DYNAMIC ADJUSTMENT OF ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE DISPLAYS BASED ON VIEWER PREFERENCES FOR MINIMIZING NAVIGATION IN VOD PROGRAM SELECTION

• US 20160212490A1
• Filed: 01/20/2016
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broadband iTV, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Broadband iTV, Inc.
• Inventors: Perez, Milton Diaz
• Granted Patent: US 9,648,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 21/44224 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 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Items of video content offered for viewing on a video-on-demand (VOD) platform of a digital TV service provider are each assigned a respective title and hierarchical address corresponding to hierarchically-arranged categories and subcategories within which the title for the video content is to be categorized. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. The EPG dynamically adjust its display listings of each level of categories, subcategories, and titles in order to minimize the number of remote control keypresses needed for a viewer to navigate to a title of interest. In one basic form, the EPG display is reordered by listing more frequently visited categories or subcategories first, and other less frequently visited categories or subcategories lower on the listing or out-of-sight on another page of the display.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method comprising:

(a) providing, to a first Internet-connected digital device, a viewer interface application configured to access a digital television service provider system to obtain video-on-demand electronic media content and linear video content corresponding to a linear television channel,

wherein the video-on-demand electronic media content is obtained from a VOD content delivery system of the digital television service provider system that has obtained the video-on-demand electronic media content and respective metadata associated with the video-on-demand electronic media content, the respective metadata comprising respective title data, respective category data, and respective subcategory data, and

wherein the viewer interface application is further configured to provide access to an individualized electronic program guide for at least video-on-demand electronic media content based at least in part on electronic viewing data for a first user;

(b) receiving, at the digital television service provider system via a closed delivery system from a tuner associated with the first user, a first electronic access request to access video-on-demand electronic media content;

(c) accessing, at the digital television service provider system upon receipt of the first electronic access request, a first individualized electronic program guide for video-on-demand electronic media content wherein the first individualized electronic program guide is generated by;

(i) accessing, at the digital television service provider system from one or more non-transitory processor readable memory devices operatively connected to the digital television service provider system, first electronic viewing data associated with the first user; and

(ii) generating, at the digital television service provider system, the first individualized electronic program guide for video-on-demand electronic media content, based at least in part on the first electronic viewing data;

(d) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system to the tuner, the first individualized electronic program guide in response to the first electronic access request;

(e) receiving, at the digital television service provider system from the tuner, a first VOD media request for a first video-on-demand electronic media content;

(f) updating, by the digital television service provider system, the first electronic viewing data with information associated with the first VOD media request to generate second electronic viewing data;

(g) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system via the closed delivery system to the tuner, the first video-on-demand electronic media content identified in the first VOD media request for display on a first display associated with the tuner;

(h) receiving, at the digital television service provider system from the first Internet-connected digital device, login credentials;

(i) verifying, by the digital television service provider system, that the login credentials are associated with a user account;

(j) transmitting, to the first Internet-connected digital device, an electronic authorization for the viewer interface application to access privileges associated with the user account;

(k) transmitting, to the first Internet-connected digital device, first linear video content for viewing on a second display associated with the first Internet-connected digital device;

(l) receiving, at the digital television service provider system via the Internet from the first Internet-connected digital device, a second electronic access request to access video-on-demand electronic media content;

(m) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system to the first Internet-connected digital device via the Internet, a second individualized electronic program guide for video-on-demand electronic media content, wherein the second individualized electronic program guide is generated based at least in part upon the second electronic viewing data;

(n) receiving, at the digital television service provider system via the Internet from the first Internet-connected digital device, a second VOD media request for a second video-on-demand electronic media content;

(o) updating, by the digital television service provider system, the second electronic viewing data with information associated with the second VOD media request to generate third electronic viewing data; and

(p) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system via the Internet to the first Internet-connected digital device, the second video-on-demand electronic media content identified in the second VOD media request for display on the second display.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(q) receiving, at the digital television service provider system via the Internet from a second Internet-connected digital device associated with the first user, a third electronic access request to access video-on-demand electronic media content;

(r) generating, by the digital television service provider system, a third individualized electronic program guide based at least in part upon the third electronic viewing data to be sent to the second Internet-connected digital device in response to the third electronic access request;

(s) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system to the second Internet-connected digital device, the third individualized electronic program guide;

(t) receiving, at the digital television service provider system via the Internet from the second Internet-connected digital device, a third VOD media request for a third video-on-demand electronic media content;

(u) updating, by the digital television service provider system, the third electronic viewing data with information associated with the third VOD media request to generate fourth electronic viewing data; and

(v) transmitting, from the digital television service provider system via the Internet to the second Internet-connected digital device, the third video-on-demand electronic media content identified in the third VOD media request for display on a third display associated with the second Internet-connected digital device.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first video-on-demand electronic media content is a television show.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first video-on-demand electronic media content is a movie.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the first video-on-demand electronic media content is a documentary.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the first video-on-demand electronic media content is a short subject.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the first video-on-demand electronic media content is a news program.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the first user includes a number of different persons associated with the user account of the first user, and wherein the first and second individualized electronic program guides are generated on an individualized basis for each of the number of different persons associated with the user account.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the tuner is a set top box.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the tuner is an internal cable channel tuner.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the first Internet-connected digital device is a digital phone.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the first Internet-connected digital device is a computer.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the first Internet-connected digital device is a game console.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein the first individualized electronic program guide is ordered by categories and subcategories, and wherein the step of generating the second individualized electronic program guide comprises reordering at least one of the categories or the subcategories of the first individualized electronic program guide.

35. The method of claim 22, wherein the second individualized electronic program guide is ordered by categories and subcategories, and wherein the step of generating the third individualized electronic program guide comprises reordering at least one of the categories or the subcategories of the second individualized electronic program guide.