of times the respective alternative content program is recorded or reserved to be recording by the plurality of users.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the total recording count of each respective recommended content program is a sum of a number of times the respective recommended content program is viewed by the plurality of users, and

the total recording count of each respective alternative content program is a sum of a number of times the respective alternative content program is viewed by the plurality of users.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving the search terms input by the user,

searching a content information management database according to the search terms, and

receiving search results from the content information management database.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

comparing, by the circuitry, a viewing history of the first user with a viewing history of each of the plurality of users; and

selecting the plurality of users according to a similarity between the viewing history of the first user and the viewing history of each of the plurality of viewers.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

controlling display of the search terms input by the user.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

controlling display of an underline between the search terms.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein

each of the first and second lists include program labels, and

the first and second lists are in the descending order according to the program labels.

19. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

controlling display of the total recording count of each respective recommended content program; and

controlling display of the total recording count of each respective alternative content program.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

control display, on a display, of a first list that includes recommended content programs that satisfy search terms input by the user, the recommended content programs being in a descending order according to a total recording count of each respective recommended content program by a plurality of users, the plurality of users not including the first user; and

control display, on the display, of a second list that includes alternative content programs that do not satisfy the search terms input by the user, the alternative content programs being in a descending order according to a total recording count of each respective alternative content program by the plurality of users.