Intelligent electronic program guide

• US 20040049787A1
• Filed: 08/12/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kranc, Moshe, Maissel, Jonathan, Atlow, Shabtai, Bar-On, Gershon, Sered, Yishai, Tsuria, Yossef, Zviel, David, Eilat, Amir
• Application Number:
  US10/639,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20040049787A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• 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 21/4312 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17345 Control of the passage of the selected programme

Abstract

A subscriber unit for use in a television system including a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the subscriber unit including a receiving unit for receiving the program schedule information from said television network, an icon-based guide generator for producing a program guide including an icon-based hierarchical program guide including the program schedule information, and display apparatus for displaying the program guide, the icon-based hierarchical program guide including a plurality of hierarchically-arranged screens each including at least one icon. Related apparatus and methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A television system comprising:

a television network; and

transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, at least one of said multiplicity of subscriber units including;

a receiving unit for receiving said program schedule information from said television network;

a profile storage unit for storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer;

an intelligent agent for customizing said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce a program guide comprising customized program schedule information; and

display apparatus for displaying the program guide.

5. Apparatus according to any of the above claims and wherein said transmitting apparatus comprises network transmitting apparatus for transmitting over said television network.

6. Apparatus according to any of the above claims and wherein said transmitting apparatus comprises:

recording apparatus for recording information on a removable medium; and

means for sending said removable medium to a subscriber location comprising said subscriber unit,

and said subscriber unit includes loading apparatus for loading said information from said removable medium into said subscriber unit.

7. Apparatus according to any of the above claims and wherein said intelligent agent also comprises profile determination apparatus for determining viewer preference profile information for at least one television viewer and for providing said viewer preference profile information to said profile storage unit for storage as a viewer preference profile,

wherein said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information by monitoring television viewing behavior of said at least one television viewer.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 and wherein said television viewing behavior comprises viewing at least a portion of at least one viewed television program.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 and wherein said television viewing behavior comprises said television viewer viewing only a portion of at least one viewed television program.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 and wherein said profile determination apparatus compares a length of said portion of said at least one viewed television program to a predetermined viewing threshold length to determine whether said length is greater than said threshold length, and

wherein said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information based, at least in part, on whether said length is greater than said threshold length.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein, when said length is determined to be less than said threshold length, said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information without regard to said viewing only a portion of said at least one television program.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein, when said portion is determined to be less than said threshold, said profile determination apparatus determines that said viewer is engaged in channel surfing behavior, and

said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information based, at least in part, on said channel surfing behavior.

13. Apparatus according to any of claims 7-12 and wherein said program schedule information comprises a first plurality of criteria, at least one of said first plurality of criteria being associated with each of a second plurality of television programs, and

said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information based, at least in part, on at least one of said plurality of criteria associated with said at least one viewed television program.

14. Apparatus according to any of claims 7-13 and wherein said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information, at least in part, in accordance with input provided by said at least one television viewer.

15. Apparatus according to any of claims 7-14 and wherein said profile determination apparatus determines viewer preference profile information from a reaction of said at least one television viewer to previously displayed customized program schedule information.

16. Apparatus according to any of the above claims and wherein each said viewer preference profile comprises a viewer preference profile of exactly one viewer.

17. Apparatus according to any of claims 1-15 and wherein at least one said viewer preference profile comprises a viewer preference profile of a plurality of viewers.

18. Apparatus according to any of the above claims and also comprising viewer preference profile loading apparatus for providing a recorded viewer preference profile to the profile storage unit for storage.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said viewer preference profile loading apparatus receives said recorded viewer preference profile via said television network.

20. Apparatus according to either claim 18 or claim 19 and wherein said viewer preference profile loading apparatus receives said viewer preference profile from profile storage apparatus located remotely thereto.

21. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises emphasizing at least a portion of said customized program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.

22. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises deemphasizing at least a portion of said customized program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.

23. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises tailoring a custom channel based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.

24. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises automatically tuning to a program selected based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.

25. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises automatically recording, on recording apparatus, a program selected based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.

26. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises ordering at least some of said customized program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.

27. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said display apparatus is operative to display an on-screen alert comprising at least part of said customized program schedule information.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27 and wherein said alert comprises an unsolicited alert.

29. Apparatus according to claim 28 and wherein said unsolicited alert comprises audience viewing information comprising an indication of a proportion of an audience currently viewing a program.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29 and wherein said program comprises a program currently being viewed by a viewer.

31. Apparatus according to claim 29 and wherein said program comprises a program not currently being viewed by a viewer.

32. Apparatus according to either claim 27 or claim 28 and wherein said display apparatus displays said on-screen alert a predetermined period of time before a scheduled starting time of a television program, said at least part of said customized program schedule information comprising information associated with said television program.

33. Apparatus according to any of the above claims and wherein said customizing comprises displaying an indication of a proportion of an audience currently viewing a program.

34. Apparatus according to claim 33 and wherein said proportion of an audience comprises a proportion of an audience viewing a program currently being viewed by a viewer.

35. Apparatus according to claim 33 and wherein said proportion of an audience comprises a proportion of an audience viewing a program not currently being viewed by a viewer.

36. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said display apparatus comprises an icon-based guide generator for producing an icon-based hierarchical program guide comprising said program schedule information, and the program guide comprises the icon-based hierarchical program guide.

53. Apparatus according to any of claims 36-38 and wherein said icon-based hierarchical program guide comprises a plurality of icons, and

at least one of said plurality of icons is associated with additional information, said additional information being provided to a user upon request.

54. Apparatus according to claim 53 and wherein said additional information comprises at least one of the following:

audio material;

visual material;

audio-visual material;

multimedia material;

a computer program; and

at least one preview of at least one program.

55. Apparatus according to either claim 53 or claim 54 and wherein said additional information comprises a plurality of customized items of information, and

at least one of said plurality of customized items of information is provided to said user based, at least in part, on at least one of the following:

a user preference;

a conditional access parameter; and

a region in which said user is located.

2. A subscriber unit for use in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the subscriber unit comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving said program schedule information;

a profile storage unit for storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer;

an intelligent agent for customizing said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce a program guide comprising customized program schedule information; and

display apparatus for displaying the program guide.

3. A television system comprising:

a television network; and

transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, the transmitting apparatus comprising a headend, the headend including;

a profile storage unit for storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units; and

an intelligent agent for customizing said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce customized program schedule information,

wherein said transmitting apparatus is operative to transmit the customized program schedule information to said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units, and

at least one of said multiplicity of subscriber units includes;

a receiving unit for receiving said customized program schedule information from said television network; and

display apparatus for displaying a program guide comprising the customized program schedule information.

4. A headend for use in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting customized program schedule information to at least one subscriber unit, the headend comprising:

a profile storage unit for storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with said at least one subscriber unit; and

an intelligent agent for customizing said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce customized program schedule information.

37. A television system comprising:

a television network; and

transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, each subscriber unit including;

a receiving unit for receiving said program schedule information from said television network;

an icon-based guide generator for producing a program guide comprising an icon-based hierarchical program guide comprising said program schedule information; and

display apparatus for displaying said program guide.

38. A subscriber unit for use in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the subscriber unit comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving said program schedule information from said television network;

an icon-based guide generator for producing a program guide comprising an icon-based hierarchical program guide comprising said program schedule information; and

display apparatus for displaying said program guide.

39. A method for providing a program guide in a television system, the method comprising:

providing a television network; and

transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, each subscriber unit performing the following steps;

receiving said program schedule information from said television network;

storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer;

employing an intelligent agent to customize said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce a program guide comprising customized program schedule information; and

displaying the program guide.

40. A method for providing a program guide in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the method comprising:

receiving said program schedule information;

storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer;

employing an intelligent agent to customize said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce a program guide comprising customized program schedule information; and

displaying the program guide.

41. A method for providing a program guide in a television system, the method comprising:

providing a television network; and

transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units,

wherein the step of transmitting comprises;

storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units;

employing an intelligent agent to customize said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce customized program schedule information;

transmitting the customized program schedule information to said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units;

receiving, at said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units, said customized program schedule information from said television network; and

displaying a program guide comprising the customized program schedule information.

42. A method for providing a program guide in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting customized program schedule information, the method comprising:

storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units; and

customizing said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce customized program schedule information.

43. A method for providing a program guide in a television system, the method comprising:

providing a television network; and

transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, each subscriber unit performing the following steps;

receiving said program schedule information;

producing a program guide comprising an icon-based hierarchical program guide comprising said program schedule information; and

displaying said program guide.

44. A method for providing a program guide in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the method comprising:

receiving said program schedule information;

producing a program guide comprising an icon-based hierarchical program guide comprising said program schedule information; and

displaying said program guide.

45. A headend for use in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting customized program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, the transmitting apparatus comprising the headend, the headend comprising:

a profile creation unit for creating at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units, based on viewer information associated with said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units; and

a transmission unit for transmitting said at least one viewer preference profile to said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units.

46. A method for providing a program guide in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting customized program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, the method comprising:

creating at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units, based on viewer information associated with said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units; and

transmitting said at least one viewer preference profile to said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units.

47. A method for providing a viewer preference profile in a television system comprising a plurality of subscriber units, the method comprising:

recording, at a first subscriber unit, a viewer preference profile on a removable medium;

loading, at a second subscriber unit, said viewer preference profile from said recording medium; and

customizing a program guide, at said second subscriber unit, based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.

48. A method for providing audience information to a viewer of a television system, the method comprising:

collecting viewing data from a multiplicity of viewers of a television system;

computing audience information from the collected viewing data; and

transmitting the computed audience information to a viewer of the television system.

49. A method according to claim 48 and also comprising:

displaying the computed audience information to the viewer of the television system.

50. A method according to either claim 48 or claim 49 and wherein the computed audience information comprises real-time computed audience information.

51. A method for providing a program guide in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, the method comprising:

creating at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units, based on viewer information associated with said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units;

creating a customized program guide based, at least in part, on said at least one viewer preference profile; and

transmitting said customized program guide to said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units.

52. A method according to claim 51 and wherein said transmitting step comprises transmitting via at least one of the following:

conventional mail;

electronic mail;

provision of a World Wide Web site comprising said customized program guide; and

wireless transmission to a portable electronic receiving device.