Dynamic adjustment of electronic program guide displays based on viewer preferences for minimizing navigation in VOD program selection

• US 9,894,417 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broadband iTV, Inc.
• Sponsoring Entity: Broadband iTV, Inc.
• Inventors: Perez, Milton Diaz
• Primary Examiner(s): Alata, Yassin
• APPLICATION: US 20170251265A1
• Time in USPTO: 274 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 : Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• 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 G06F17/30843; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 : Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security management or policies for network security H04L29/06986; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 : being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F17/30843; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; protocols involving user profiles for network applications in communication control or processing H04L29/08936; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 : additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor interaction techniques for graphical user interfaces in general, see G06F3/048; computer pointing devices in general, see G06F3/033; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205; remote control devices in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 : involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 G06F17/30843; protocols involving user profiles for network applications in communication control or processing H04L29/08936; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security management or policies for network security H04L29/06986; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 : for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 : for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password authentication mechanisms using passwords for network security H04L29/06782
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection systems specially adapted for using EPGs in broadcast systems H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 : using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• 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 G06F17/30014; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F17/30876; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; protocols for network applications involving the use of web-based technology H04L29/0809

Abstract

Items of video content offered for viewing on a video-on-demand (VOD) platform of a digital TV service provider are each assigned a respective title and hierarchical address corresponding to hierarchically-arranged categories and subcategories within which the title for the video content is to be categorized. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. The EPG dynamically adjust its display listings of each level of categories, subcategories, and titles in order to minimize the number of remote control keypresses needed for a viewer to navigate to a title of interest. In one basic form, the EPG display is reordered by listing more frequently visited categories or subcategories first, and other less frequently visited categories or subcategories lower on the listing or out-of-sight on another page of the display.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) providing, to a first Internet-connected digital device, a viewer interface application configured to access a digital television service provider system to obtain video-on-demand electronic media content and broadcast video content corresponding to a broadcast television channel,

wherein the video-on-demand electronic media content is obtained from a VOD content delivery system of the digital television service provider system that has obtained the video-on-demand electronic media content and respective VOD metadata associated with the video-on-demand electronic media content, the respective VOD metadata comprising respective title data, and respective category data, and

wherein the viewer interface application is further configured to provide access to an individualized electronic program guide for at least video-on-demand electronic media content based at least in part on electronic viewing data for a first user and VOD metadata;

(b) receiving, at the digital television service provider system from the first Internet-connected digital device, login credentials;

(c) verifying, by the digital television service provider system, that the login credentials are associated with a user account;

(d) transmitting, to the first Internet-connected digital device, an electronic authorization for the viewer interface application to access privileges associated with the user account;

(e) transmitting, to the first Internet-connected digital device, first broadcast video content for viewing on a first display associated with the first Internet-connected digital device;

(f) receiving, at the digital television service provider system via a broadband connection from the first Internet-connected digital device, a first electronic access request to access video-on-demand electronic media content;

(g) accessing, at the digital television service provider system upon receipt of the first electronic access request, a first individualized electronic program guide data for video-on-demand electronic media content wherein the first individualized electronic program guide data is generated by;

(i) accessing, at the digital television service provider system from one or more non-transitory processor readable memory devices operatively connected to the digital television service provider system, first electronic viewing data associated with a first user of the first Internet-connected digital device; and

(ii) generating, at the digital television service provider system, the first individualized electronic program guide data for video-on-demand electronic media content, based at least in part on

(1) the first electronic viewing data, and

(2) the VOD metadata;

(h) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system to the first Internet-connected digital device via the broadband connection, the first individualized electronic program guide data for populating a first set of one or more templates associated with a first individualized electronic program guide;

(i) receiving, at the digital television service provider system from the first Internet-connected digital device, a first VOD media request for a first video-on-demand electronic media content;

(j) updating, by the digital television service provider system, the first electronic viewing data with information associated with the first VOD media request to generate second electronic viewing data;

(k) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system via the broadband connection to the first Internet-connected digital device, the first video-on-demand electronic media content identified in the first VOD media request for display on the first display;

(l) receiving, at the digital television service provider system via a IPTV delivery system from a set-top box using IP protocol associated with the first user, a second electronic access request to access video-on-demand electronic media content;

(m) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system to the set-top box using IP protocol, a second individualized electronic program guide data for populating a second set of one or more templates associated with a second individualized electronic program guide for video-on-demand electronic media content, wherein the second individualized electronic program guide data is generated based at least in part upon

(1) the second electronic viewing data, and

(2) the VOD metadata;

(n) receiving, at the digital television service provider system from the set-top box using IP protocol, a second VOD media request for a second video-on-demand electronic media content;

(o) updating, by the digital television service provider system, the second electronic viewing data with information associated with the second VOD media request to generate third electronic viewing data; and

(p) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system to the set-top box using IP protocol, the second video-on-demand electronic media content identified in the second VOD media request for display on a second display associated with the set-top box using IP protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(q) receiving, at the digital television service provider system via the broadband connection from a second Internet-connected digital device associated with the first user, a third electronic access request to access video-on-demand electronic media content;

(r) generating, by the digital television service provider system, a third individualized electronic program guide data based at least in part upon the third electronic viewing data to be sent to the second Internet-connected digital device in response to the third electronic access request;

(s) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system to the second Internet-connected digital device, the third individualized electronic program guide data for populating a third set of one or more templates associated with a third individualized electronic program guide;

(t) receiving, at the digital television service provider system via the broadband connection from the second Internet-connected digital device, a third VOD media request for a third video-on-demand electronic media content;

(u) updating, by the digital television service provider system, the third electronic viewing data with information associated with the third VOD media request to generate fourth electronic viewing data; and

(v) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system via the broadband connection to the second Internet-connected digital device, the third video-on-demand electronic media content identified in the third VOD media request for display on a third display associated with the second Internet-connected digital device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video-on-demand electronic media content is a television show.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video-on-demand electronic media content is a movie.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video-on-demand electronic media content is a documentary.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video-on-demand electronic media content is a short subject.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video-on-demand electronic media content is a news program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user includes a number of different persons associated with the user account of the first user, and wherein the first and second individualized electronic program guides are generated on an individualized basis for each of the number of different persons associated with the user account.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first Internet-connected digital device is a digital phone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first Internet-connected digital device is a computer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first Internet-connected digital device is a game console.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first individualized electronic program guide is ordered by categories, and wherein the step of generating the second individualized electronic program guide comprises reordering at least one of the categories of the first individualized electronic program guide.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the second individualized electronic program guide is ordered by categories, and wherein the step of generating the third individualized electronic program guide comprises reordering at least one of the categories-s of the second individualized electronic program guide.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadband connection comprises a local area broadband network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadband connection comprises a wireless area broadband network.