Video and digital multimedia aggregator content suggestion engine

• US 9,286,294 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Asmussen, Michael L., Mccoskey, John S., Swart, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mofiz, Apu
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAYE, CHELCIE L
• Application Number:
  US09/921,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20020042923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 5,338 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/104.1, 707/5, 707/767, 707/749, 704/9, 725/114, 725/46
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/02 Arrangements for relaying broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/91 broadcasting computer programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/25 Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 : Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 : Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 : Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• 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 21/26208 : the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 : for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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 21/42204 : 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 21/42206 : characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 : Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 : for processing graphics
• 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 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 : Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 : Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 : Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4662 : characterized by learning algorithms
• 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 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 : for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• 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 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 : e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/64307 : ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 : comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 : involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 : Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 : for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 : for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 : for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 : Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

To allow a user to maximize use of a video and digital multimedia aggregator, a search suggestion engine and corresponding method may be used to provide suggestions of available content. The search suggestion engine starts by constructing a database of metadata elements or word items. The metadata element database may be constructed by using a crawler that periodically or continually crawls a content metadata database and extracts word items from the content metadata database. The word items are then processed according to a number of factors, including part-of-speech, entries in dictionaries and thesaurus and other factors. The thus-processed word items are indexed, and may be provided with a vector value. A subsequent search request submitted by the user may include search criteria that may be provided vector values. A processor within the search suggestion engine compares the vector values to determine if an indexed word item should be considered for retrieving the indexed word item'"'"'s associated content. A list of suggested content is then generated. The list of suggested items may be ranked and filtered before being provided to the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

calculating, by at least one processor of a computing device, a plurality of values, each value of the plurality of values corresponding to a degree of similarity between a keyword of one or more keywords input by a user and a related term of plurality of related terms identified by the at least one processor;

utilizing, by the at least one processor, the plurality of values to identify a portion of the plurality of related terms, each term of the portion of the plurality of related terms being associated with a value of the plurality of values that is within an adjustable suggestion range comprising a range of values that corresponds to a degree of similarity associated with and indicated by the user;

initiating, by the at least one processor, a search of a plurality of metadata elements using search request criteria comprising the one or more keywords and the portion of the plurality of related terms; and

generating, by the at least one processor and based on results of the search, a list of digital content accessible to the user, the list comprising a result portion and a suggested portion, the result portion comprising one or more items of the digital content identified based on the one or more keywords, and the suggested portion comprising one or more items of the digital content identified based on the portion of the plurality of related terms.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of metadata elements describes an aspect of digital content accessible to the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the digital content accessible to the user comprises at least one of video, audio, multimedia, television programming, radio programming, computer software, or an electronic book.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the list visibly delineates the result portion from the suggested portion.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising ranking the one or more items of the digital content identified based on the portion of the plurality of related terms.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising performing a historical analysis associated with the user, and wherein ranking the one or more items of the digital content identified based on the portion of the plurality of related terms comprises ranking the one or more items of the digital content identified based on the portion of the plurality of related terms based on results of the historical analysis.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the results of the historical analysis indicate one or more similarities between the one or more items of the digital content identified based on the portion of the plurality of related terms and one or more items of digital content previously accessed by the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the list using a filter defined by the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the list comprises a reference to digital content that will be available at a future date.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the list comprises a reference to digital content stored at a remote location.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising extracting a plurality of words from the plurality of metadata elements.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the plurality of related terms comprises identifying at least a portion of the plurality of related terms from amongst the plurality of words.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the adjustable suggestion range based a number of times the user has previously accessed one or more items of suggested digital content.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of related terms comprises searching at least one of a dictionary database, a thesaurus database, or a lexicon database for an entry corresponding to one of the one or more keywords, and wherein the entry corresponding to the one of the one or more keywords comprises at least one of the plurality of related terms.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of related terms comprises utilizing at least one of a rule-based part-of-speech tagging algorithm or a stochastic part-of-speech tagging algorithm to classify one of the one or more keywords, and wherein at least one of the plurality of related terms is identified based on a classification of the one of the one or more keywords.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the one or more keywords from at least one of a set-top box, an electronic book reader, or a personal computer.

17. A method, comprising:

extracting, by a computing device comprising at least one processor, a plurality of words from a plurality of metadata elements that describe one or more aspects of digital content accessible to a user device;

receiving, by the computing device and from the user device, user search criteria comprising one or more keywords;

identifying, by the at least one processor, a plurality of related terms, wherein each term of the plurality of related terms is related to at least one of the one or more keywords;

calculating, by the at least one processor, a plurality of values, each value of the plurality of values corresponding to a degree of similarity between a keyword of the one or more keywords and a related term of the plurality of related terms;

identifying, by the at least one processor, based on the plurality of values and an adjustable suggestion range comprising a range of values that corresponds to a degree of similarity associated with and indicated by a user of the user device, a portion of the plurality of related terms that are within the degree of similarity;

searching, by the at least one processor, the plurality of words for one or more occurrences of at least one of the one or more keywords or one or more terms of the portion of the plurality of related terms; and

generating, by the at least one processor, a list of a portion of the digital content accessible to the user device, wherein the list comprises a search result portion comprising one or more items of the digital content identified based on the one or more keywords and a suggestion portion comprising one or more items of the digital content identified based on the one or more terms of the portion of the plurality of related terms.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the list visibly delineates the search result portion from the suggestion portion.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising ranking the one or more items of the digital content identified based on the one or more terms of the portion of the plurality of related terms.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising identifying one or more similarities between the one or more items of the digital content identified based on the one or more terms of the portion of the plurality of related terms and one or more items of digital content previously accessed by the user, and wherein the ranking is based on the one or more similarities.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising adjusting the adjustable suggestion range based a number of times the user has previously accessed one or more items of suggested digital content.

18. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a computing device comprising at least one processor and from a user device, search request criteria for identifying one or more items of digital content accessible to the user device, the search request criteria comprising one or more keywords;

identifying, by the at least one processor and based on the one or more keywords, a plurality of related terms;

calculating, by the at least one processor, a plurality of values, each value of the plurality of values corresponding to a degree of similarity between a keyword of the one or more keywords and a related term of the plurality of related terms;

determining, by the at least one processor and based on a number of times a user of the user device has previously accessed one or more items of suggested digital content, a range of values indicating a degree of similarity associated with the user;

utilizing, by the at least one processor, the plurality of values to identify a portion of the plurality of related terms, each term of the portion of the plurality of related terms being associated with a value of the plurality of values that is within the range;

utilizing, by the at least one processor, the one or more keywords and at least one term of the portion of the plurality of related terms to identify a plurality of items of the digital content; and

generating, by the at least one processor, a list of the plurality of items of the digital content, wherein the list comprises a search result portion comprising one or more items of the digital content identified based on the one or more keywords and a suggestion portion comprising one or more items of the digital content identified based on the at least one term.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the list visibly delineates the search result portion from the suggestion portion.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

identifying one or more similarities between digital content in the suggestion portion and digital content previously accessed by the user; and

ranking the digital content in the suggestion portion based on the one or more similarities.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising filtering the list using a filter defined by the user.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the list comprises a reference to digital content that will be available at a future date.