TIME-ADAPTIVE IPG BASED ON USER VIEWING HABITS DURING PREDETERMINED INTERVALS

• US 20090282428A1
• Filed: 02/19/2009
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Application Number:
  US12/388,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20090282428A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 for recognising genres
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/4532 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/482 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 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for providing television functionality includes tracking viewing parameters corresponding to services that are provided to a user, determining a user preference for a viewing parameter, receiving user input requesting television functionality, and providing a user with a result that is responsive to the user input and to the user preference.

Claims

1. A method for providing television functionality comprising:

tracking a viewing parameter corresponding to services that are provided to a user;

determining a user preference for the viewing parameter based on a time of day, a day of a week, and a month of a year;

recording the user preference in multiple data structures corresponding respectively to the viewing parameter for the time of the day, the day of the week, and the month of the year;

receiving user input requesting a presentation of an interactive program guide (IPG); and

populating the IPG with program information associated with the user preference based on the multiple data structures.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a user preference for multiple viewing parameters based on the time of the day, the day of the week, and the month of the year.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising recording the user preference for the multiple viewing parameters in the multiple data structures.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising populating the IPG with program information associated with the user preference for the multiple viewing parameters from the multiple data structures.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein recording comprises recording a score corresponding to duration of viewing the viewing parameter, frequency of viewing the viewing parameter, or a combination of duration and frequency.

6. A method for providing television functionality comprising:

tracking a viewing parameter corresponding to services that are provided to a user;

determining a user preference for the viewing parameter based on a time of day, a day of a week, and a month of a year;

recording the user preference in a data structure comprising separate entries for the time of the day, the day of the week, and the month of the year;

receiving user input requesting a presentation of an interactive program guide (IPG); and

populating the IPG with program information associated with the user preference based on the separate entries.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining a user preference for multiple viewing parameters based on the time of the day, the day of the week, and the month of the year, recording the user preference for the multiple viewing parameters in the separate entries, and populating the IPG with program information associated with the user preference for the multiple viewing parameters from the separate entries.