Methods and apparatus for using user engagement to provide content presentation

• US 9,398,335 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hough, Jason, Kies, Jonathan K., Beith, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Featherstone, Mark D
• Application Number:
  US13/688,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20140150002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/2668 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 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• 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

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for communication are provided. A content providing device is operable to use engagement level information to modify presentation of content. In one aspect, the content providing device may determine that an engagement level at a first time is less than an engagement threshold at the first time. The engagement level may be based at least on one or more contextual items associated with presentation of content by the content providing device. Further, the content providing device may store a marker associated with the content at the first time in storage. Moreover, the content providing device may determine whether the engagement level at a second time is greater than or equal to the engagement threshold.

Claims

1. A method of providing content, comprising:

determining an engagement level at a first time;

comparing the engagement level to an engagement threshold to determine if the engagement level is less than the engagement threshold at the first time, wherein the engagement level is based at least on two or more contextual items associated with presentation of content by a content providing device;

storing a marker associated with the content at the first time in storage when it is determined that the engagement level is less that the engagement threshold at the first time;

determining whether the engagement level at a second time is greater than or equal to the engagement threshold; and

modifying one or more presentation attributes of the content upon the determination that the engagement level is less than the engagement threshold at the first time, wherein the modifying further comprises focusing auditory presentation of the content away from a first user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing one or more presentation options for the content from the first time upon a determination that the engagement level is greater than or equal to the engagement threshold at the second time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second time is at least a threshold time duration after the first time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second time is less than a threshold time duration after the first time;

and further comprising;

removing the marker from the storage upon a determination that the engagement level is greater than or equal to the engagement threshold at the second time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more contextual items comprise at least one of:

an ambient sound level;

presence of one or more distraction sounds;

speech detected from one or more users;

or

a viewing direction with respect to a user interface for at least one of the one or more users, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the engagement level further comprises:

establishing an engagement baseline based on one or more engagement factors; and

deriving the engagement threshold based on the engagement baseline.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the marker comprises at least one of:

storing the marker in a memory associated with the content providing device;

storing the marker with an entity that is accessible by one or more other content providing devices from which a user may access the content, or any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a noise level at the second time is above a listening threshold level; and

providing an option to present the content using closed captioning.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing the marker further comprises:

analyzing a sound profile of the content for a lull threshold time duration prior to the first time to detect a lull in the content presentation; and

storing the marker at the detected lull in the content presentation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the engagement level is determined for each user of two or more of users, wherein the determining further comprises determining that the engagement level for at least one user of the two or more users is less than the engagement threshold at the first time, and wherein the storing further comprises storing a user specific marker for each of the at least one user of the two or more users at the first time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein two or more users are within a presentation environment, wherein the two or more users includes a primary user and a one or more secondary users, and wherein the engagement level is determined at the first time for the primary user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the content, by the content providing device, using reception of at least one of a broadcast transmission, a multicast transmission, a unicast transmission, or any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the engagement level is determined for the first user, and wherein the first user is associated with a first user type, and further comprising:

determining that a second user is within a presentation environment at the second time, wherein the second user is associated with a second user type; and

modifying one or more presentation options for the content at the second time based at least in part on the determination that the second user is present and the second user type.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected level of interest associated with the first user includes that the first user is asleep.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected level of interest of the first user is detected based on at least one of the first user'"'"'s head direction, whether the first user'"'"'s eyes are open, whether the first user has moved locations, whether the first user has left a presentation environment, one or more biometric measurements of the first user, or any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected level of interest of the first user is detected using one or more devices associated with the first user.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the focusing further comprises focusing auditory presentation of the content toward a second user, and wherein the modifying further comprises reducing an overall auditory presentation volume level to a level where auditory presentation focused towards the second user produces a substantially similar noise level at a location associated with the second user as a general auditory presentation produced at the location.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying further comprises reducing an auditory presentation volume of the content and using closed captioning.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing further comprises:

providing an indication through the content providing device that the marker associated with the content at the first time is stored; and

presenting the content from the first time upon a receipt of a response to the indication.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more presentation options include an option to present the content with at least a reduced volume level after the second time upon the determination that the engagement level is less than the engagement threshold at the second time.

21. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more presentation options include an option to present the content using closed captioning after the second time upon the determination that the engagement level is less than the engagement threshold at the second time.

22. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more engagement factors include at least one of:

an ambient sound level;

a distraction propensity value based on a type of the content;

a baseline viewing direction for a user;

or

an ambient light level, or any combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining the noise level at a third time is below the listening threshold level; and

providing an option at the third time to cease presenting the content using closed captioning.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the modifying further comprises:

detecting an attribute associated with the content;

determining that the second user type is a user type for which access to the content with the detected attribute is limited; and

ceasing presentation of the content.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein the modifying further comprises:

providing a prompt for the first user to allow the first user to determine whether to resume presentation of the content, wherein the first user is a different user type than the second user type.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein the attribute is determined from program information associated with the content.

27. The method of claim 13, wherein the first user type includes at least one of adult, child, or adolescent.

28. The method of claim 13, wherein the first user type is detected based on at least one of a user'"'"'s height, inputted age, prior usage, or any combination thereof.

29. The method of claim 13, wherein the modifying further comprises providing an option to the first user for presenting the content using closed captioning.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein reducing the auditory presentation volume further comprises muting the auditory presentation volume of the content.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein a language used during presentation of the content using closed captioning is determined based on information stored in a user profile.

32. The method of claim 3, wherein the threshold time duration is thirty seconds.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the modifying further comprises:

presenting a blank screen on a user interface associated with the content providing device.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein the modifying further comprises:

presenting a description of the content on a user interface associated with the content providing device.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein the attribute is an indication that the content includes one or more characteristics including:

violence, adult language, adult situations, or any combination thereof.

36. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

determining that the second user is absent from the presentation environment at a third time; and

providing an option to the first user to resume presentation of the content.

37. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

detecting that an engagement level associated with the second user is below an engagement threshold; and

providing an option to the first user to resume presentation of the content.

38. The method of claim 26, wherein the program information is accessible from at least one of:

information provided with the presented content;

information accessible from a program information entity;

information derived from an averaged noise level for the content;

or

information derived from analysis of closed captioning information, or any combination thereof.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein the first user type is stored with a user profile for the first user, and wherein a language used during presentation of the content using closed captioning is determined based on information stored with the user profile for the first user.

40. An apparatus for communications, comprising:

means for determining an engagement level at a first time;

means for comparing the engagement level to an engagement threshold to determine if the engagement level is less than the engagement threshold at the first time, wherein the engagement level is based at least on two or more contextual items associated with presentation of content by a content providing device;

means for storing a marker associated with the content at the first time in storage when it is determined that the engagement level is less that the engagement threshold at the first time;

means for determining whether the engagement level at a second time is greater than or equal to the engagement threshold; and

means for modifying one or more presentation attributes of the content upon the determination that the engagement level is less than the engagement threshold at the first time, wherein the modifying further comprises focusing auditory presentation of the content away from a first user.

41. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

at least one instruction for causing a computer to determine an engagement level at a first time;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to compare the engagement level to an engagement threshold to determine if the engagement level is less than an engagement threshold at the first time, wherein the engagement level is based at least on two or more contextual items associated with presentation of content by a content providing device;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to store a marker associated with the content at the first time in storage when it is determined that the engagement level is less that the engagement threshold at the first time;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to determine whether the engagement level at a second time is greater than or equal to the engagement threshold; and

at least one instruction for causing the computer to modify one or more presentation attributes of the content upon the determination that the engagement level is less than the engagement threshold at the first time, wherein the modifying further comprises focusing auditory presentation of the content away from a first user.

42. An apparatus for communications, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

determine an engagement level at a first time;

compare the engagement level to an engagement threshold to determine if the engagement level is less than the engagement threshold at the first time, wherein the engagement level is based at least on two or more contextual items associated with presentation of content by a content providing device;

store a marker associated with the content at the first time in storage when it is determined that the engagement level is less that the engagement threshold at the first time;

determine whether the engagement level at a second time is greater than or equal to the engagement threshold; and

.

modify one or more presentation attributes of the content upon the determination that the engagement level is less than the engagement threshold at the first time, wherein the modifying further comprises focusing auditory presentation of the content away from a first user.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

provide one or more presentation options for the content from the first time upon the determination that the engagement level is greater than or equal to the engagement threshold at the second time.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the second time is at least a threshold time duration after the first time.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the second time is less than a threshold time duration after the first time;

and wherein the processing system is further configured to;

remove the marker from the storage upon the determination that the engagement level is greater than or equal to the engagement threshold at the second time.

46. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the one or more contextual items comprise at least one of:

an ambient sound level;

presence of one or more distraction sounds;

speech detected from one or more users;

a viewing direction with respect to a user interface for at least one of the one or more users, or any combination thereof.

47. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

establish an engagement baseline based on one or more engagement factors; and

derive the engagement threshold based on the engagement baseline.

48. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

store the marker in a memory associated with the content providing device;

store the marker with an entity that is accessible by one or more other content providing devices from which a user may access the content, or any combination thereof.

49. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine that a noise level at the second time is above a listening threshold level; and

provide an option to present the content using closed captioning.

50. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

analyze a sound profile of the content for a lull threshold time duration prior to the first time to detect a lull in the content presentation; and

store the marker at the detected lull in the content presentation.

51. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the engagement level is determined for each user of two or more of users, and wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine that the engagement level for at least one user of the two or more users is less than the engagement threshold at the first time; and

store a user specific marker for each of the at least one user of the two or more users at the first time.

52. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein two or more users are within a presentation environment, wherein the two or more users includes a primary user and a one or more secondary users, and wherein the engagement level is determined at the first time for the primary user.

53. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive the content, by the content providing device, using reception of at least one of a broadcast transmission, a multicast transmission, a unicast transmission, or any combination thereof.

54. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the engagement level is determined for a first user, and wherein the first user is associated with a first user type, and wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine that a second user is within a presentation environment at the second time, wherein the second user is associated with a second user type; and

modify one or more presentation options for the content at the second time based at least in part on the determination that the second user is present and the second user type.

55. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the detected level of engagement associated with the first user includes that the first user is asleep.

56. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the detected level of engagement of the first user is detected based on at least one of the first user'"'"'s head direction, whether the first user'"'"'s eyes are open, whether the first user has moved locations, whether the first user has left a presentation environment, one or more biometric measurements for the first user, or any combination thereof.

57. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the detected level of engagement of the first user is detected using one or more devices associated with the first user.

58. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

focus the auditory presentation of the content toward a second user; and

reduce an overall auditory presentation volume level to a level where the auditory presentation focused towards the second user produces a substantially similar noise level at a location associated with the second user as a general auditory presentation produced at the location.

59. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

reduce an auditory presentation volume of the content; and

use closed captioning.

60. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

provide an indication through the content providing device that the marker associated with the content at the first time is stored; and

present the content from the first time upon a receipt of a response to the indication.

61. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the one or more presentation options include an option to present the content with at least a reduced volume level after the second time upon the determination that the engagement level is less than the engagement threshold at the second time.

62. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the one or more presentation options include an option to present the content using closed captioning after the second time upon the determination that the engagement level is less than the engagement threshold at the second time.

63. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the threshold time duration is thirty seconds.

64. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the one or more engagement factors include at least one of:

an ambient sound level;

a distraction propensity value based on a type of the content;

a baseline viewing direction for a user;

or

an ambient light level, or any combination thereof.

65. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine the noise level at a third time is below the listening threshold level; and

provide an option at the third time to cease presenting the content using closed captioning.

66. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

detect an attribute associated with the content;

determine that the second user type is a user type for which access to the content with the detected attribute is limited; and

cease presentation of the content.

67. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

provide a prompt for the first user to allow the first user to determine whether to resume presentation of the content, wherein the first user is a different user type than the second user type.

68. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the attribute is determined from program information associated with the content.

69. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the first user type includes at least one of adult, child, adolescent, or any combination thereof.

70. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the first user type is detected is based on at least one of a user'"'"'s:

height, inputted age, prior usage, or any combination thereof.

71. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the processing system is further configured to provide an option to the first user for presentation the content using closed captioning.

72. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the processing system is further configured to mute the auditory presentation volume of the content.

73. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein a language used during presentation of the content using closed captioning is determined based on information stored in a user profile.

74. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

present a blank screen on a user interface associated with the content providing device.

75. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

present a description of the content on a user interface associated with the content providing device.

76. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the attribute is an indication that the content includes one or more characteristics including:

violence, adult language, adult situations, or any combination thereof.

77. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine that the second user is absent from the presentation environment at a third time; and

provide an option to the first user to resume presentation of the content.

78. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

detect that an engagement level associated with the second user is below an engagement threshold; and

provide an option to the first user to resume presentation of the content.

79. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the program information is accessible from at least one of:

information provided with the presented content;

information accessible from a program information entity;

information derived from an averaged noise level for the content;

or

information derived from analysis of closed captioning information, or any combination thereof.

80. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the first user type is stored with a user profile for the first user, and wherein a language used during presentation of the content using closed captioning is determined based on information stored with the user profile for the first user.