Client-side multimedia content targeting system

• US 9,693,104 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2015
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, James M., Look, Howard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): RABOVIANSKI, JIVKA A
• Application Number:
  US14/952,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20160080813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 725 58, 725 91, 725 92
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/80 Database-specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/82 Solving problems relating to consistency ensuring consistency in mirrored systems G06F11/2064
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/251 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4662 characterized by learning algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 : Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 : for recommending content, e.g. movies
• 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 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 : Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/025 : Systems for the transmission of digital non-picture data, e.g. of text during the active part of a television frame transmission of digital non-picture data during the vertical blanking interval only H04N7/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 : Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 : with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A client-side multimedia content targeting system schedules the recording, storing, and deleting of multimedia content on a client system storage device. The system accepts as input a prioritized list of program viewing preferences which is compared with a database of program guide objects that indicate when programs of interest are actually broadcast. The viewer'"'"'s client system locally retains the viewer'"'"'s preferences and other personal information that the viewer has entered and is sent targeting information relating to program guide objects by a server. Using the viewer'"'"'s preferences and personal information, the client system creates a viewer profile, which is used with the targeting information by the client system to record content that is within the viewer profile. The described client-based form of targeting can be applied to almost any multimedia situation, including, but not limited to: TV shows, movies, advertisements, product and service offerings, music, radio, audio, etc.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a first device, generating first tracking data identifying a first set of programs that have been viewed at the first device;

at the first device, receiving tracking data for other devices, the tracking data for the other devices describing sets of programs viewed at the other devices;

determining, by the first device, whether the tracking data for the other devices identifies an advertisement in the first set of programs;

responsive to determining, based on the tracking data, that the first set of programs includes a particular advertisement that is also in a second set of programs that have been viewed at a second device, of the other devices, the first device selecting a recommended advertisement, the recommended advertisement being selected from the second set of programs;

displaying, by the first device, the recommended advertisement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of whether the tracking data for the other devices identifies an advertisement in the first set of programs comprising:

determining that the first set of programs includes the particular advertisement that is also in the second set of programs that have been viewed at the second device, the second set of programs being identified by the tracking data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to the first device selecting the recommended advertisement, the first device recording the recommended advertisement onto at least one storage device, wherein displaying the recommended advertisement comprises playing the recommended advertisement from a location to which the recommended advertisement has been recorded on the at least one storage device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the first device, the tracking data for the other devices from a server over a network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the first device, the first tracking data to a server over a network;

receiving, by the first device, the tracking data for the other devices from the server over the network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the first device, the first tracking data to a server over a network;

receiving, by the first device, the tracking data for the other devices from the server over the network;

wherein the server is configured to collect viewing objects from the other devices and generate the sets of programs viewed at the other devices described in the tracking data based thereon, each viewing object of the viewing objects specifying a particular device of the other devices and a particular program viewed at the particular device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device stores the tracking data for the other devices as one or more tables specifying the sets of programs viewed at the other devices.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause:

at a first device, generating first tracking data identifying a first set of programs that have been viewed at the first device;

at the first device, receiving tracking data for other devices, the tracking data for the other devices describing sets of programs viewed at the other devices;

determining, by the first device, whether the tracking data for the other devices identifies an advertisement in the first set of programs;

responsive to determining, based on the tracking data, that the first set of programs includes a particular advertisement that is also in a second set of programs that have been viewed at a second device, of the other devices, the first device selecting a recommended advertisement, the recommended advertisement being selected from the second set of programs;

displaying, by the first device, the recommended advertisement.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the determining of whether the tracking data for the other devices identifies an advertisement in the first set of programs comprising:

determining that the first set of programs includes the particular advertisement that is also in the second set of programs that have been viewed at the second device, the second set of programs being identified by the tracking data.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause, responsive to the first device selecting the recommended advertisement, the first device recording the recommended advertisement onto at least one storage device, wherein displaying the recommended advertisement comprises playing the recommended advertisement from a location to which the recommended advertisement has been recorded on the at least one storage device.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause:

receiving, by the first device, the tracking data for the other devices from a server over a network.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause:

sending, by the first device, the first tracking data to a server over a network;

receiving, by the first device, the tracking data for the other devices from the server over the network.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause:

sending, by the first device, the first tracking data to a server over a network;

receiving, by the first device, the tracking data for the other devices from the server over the network;

wherein the server is configured to collect viewing objects from the other devices and generate the sets of programs viewed at the other devices described in the tracking data based thereon, each viewing object of the viewing objects specifying a particular device of the other devices and a particular program viewed at the particular device.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the first device stores the tracking data for the other devices as one or more tables specifying the sets of programs viewed at the other devices.

15. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

a logic configured to generate first tracking data identifying a first set of programs that have been viewed at the apparatus;

a logic configured to receive tracking data for other devices, the tracking data for the other devices describing sets of programs viewed at the other devices;

a logic configured to determine whether the tracking data for the other devices identifies an advertisement in the first set of programs;

a logic configured to, responsive to determining, based on the tracking data, that the first set of programs includes a particular advertisement that is also in a second set of programs that have been viewed at a second device, of the other devices, the first device selecting a recommended advertisement, the recommended advertisement being selected from the second set of programs;

a logic configured to display the recommended advertisement.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the determining of whether the tracking data for the other devices identifies an advertisement in the first set of programs comprising:

determining that the first set of programs includes the particular advertisement that is also in the second set of programs that have been viewed at the second device, the second set of programs being identified by the tracking data.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a logic configured to, responsive to the selecting of the recommended advertisement, record the recommended advertisement onto at least one storage device, wherein displaying the recommended advertisement comprises playing the recommended advertisement from a location to which the recommended advertisement has been recorded on the at least one storage device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a logic configured to receive the tracking data for the other devices from a server over a network.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a logic configured to send the first tracking data to a server over a network;

a logic configured to receive the tracking data for the other devices from the server over the network;

wherein the server is configured to collect viewing objects from the other devices and generate the sets of programs viewed at the other devices described in the tracking data based thereon, each viewing object of the viewing objects specifying a particular device of the other devices and a particular program viewed at the particular device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a logic configured to store the tracking data for the other devices as one or more tables specifying the sets of programs viewed at the other devices.