Systems and methods for multi-device content recommendations

• US 9,800,935 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2014
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Larson, Danielle, Nichols, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chae, Kyu
• Application Number:
  US14/582,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20160192005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44226 on social networks
• 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

Methods and systems are disclosed herein for a media guidance application that provides content recommendations based on recent activity. For example, the media guidance application determines that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device. In response, the media guidance application retrieves, from memory, a length of time that the user has consumed media on the first device. The media guidance application then determines the time interval when the user was consuming media on the first device. Next, media content is determined that the user consumed on the first device during the time interval. The media guidance application then determines a characteristic of the consumed media content and recommends media content on a second device based on the characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for providing content recommendations based on recent activity, the method comprising:

determining that a user has stopped using a first device and is using a second device;

in response to determining that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device, retrieving a period of time that corresponds to an amount of time the user continuously used the first device immediately before using the second device;

transmitting a first request for a plurality of media assets that the user consumed on the first device during the period of time;

receiving, in response to the first request, a plurality of media asset identifiers corresponding to media assets that the user has consumed during the period of time;

transmitting a second request for metadata associated with the plurality of media asset identifiers corresponding to the media assets that the user has consumed during the period of time;

determining, based on the metadata, a plurality characteristics, wherein each of the plurality of characteristics is associated with a media asset of the plurality of media assets that the user has consumed during the period of time;

calculating, for each of the plurality of characteristics, a number of media assets from the plurality of media assets that match a respective characteristic of the plurality of characteristics;

determining, based on the calculating, a characteristic that is associated with a greatest number of media assets of the plurality of media assets that the user consumed on the first device during the period of time that the user continuously used the first device immediately before using the second device; and

recommending, based on the characteristic, media content for consumption on the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a list of devices associated with the user; and

recommending, based on the characteristic, the media content for consumption on each device in the list of devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device comprises detecting that the user has moved from a first location that is associated with the first device to a second location that is associated with the second device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device comprises detecting that the user has stopped interacting with the first device and is interacting with the second device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media content comprises video content and the second media content consists of audio content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the first media content consists of at least one of a genre, subject matter, title, type, actor, character, and location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying characteristics associated with available media content; and

filtering the available media content based on whether the available media content is associated with the characteristic to determine the media content.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an alert that indicates to the user that the media content is available on the second device.

9. A system for providing content recommendations based on recent activity, the system comprising:

control circuitry configured to;

determine that a user has stopped using a first device and is using a second device;

in response to determining that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device, retrieve a period of time that corresponds to an amount of time the user continuously used the first device immediately before using the second device;

transmit a first request for a plurality of media assets that the user consumed on the first device during the period of time;

receive, in response to the first request, a plurality of media asset identifiers corresponding to media assets that the user has consumed during the period of time;

transmit a second request for metadata associated with the plurality of media asset identifiers corresponding to the media assets that the user has consumed during the period of time;

determine, based on the metadata, a plurality characteristics associated with the plurality of media assets, wherein each of the plurality of characteristics is associated with a media asset of the plurality of media assets that the user has consumed during the period of time;

calculate, for each of the plurality of characteristics, a number of media assets from the plurality of media assets that match a respective characteristic of the plurality of characteristics;

determine, based on the calculating, a characteristic that is associated with a greatest number of media assets of the plurality of media assets that the user consumed on the first device during the period of time that the user continuously used the first device immediately before using the second device; and

recommend, based on the characteristic, media content for consumption on the second device.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

storage circuitry configured to store a list of devices associated with the user; and

control circuitry configured to;

recommend, based on the characteristic, the media content for consumption on each device in the list of devices.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry configured to determine that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device is further configured to detect that the user has moved from a first location that is associated with the first device to a second location that is associated with the second device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry configured to determine that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device is further configured to detect that the user has stopped interacting with the first device and is interacting with the second device.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first media content comprises video content and the second media content consists of audio content.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the characteristic of the first media content consists of at least one of a genre, subject matter, title, type, actor, character, and location.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

identify characteristics associated with available media content; and

filter the available media content based on whether the available media content is associated with the characteristic to determine the media content.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate an alert that indicates to the user that the media content is available on the second device.