Client-server electronic program guide

• US 9,854,321 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2016
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Lemmons, Thomas R., Thomas, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung
• Assistant Examiner(s): Park, Sunghyoun
• Application Number:
  US15/213,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20170078757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/73 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• 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 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/4622 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 21/466 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 21/47 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 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• 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 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A client-server interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide client is implemented on user television equipment. The interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to define expressions that are processed by the program guide server. The program guide server may provide program guide data, schedules reminders, schedules program recordings, and parentally locks programs based on the expressions. Users'"'"' viewing histories may be tracked. The program guide server may analyze the viewing histories and generates viewing recommendations, targets advertising, and collects program ratings information based on the viewing histories.

Claims

1. A video guidance system for identifying unviewed video files associated with episodes of a series of episodes, comprising:

a server, comprising;

a database configured to store;

a plurality of video files, wherein each video file of the plurality of video files is associated with a respective episode of a series of episodes and is associated with a respective program listing data structure, and

a plurality of viewing history data structures, wherein each viewing history data structure of the plurality of viewing history data structures is associated with a respective user of a plurality of users and comprises video file identifiers of video files previously viewed by the respective user, and

a control circuitry configured to;

receive, from a user equipment, a first request associated with a first user of the plurality of users, wherein the first request is for a first video file associated with a first video file identifier and associated with an episode of the series of episodes;

search the database for the first video file;

transmit, to the user equipment, the first video file;

search the database for a first viewing history data structure of the plurality of viewing history data structures, wherein the first viewing history data structure is associated with the first user;

update the first viewing history data structure to include the first video file identifier;

receive a second request associated with the first user, wherein the second request is for a list of video files, wherein each video file of the list of video files is associated with a respective episode of the series of episodes;

search the database to identify a first set of program listing data structures associated with video files that are associated with the series of episodes;

search the database, based on the first viewing history data structure, to identify a first subset of the first set, wherein the first subset includes program listing data structures associated with video files that have been previously viewed by the first user;

compare the first set to the first subset;

identify, based on the comparison, a second subset of the first set, wherein the second subset includes program listing data structures associated with video files that have not been previously viewed by the first user;

update the program listing data structures of the second subset to indicate that each respective video file associated with the program listing data structures of the second subset have not been previously viewed by the first user; and

transmit, to the user equipment, a response to the second request wherein the response comprises the list of video files, wherein each video file of the list of video files is associated with a respective program listing data structure of the second subset.

2. The video guidance system of claim 1, wherein each video file identifier comprises program title information associated with the respective video file.

3. The video guidance system of claim 1, wherein the database is further configured to store a plurality of Internet links related to one or more of the plurality of video files, and wherein the control circuitry of the server is further configured to:

search the database for Internet links related to the subset of the third set of program listing data structures; and

transmit, to the user equipment, the Internet links related to the subset of the third set of program listing data structures.

4. The video guidance system of claim 1, wherein the database is further configured to store a plurality of software related to one or more of the plurality of video files, and wherein the control circuitry of the server is further configured to:

search the database for software related to the subset of the third set of program listing data structures; and

transmit, to the user equipment, the software related to the subset of the third set of program listing data structures.

5. The video guidance system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the first video file has been viewed at the first user equipment for longer than a predefined time period; and

update the first viewing history data structure to include the first video file identifier associated with the episode of the series of episodes based on determining that the first video file has been viewed at the first user equipment for longer than the predefined time period.

6. A method for using a video guidance system to identify unviewed video files associated with episodes of a series of episodes, comprising:

storing in a database;

a plurality of video files, wherein each video file of the plurality of video files is associated with a respective episode of a series of episodes and is associated with a respective program listing data structure, and

a plurality of viewing history data structures, wherein each viewing history data structure of the plurality of viewing history data structures is associated with a respective user of a plurality of users and comprises video file identifiers of video files previously viewed by the respective user, and

receiving, from a user equipment, a first request associated with a first user of the plurality of users, wherein the first request is for a first video file associated with a first video file identifier and associated with an episode of the series of episodes;

searching the database for the first video file;

transmitting, to the user equipment, the first video file;

searching the database for a first viewing history data structure of the plurality of viewing history data structures, wherein the first viewing history data structure is associated with the first user;

updating the first viewing history data structure to include the first video file identifiers;

receiving a second request associated with the first user, wherein the second request is for a list of video files, wherein each video file of the list of video files is associated with a respective episode of the series of episodes;

searching the database to identify a first set of program listing data structures associated with video files that are associated with the series of episodes;

searching the database, based on the first viewing history data structure, to identify a first subset of the first set, wherein the first subset includes program listing data structures associated with video files that have been previously viewed by the first user;

comparing the first set to the first subset;

based on the comparison, identifying a second subset of the first set, wherein the second subset includes program listing data structures associated with video files that have not been previously viewed by the first user;

updating the program listing data structures of the second subset to indicate that each respective video file associated with the program listing data structures of the second subset have not been previously viewed by the first user; and

transmitting, to the user equipment, a response to the second request wherein the response comprises the list of video files, wherein each video file of the list of video files is associated with a respective program listing data structure of the second subset.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each video file identifier comprises program title information associated with the respective video file.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing in the database a plurality of Internet links related to one or more of the plurality of video files;

searching the database for Internet links related to the subset of the third set of program listing data structures; and

transmitting, to the user equipment, the Internet links related to the subset of the third set of program listing data structures.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing in the database a plurality of software related to one or more of the plurality of video files;

searching the database for software related to the subset of the third set of program listing data structures; and

transmitting, to the user equipment, the software related to the subset of the third set of program listing data structures.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that the first video file has been viewed at the first user equipment for longer than a predefined time period; and

updating the first viewing history data structure to include the first video file identifier associated with the episode of the series of episodes based on determining that the first video file has been viewed at the first user equipment for longer than the predefined time period.