Systems and methods for providing customized media channels

• US 8,612,539 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Music Choice
• Original Assignee: Music Choice
• Inventors: Prager, Justin B., Rosenberg, Jeremy C., Farber, Stuart H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US12/826,863
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/233, 709/231, 709/217, 715/765, 725/45
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/105 User profile, i.e. data about the user, e.g. for user settings or user preferences
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/131 Library retrieval, i.e. searching a database or selecting a specific musical piece, segment, pattern, rule or parameter set
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/02 Arrangements for generating broadcast information; Arrangements for generating broadcast-related information with a direct linking to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time; Arrangements for simultaneous generation of broadcast information and broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• 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 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 : Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• 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 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists

Abstract

The present application describes systems and methods for creating customized media channels. A method of the invention according to some embodiments includes: (a) transmitting to a user device information comprising a list of music genres; receiving from the user device a message indicating that a user selected one of the listed genres and including an identifier identifying the selected genre; selecting one or more media content items in response to receiving the message, wherein the selection is based, at least in part, on (i) the genre selected by the user and (ii) profile information associated with a user identifier input by the user and/or a device identifier associated with the device; and transmitting the selected media content items to the device.

Claims

1. In a system comprising a server and a client device, a method for providing a customized media channel to a user of the client device, comprising:

(a) transmitting, from a server, to the client device information identifying a list of genres, wherein the client device is operable to (i) display a user interface that comprises the list of genres and (ii) enable the user to select one of the listed genres, wherein the client device is further operable to transmit a message to the server in response to the user selecting one of the listed genres, wherein the message includes an identifier identifying the selected genre;

(b) receiving, at a server, the message transmitted by the client device;

(c) in response to receiving the message, selecting a media content item based, at least in part, on (i) the genre selected by the user and (ii) profile information associated with a user identifier input by the user and/or a client identifier associated with the client; and

(d) immediately after step (c), transmitting, from a server, the selected media content item to the client device, wherein the client device is arranged to receive the media content item and play the media content item for the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of genres is a list of music genres.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile information comprises a set of identifiers identifying media content items previously played for the user and/or previously transmitted to the client device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising adding to the set of identifiers an identifier that identifies the selected media content item.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising occasionally removing one or more identifies from the set of identifiers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the set of identifiers has a predefined maximum size.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile information consist of a set of identifiers identifying media content items previously played for the user and/or previously transmitted to the client device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile information is associated with a client device identifier that is associated with the client device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a user to indicate that the user likes or does not like the media content item while the media content item is being played.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising updating the profile information as a result of the user indicating that he or she likes or does not like the media content item.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a media content item comprises retrieving a media content item identifier from a playlist.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) transmitting an electronic program guide to the client device; and

(f) receiving from the client device a message indicating the user selected a music option from the electronic program guide.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein steps (e) and (f) are performed prior to step (a).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein step (a) occurs in response to receiving the message indicating the user selected the music option.

15. A communication system, comprising:

a server system, wherein the server system is configured to;

(a) transmit to the user device information comprising a set of genre identifiers, each genre identifier included in the set identifying a genre;

(b) receive from the user device a message indicating that the user selected one of the identified genres and including an genre identifier identifying the selected genre; and

(c) in immediate response to receiving the message including the genre identifier;

(1) selecting a media content item, wherein the selection of the media content item is based, at least in part, on (i) the genre selected by the user and (ii) profile information associated with a user identifier input by the user and/or a client identifier associated with the client; and

(2) transmitting the selected media content item to the user device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each genre identifier included in the set identifies a music genre.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the profile information comprises a set of identifiers identifying media content items previously played for the user and/or previously transmitted to the client.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the sever system is further operable to add to the set of identifiers an identifier that identifies the selected media content item.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the server is further operable to occasionally remove one or more identifies from the set of identifiers.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the set of identifiers has a predefined maximum size.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the profile information consist of a set of identifiers identifying media content items previously played for the user and/or previously transmitted to the client.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the profile information is associated with a client identifier that is associated with the client.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the user device is operable to enable a user to indicate that the user likes or does not like a media content item while the media content item is being played by the user device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the server system is further operable to update the profile information in response to receiving from the user device a communication that is sent from the user device to the server system in response to the user indicating that the user likes or does not like the media content item.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the server system is configured to select the media content item by retrieving a media content item identifier from a playlist.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the user device is a set-top box.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a television monitor connected to the set-top box.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a cable-tv network to which the sever system is connected and to which the set-top box is connected.

29. In a system comprising a server and a client device, a method for providing a customized media channel to a user of the client device, comprising:

(a) transmitting electronic program guide information to the client device so that the client device can display to the user an electronic program guide having a music option;

(b) after step (a), receiving from the client device a first message indicating the user selected the music option from the electronic program guide;

(c) in response to receiving the first message, transmitting to the client device information identifying a list of music genres, wherein the client device is operable to (i) display a graphical user interface that comprises the list of music genres and (ii) enable the user to select one of the listed music genres, wherein the client device is further operable to transmit a second message in response to the user selecting one of the listed music genres, wherein the second message includes a genre identifier identifying the selected genre;

(d) receiving the second message transmitted by the client device;

(e) in response to receiving the second message, selecting a media content item based, at least in part, on the genre selected by the user; and

(f) immediately after step (e), transmitting the selected media content item to the client device using a one-to-one connection, wherein the client device is arranged to receive the media content item and play the media content item for the user.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the act of selecting the media content item comprises selecting the media content item based, at least in part, on (a) the genre selected by the user and (b) profile information associated with a client identifier associated with the client.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the profile information comprises a set of identifiers identifying media content items previously played for the user and/or previously transmitted to the client device.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising adding to the set of identifiers an identifier that identifies the selected media content item.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising occasionally removing one or more identifies from the set of identifiers.

34. A server system coupled to a client device via a network, the server system being configured to:

(a) transmit electronic program guide information to the client device so that the client device can display to a user of the client device an electronic program guide having a music option;

(b) transmit to the client device information identifying a list of music genres in response to receiving, from the client device, a first message indicating the user selected the music option from the electronic program guide;

(c) select one or more media content items in response to receiving, from the client device, a second message transmitted in response to the user selecting one of the music genres, wherein the message includes an identifier identifying the selected genre, and the selection of the one or more media content items is based, at least in part, on the genre selected by the user; and

(d) transmit the selected media content items to the client device.

35. The server system of claim 34, wherein the selection of the one or more media content items is based on profile information associated with a client identifier associated with the client device.

36. The server system of claim 35, wherein the profile information comprises a set of identifiers identifying media content items previously played for the user and/or previously transmitted to the client device.

37. The server system of claim 36, wherein the sever system is further operable to, for each selected media content item, add to the set of identifiers an identifier that identifies the selected media content item.