PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM WITH PREFERENCE PROFILES

• US 20130007808A1
• Filed: 09/05/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Knudson, Edward B., Lemmons, Thomas R., Hassell, Joel G., Knee, Robert A., Easterbrook, Kevin B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,806,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• 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 21/44224 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• 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

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided in which a user may inform a program guide of the user'"'"'s interests. Information on the user'"'"'s interests may be stored in a preference profile. There may be more than one preference profile, each for a different user. Each preference profile contains a number of preference attributes (program titles, genres, viewing times, channels, broadcast characteristics, etc.). A preference level (e.g., strong or weak like, strong or weak dislike, illegal, mandatory, don'"'"'t care, etc.) that is indicative of the user'"'"'s level of interest is associated with each preference attribute. Preference profiles may be used to restrict the programs that are listed in various program listings display screens and may be used to limit the channels to which the program guide allows the user to tune.

Claims

1-180. -180. (canceled)

181. A method for using a media guidance application, the method comprising:

automatically selecting media assets for display based on stored user preference information;

arranging representations of the selected media assets in a sequence; and

causing the representation of the media assets to be presented in the arranged sequence, wherein all of the media assets are currently available for viewing by the user.

182. The method of claim 181, further comprising:

generating a first preference profile that is indicative of a first user'"'"'s media asset interests; and

wherein the stored user preference information includes the first preference profile, and

wherein causing the media assets to be presented comprises generating a list of the selected media assets for display.

183. The method of claim 182, comprising:

indicating in the generated list, media assets that satisfy the first preference profile.

184. The method of claim 182, further comprising:

generating a second preference profile that is indicative of a second user'"'"'s media asset interests; and

wherein the stored user preference information includes the second preference profile, and

indicating in the generated list, media assets that satisfy the first preference profile using a first color, and media assets that satisfy the second preference profile using a second color.

185. The method of claim 182, further comprising:

generating for display a first selectable indicator of a preference attribute indicative of the first user'"'"'s programming interests;

generating for display, a second selectable indicator of a preference level for the preference attribute;

wherein generating the first preference profile is based on receiving a selection of the first selectable indicator and the second selectable indicator.

186. The method of claim 181, wherein the arranged sequence is based on the sources of the media assets.

187. The method of claim 181, where in the arranged sequence is based on the priorities of the media assets.

188. The method of claim 181, wherein the arranged sequence is based on the titles of the media assets.

189. The method of claim 181, further comprising:

generating for display, a selectable list of preference profiles;

wherein the automatically selecting media assets is based on a selected preference profile of the selectable list.

190. The method of claim 181, further comprising:

generating for display, a selectable option to set a reminder for one of the selected media assets.

191. A system for using a media guidance application, the system comprising:

circuitry configured to;

automatically select media assets for display based on stored user preference information;

arrange representations of the selected media assets in a sequence; and

cause the representation of the media assets to be presented in the arranged sequence, wherein all of the media assets are currently available for viewing by the user.

192. The system of claim 191, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

generate a first preference profile that is indicative of a first user'"'"'s media asset interests; and

wherein the stored user preference information includes the first preference profile, and

wherein causing the media assets to be presented comprises generating a list of the selected media assets for display.

193. The system of claim 192, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

indicate in the generated list, media assets that satisfy the first preference profile.

194. The system of claim 192, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

generate a second preference profile that is indicative of a second user'"'"'s media asset interests, wherein the stored user preference information includes the second preference profile; and

indicate in the generated list, media assets that satisfy the first preference profile using a first color, and media assets that satisfy the second preference profile using a second color.

195. The system of claim 192, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

generate for display a first selectable indicator of a preference attribute indicative of the first user'"'"'s programming interests;

generate for display, a second selectable indicator of a preference level for the preference attribute;

wherein generating the first preference profile is based on receiving a selection of the first selectable indicator and the second selectable indicator.

196. The system of claim 191, wherein the arranged sequence is based on the sources of the media assets.

197. The system of claim 191, where in the arranged sequence is based on the priorities of the media assets.

198. The system of claim 191, wherein the arranged sequence is based on the titles of the media assets.

199. The system of claim 191, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

generate for display, a selectable list of preference profiles;

wherein the automatically selecting media assets is based on a selected preference profile of the selectable list.

200. The system of claim 191, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

generate for display, a selectable option to set a reminder for one of the selected media assets.