TECHNIQUE FOR IDENTIFYING FAVORITE PROGRAM CHANNELS FOR RECEIVING ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMING CONTENT OVER A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20090254943A1
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Inc. (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Maynard, Stephen L., Callahan, John W., Hassell, Joseph M., Shoykhet, Vitaly, Autruong, Tho T., Towne, Karla J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,987,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/466 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A favorites list of program channels which a cable TV user likely prefers is generated automatically from which the user may select a program channel to watch. Each program channel in the favorites list is identified based on a measure of the duration in which the program channel is continuously tuned to. In an embodiment, this measure varies nonlinearly with such a duration. The favorites list may further comprise sublists of program channels which may correspond to different periods of a day, week, etc. The favorites list may be generated from programs watched on multiple viewing devices.

Claims

1. A system for updating a common list of user-preferred program channels comprising:

a network;

at least first and second set-top terminals (STTs) connected to the network, wherein the first STT comprises a first memory, a first timer and a first processing unit and wherein the second STT comprises a second memory, a second timer and a second processing unit;

a common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels stored in the first and second memories;

a first channel table stored in the first memory, the first channel table comprising a first list of viewed channels as selected by the first STT, wherein each viewed channel of the first list of viewed channels is associated with a first cumulative count value;

a second channel table stored in the second memory, the second channel table comprising a second list of viewed channels as selected by the second STT, wherein each viewed channel of the second list of viewed channels is associated with a second cumulative count value;

a first processing unit configured to communicate with the first memory and the first timer, wherein the first processing unit executes instructions causing the first processing unit to update the first channel table based on a measure of duration indicative of a first period of time during which a first particular program channel has been selected to receive continuously programming content attributed thereto;

a second processing unit configured to communicate with the second memory and the second timer, wherein the second processing unit executes the instructions causing the second processing unit to update the second channel table based on a measure of duration indicative of a second period of time during which a second particular program channel has been selected to receive continuously programming content attributed thereto; and

an application server connected to the network, wherein the application server executes instructions that cause the application server to;

receive the first and second channel table from the first and second STTs;

generate a common channel table from the first and second channel tables; and

send the common channel table to the first and second STTs,

wherein the first and second processing units execute instructions causing the first and second processing units to;

select from the common channel table the “

k”

program channels having the cumulative count values; and

revise the common list of user-preferred program channels to reflect the selected “

k”

program channels.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions comprise instructions causing a processing unit to:

(a) detect a first channel change event to establish the tuning of an STT to a viewed channel;

(b) start a timer to measure a first continuous duration of the STT tuned to the viewed channel;

(c) detect the occurrence of a second channel change event to establish the tuning of the STT away from the viewed channel before the first continuous duration reaches a first milestone duration;

(d) when the first milestone duration is reached, then reset the timer to zero and set a count to 1;

(e) start the timer to measure a second continuous duration of the STT tuned to the viewed channel;

(f) detect the occurrence of a second channel change event to establish the tuning of the STT away from the viewed channel before the second continuous duration reaches a second milestone duration, wherein the second milestone duration is greater that the first milestone duration;

(g) when the second milestone duration is not reached, then add the count to the cumulative count value for the viewed channel; and

(h) when the second milestone duration is reached, then increment the counter for the viewed channel by 1 and then add the count to the cumulative count value for the viewed channel.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions causing the processing unit to:

prior to performing task (h), determine whether the count is greater than or equal to a count maximum; and

when the count is greater than or equal to the count maximum, then leave the cumulative count value for the viewed channel unchanged.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions causing the processing unit to:

prior to performing task (b), determine whether the first channel change event was initiated by selection of the viewed channel by its channel number; and

when the first channel change event was initiated by selection of the viewed channel by its channel number, then set a bonus flag to 0, and

wherein task (d) further comprises when the first milestone duration is reached, then set the bonus flag to 1,

wherein task (g) further comprises when the second milestone duration is not reached, then determine whether the bonus flag=1 and when the bonus flag=1, then add bonus points to the cumulative count for the viewed channel, and

wherein task (h) further comprises when the second milestone duration is reached, then determine whether the bonus flag=1 and when the bonus flag=1, then add bonus points to the cumulative count for the viewed channel.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein prior to the first and second processing units executing the instructions, the common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels stored in the first and second memories is initialized with no data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein prior to the first and second processing units executing the instructions, the common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels stored in the first and second memories is initialized with channel data selected from a list of user viewable channels.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first STT is configured to display the common list of user-preferred program channels on a first display device in response to a command from a first control device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second STT is configured to display the common list of user-preferred program channels on a second display device in response to a command from a second control device.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein the instructions further comprise instructions causing the processing unit to segregate the cumulative count for the viewed channels in the channel table into time periods and wherein the task of adding the count to the cumulative count value for the viewed channel comprises:

determining a time;

determining a time period in the channel table that encompasses the time; and

adding the count to the cumulative count for the viewed channel within the time period.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels comprises a time-based common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels for each time period.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first STT is configured to display the time-based common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels for a particular time period on a first display device in response to a command from a first control device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the second STT is configured to display the time-based common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels for a particular time period on a second display device in response to a command from a second control device.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the time periods comprise different time periods of a day.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the time periods comprise different time periods of a week.

15. A method for updating a common list of user-preferred program channels comprising:

storing in a first memory of a first set top terminal (STT) a common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels;

storing in a second memory of a second set top terminal (STT) a common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels;

storing a first channel table in the memory, the first channel table comprising a list of channels viewed from the first STT, wherein each viewed channel is associated with a first cumulative count value;

storing a second channel table in the memory, the second channel table comprising a list of channels viewed from the second STT, wherein each viewed channel is associated with a second cumulative count value;

using a first processing unit of the first STT to execute instructions to update the first channel table based on a measure of duration indicative of a first period of time during which a first particular program channel has been selected to receive continuously programming content attributed thereto;

using a second processing unit of the second STT to execute the instructions to update the second channel table based on a measure of duration indicative of a second period of time during which a second particular program channel has been selected to receive continuously programming content attributed thereto; and

sending the first and second channel tables to an application server;

generating at the application server a common channel table from the first and second channel tables;

sending the common channel table to the first and second STTs;

using the first processing unit to;

select from the common channel table the “

k”

program channels having the cumulative count values; and

revise the common list of user-preferred program channels stored on the first STT to reflect the selected “

k”

program channels; and

using the second processing unit to;

select from the common channel table the “

k”

program channels having the cumulative count values; and

revise the common list of user-preferred program channels stored on the second STT to reflect the selected “

k”

program channels.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the instructions comprise instructions causing a processing unit to:

(a) detect a first channel change event to establish the tuning of an STT to a viewed channel;

(b) start a timer to measure a first continuous duration of the STT tuned to the viewed channel;

(c) detect the occurrence of a second channel change event to establish the tuning of the STT away from the viewed channel before the first continuous duration reaches a first milestone duration;

(d) when the first milestone duration is reached, then reset the timer to zero and set a count to 1;

(e) start the timer to measure a second continuous duration of the STT tuned to the viewed channel;

(f) detect the occurrence of a second channel change event to establish the tuning of the STT away from the viewed channel before the second continuous duration reaches a second milestone duration, wherein the second milestone duration is greater that the first milestone duration;

(g) when the second milestone duration is not reached, then add the count to the cumulative count value for the viewed channel; and

(h) when the second milestone duration is reached, then increment the counter for the viewed channel by 1 and then add the count to the cumulative count value for the viewed channel.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions causing the processing unit to:

prior to performing task (h), determine whether the count is greater than or equal to a count maximum; and

when the count is greater than or equal to the count maximum, then leave the cumulative count value for the viewed channel unchanged.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions causing the processing unit to:

prior to performing task (b), determine whether the first channel change event was initiated by selection of the viewed channel by its channel number; and

when the first channel change event was initiated by selection of the viewed channel by its channel number, then set a bonus flag to 0, and

wherein task (d) further comprises when the first milestone duration is reached, then set the bonus flag to 1,

wherein task (g) further comprises when the second milestone duration is not reached, then determine whether the bonus flag=1 and when the bonus flag=1, then add bonus points to the cumulative count for the viewed channel, and

wherein task (h) further comprises when the second milestone duration is reached, then determine whether the bonus flag=1 and when the bonus flag=1, then add bonus points to the cumulative count for the viewed channel.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising, prior to updating the first and second channel tables, initializing the common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels stored in the first and second memories with no data.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein prior to updating the first and second channel tables, initializing the common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels stored in the first and second memories with channel data selected from a list of user viewable channels.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

displaying the common list of user-preferred program channels on a first display device connected to the first STT in response to a command from a first control device.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

displaying the common list of user-preferred program channels on a second display device connected to the second STT in response to a command from a second control device.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions causing the processing unit to segregate the cumulative count for the viewed channels in the channel table into time periods and wherein the task of adding the count to the cumulative count value for the viewed channel comprises:

determining a time;

determining a time period in the channel table that encompasses the time;

and adding the count to the cumulative count for the viewed channel within the time period.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the time periods comprise different time periods of a day.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the time periods comprise different time periods of a week.

24. The system of method 23, wherein the common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels comprises a time-based common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels for each time period.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising displaying the time-based common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels for a particular time period on a first display device in response to a command from a first control device.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising displaying the time-based common list of “

k”

user-preferred program channels for a particular time period on a second display device in response to a command from a second control device.