Systems and methods for using playlists

• US 10,587,835 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2018
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Radloff, Jon P., Knee, Robert A., Craner, Michael L., Berry, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): Hance, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US15/942,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20180227533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically generating a playlist of series assets and systems and methods for grouping assets of a playlist in clusters are provided. In one embodiment, series assets may automatically be included into a playlist for that series. In another embodiment, an interactive media guidance application may group assets in clusters based on one or more user selected parameters or may group assets in cluster based on automatically determined parameters. In yet another embodiment, the interactive media guidance application may group assets in clusters and display at least one identifier in connection with each cluster to indicate a basis for forming the cluster. The identifier may be a key word or catch phrase that succinctly identifies a trait or characteristic of assets in a particular cluster associated with the identifier.

Claims

1. A method implemented by an interactive media guidance application, the method comprising:

creating a playlist from a list of assets, wherein listings for the assets in the playlist are arranged in a predetermined order for playing back seamlessly one asset after another in the predetermined order;

identifying a first cluster of assets of the list of assets, wherein an attribute of the first cluster of assets matches a first user-selected parameter;

identifying a second cluster of assets of the list of assets, wherein an attribute of the second cluster of assets matches a second user-selected parameter; and

generating for simultaneous display the first and second clusters of assets, a third cluster that does not correspond to the first user-selected parameter or the second user-selected parameter, and identifiers that are representative of the attributes of the first and second clusters, wherein the first, second, and third clusters contain the list of assets in total, and wherein a respective listing for assets within the first cluster and the second cluster is arranged for display according to the predetermined order.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the first cluster of assets is a function of at least two parameters, wherein the first cluster comprises two subclusters.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a first of the at least two parameters is a primary parameter and the second of the two parameters is a secondary parameter, wherein the primary parameter is associated with the assets of both subclusters and the secondary parameter is associated with just one of the subclusters.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically recommending at least one of the first user-selected parameter or the second user-selected parameter.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing a user to designate whether an asset clustering parameter is a primary or secondary parameter.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first user input to record media assets having a common attribute of video content;

storing a plurality of media assets;

receiving a second user input requesting playback of a subset of the plurality of stored media assets having the common attribute of video content; and

automatically selecting for playback the subset of the plurality of stored media assets that has the common attribute in response to the second user input.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining an order for automatically selecting for playback the subset of the plurality of stored media assets that has the common attribute is determined based on an asset criteria.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the asset criteria includes at least one of a time of recording, a first air date, a length, a rating, a resolution, a theme, and alphabetical order of an asset.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the common attribute is a timeslot or a theme.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a first-in-first-out (FIFO) arrangement is applied to eliminate assets when a maximum number of assets is exceeded.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user-selected parameter is one of at least an actor, director, producer, location, or theme and the second user-selected parameter is one of at least an actor, director, producer, location, or theme.

12. A system implemented by an interactive media guidance application, the system comprising:

memory; and

control circuitry configured to;

create a playlist from a list of assets, wherein listings for the assets in the playlist are arranged in a predetermined order for playing back seamlessly one asset after another in the predetermined order;

identify a first cluster of assets, wherein an attribute of the first cluster of assets matches a first user-selected parameter;

identify a second cluster of assets of the list of assets, wherein an attribute of the second cluster of assets matches a second user-selected parameter; and

generate for simultaneous display the first and second clusters of assets, a third cluster that does not correspond to the first user-selected parameter or the second user-selected parameter, and identifiers that are representative of the attributes of the first and second clusters, wherein the first, second, and third clusters contain the list of assets in total, and wherein a respective listing for assets within the first cluster and the second cluster is arranged for display according to the predetermined order.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry is configured to identify the first cluster of assets as a function of at least two parameters, wherein the first cluster comprises two subclusters.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a first of the at least two parameters is a primary parameter and the second of the two parameters is a secondary parameter, wherein the primary parameter is associated with the assets of both subclusters and the secondary parameter is associated with just one of the subclusters.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to automatically recommend at least one of the first user-selected parameter or the second user-selected parameter.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to allow a user to designate whether an asset clustering parameter is a primary or secondary parameter.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a first user input to record media assets having a common attribute of video content;

store a plurality of media assets;

receive a second user input requesting playback of a subset of the plurality of stored media assets having the common attribute of video content; and

automatically select for playback the subset of the plurality of stored media assets that has the common attribute in response to the second user input.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine an order for automatically selecting for playback the subset of the plurality of stored media assets that has the common attribute is determined based on an asset criteria.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the asset criteria includes at least one of a time of recording, a first air date, a length, a rating, a resolution, a theme, and alphabetical order of an asset.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the common attribute is a timeslot or a theme.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein a first-in-first-out (FIFO) arrangement is applied to eliminate assets when a maximum number of assets is exceeded.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the first user-selected parameter is one of at least an actor, director, producer, location, or theme and the second user-selected parameter is one of at least an actor, director, producer, location, or theme.