Video and digital multimedia aggregator content suggestion engine

• US 20020042923A1
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Mccoskey, John S., Swart, William D., Asmussen, Michael L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,286,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/92
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• 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 20/02 Arrangements for relaying broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/91 broadcasting computer programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/25 Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 : Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 : Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 : Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• 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 21/26208 : the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• 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 21/2668 : 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 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 : characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 : Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 : for processing graphics
• 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 21/4314 : for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 : Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 : Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 : Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/4622 : 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 21/4662 : characterized by learning algorithms
• 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 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 : for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• 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 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 : e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/64307 : ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 : comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 : involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• 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 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 : Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 : for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 : for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 : for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 : Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• 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 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

To allow a user to maximize use of a video and digital multimedia aggregator, a search suggestion engine and corresponding method may be used to provide suggestions of available content. The search suggestion engine starts by constructing a database of metadata elements or word items. The metadata element database may be constructed by using a crawler that periodically or continually crawls a content metadata database and extracts word items from the content metadata database. The word items are then processed according to a number of factors, including part-of-speech, entries in dictionaries and thesaurus and other factors. The thus-processed word items are indexed, and may be provided with a vector value. A subsequent search request submitted by the user may include search criteria that may be provided vector values. A processor within the search suggestion engine compares the vector values to determine if an indexed word item should be considered for retrieving the indexed word item'"'"'s associated content. A list of suggested content is then generated. The list of suggested items may be ranked and filtered before being provided to the user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for suggesting available content in a digital communications network, comprising:

a content metadata crawler that searches metadata related to the available content and produces a metadata list, wherein the metadata list comprises a plurality of metadata elements, and wherein each metadata element comprises one or more metadata fields;

a suggestion keyword indexer coupled to the content metadata crawler, wherein the suggestion keyword indexer receives the metadata list and indexes the metadata elements;

a suggestion database coupled to the suggestion keyword indexer that stores the indexed metadata elements; and

a suggestion database processor coupled to the content metadata crawler, the suggestion keyword indexer and the suggestion keyword database, wherein the suggestion database processor searches the suggestion database, based on one or more search request criteria, to produce a list of keywords to be used to suggest content.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the suggestion keyword indexer, comprises:

an extraction module that extracts and caches a value of each metadata field;

a parsing module coupled to the extraction module that parses contents of uniquely identifying metadata fields, wherein the contents of a uniquely identifying field comprises one or more word items;

a classifying module coupled to the parsing module that classifies one or more of the one or more word items;

a comparison module coupled to the classifying module that compares one or more of the one or more word items to determine a list of related terms; and

an index matrix record builder that creates and augments an index matrix record for each of the classified word items.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising one or more of a dictionary database, a thesaurus database and a lexicon database, wherein the comparison module compares a word item to entries in one or more of the dictionary database, the thesaurus database and the lexicon database, and wherein the list of related terms includes one or more of a dictionary definition, lexicon data, and one or more synonyms.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the classifying module comprises one or more computational linguistics tools, including a rule-based part-of-speech tagging algorithm and a stochastic part-of-speech tagging algorithm, wherein the one or more computational linguistic tools determine part-of-speech data of a word item, and wherein the index matrix record builder adds the part-of-speech data to the index matrix record for the word item.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the uniquely identifying fields comprise one or more of content type, content title, date of production, rating and parental notice information, performer, artist, writer, author, plot summary, keyword list, and textual content description.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the index matrix record builder comprises a vector assignment module that assigns a word item vector value for a word item, wherein the word item vector value may be used as a measure of similarity between a word item and a related term.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the suggestion database processor, comprises:

a vector determination module that assigns a search term suggestion vector range to one or more of the search request criteria; and

a vector value comparator that compares a vector value of a search term and the word item vector value to determine if the word item vector value falls within the suggestion vector range of the search term, wherein word items that fall within the suggestion vector range may be used to search for suggested content.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the suggestion vector range is adjustable by a user of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a user-defined filter, comprising:

a user history filter;

a user profile filter; and

an approved content access filter, wherein the suggestion database processor processes search results from the suggestion database using the user-defined filter to produce the list of suggested content.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a ranking module, wherein the ranking module ranks content in the list of suggested content.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, where in the ranking module ranks the content according to one or more of a user historical analysis report and similarities to previously accessed content by the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the database of indexed metadata elements, comprises one or more of content type, content title, date of production, rating and parental notice information, performer, artist, writer, author, plot summary, keyword list, and textual content description.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein constructing the database of indexed metadata elements, comprises:

opening one or more metadata records in the content metadata database;

for a current one of the one or more metadata records,

determining if end-of-file has been reached,

reading an entire metadata entry of the current metadata record, wherein the

current metadata record comprises one or more of one or more non-uniquely identifying fields and one or more uniquely identifying fields, and wherein each of the one or more uniquely identifying fields comprises one or more terms,

extracting and caching a value for each term for one or more of the one or more uniquely identifying fields, and

parsing and caching terms of each of the uniquely identifying fields.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, for each cached term:

determining if an index record exists for the cached term; and

if no index record exists, creating an index matrix record, and

adding the cached value to the index matrix record.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein creating the index matrix record, comprises:

determining a part of speech of the term to determine part of speech data;

comparing the term to thesaurus data to determine similar terms, and

storing the part of speech data and the similar terms as the index matrix record.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein a metadata crawler crawls a content metadata database of indexed metadata elements to construct the database of indexed metadata elements.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the metadata crawler crawls the content metadata database continually.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the metadata crawler crawls the content metadata database when directed by a metadata processor.

12. A method for suggesting available content in a digital communications network, comprising:

receiving a search request from a user of the digital communications network;

comparing the search request to a database of indexed metadata elements;

caching indexed metadata elements that satisfy the search request;

retrieving a user profile for the user; and

filtering the cached metadata elements according to the user profile.

ranking the filtered metadata elements; and

providing the ranked metadata elements to a search request processor as criteria for returning suggested content.

14. A method for suggesting available content in a digital communications network, comprising:

constructing a database of indexed metadata elements;

receiving a content search request from a user of the digital communications network;

comparing the search request to the database of indexed metadata elements;

caching indexed metadata elements that satisfy the search request;

retrieving a user profile for the user;

filtering the cached metadata elements according to the user profile;

ranking the filtered metadata elements; and

providing the ranked metadata elements to a search request processor as criteria for returning suggested content.

21. An apparatus for suggesting available content in a digital communications network, comprising:

first searching means for searching metadata related to the available content and producing a metadata list, wherein the metadata list comprises a plurality of metadata elements, and wherein each metadata element comprises one or more metadata fields;

means, coupled to the first searching means, for receiving the metadata list and indexing the metadata elements;

means, coupled to the indexing means, for storing the indexed metadata elements; and

second searching means, coupled to the first searching means, for searching the storing means, based on one or more search request criteria, to produce a list of metadata elements to be used to suggest content.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the indexing means, comprises:

extraction means for extracting and caching a value of each metadata field;

parsing means coupled to the extraction means, for parsing contents of uniquely identifying metadata fields, wherein the contents of a uniquely identifying field comprises one or more word items;

classifying means, coupled to the parsing means, for classifying one or more of the one or more word items;

comparing means coupled to the classifying means for comparing one or more of the one or more word items to determine a list of related terms; and

means for creating and augmenting an index matrix record for each of the classified word items.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising one or more of a dictionary database, a thesaurus database and a lexicon database, wherein the comparing means compares a word item to entries in one or more of the dictionary database, the thesaurus database and the lexicon database, and wherein the list of related terms includes one or more of a dictionary definition, lexicon data, and one or more synonyms.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the classifying module comprises means for analyzing linguistics.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the means for analyzing linguistics comprises one or more computational linguistics tools, including a rule-based part-of-speech tagging algorithm and a stochastic part-of-speech tagging algorithm, wherein the one or more computational linguistic tools determine part-of-speech data of a word item, and wherein means for creating and augmenting an index matrix record adds the part-of-speech data to the index matrix record for the word item.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the uniquely identifying fields comprise one or more of content type, content title, date of production, rating and parental notice information, performer, artist, writer, author, plot summary, keyword list, and textual content description.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for creating and augmenting an index matrix record comprises means for assigning a word item vector value for a word item, wherein the word item vector value may be used as a measure of similarity between a word item and a related term.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the second searching means, comprises:

means for assigning a search term suggestion vector range to one or more of the search request criteria; and

means for comparing a vector value of a search term and the word item vector value to determine if the word item vector value falls within the suggestion vector range of the search term, wherein word items that fall within the suggestion vector range may be used to search for suggested content.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the suggestion vector range is adjustable by a user of the apparatus.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising means for filtering search results.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means for filtering search results, comprises:

a user history filter;

a user profile filter; and

an approved content access filter, wherein the means for creating and augmenting an index matrix record processes search results from the means for storing the indexed metadata elements using the user-defined filter to produce the list of suggested content.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising means for ranking content in the list of suggested content.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, where in the ranking means ranks the content according to one or more of a user historical analysis report and similarities to previously accessed content by the user.