U.S. patent application number 10/206902 was filed with the patent office on 2003-02-20 for method and system for providing a customized media list.
Invention is credited to Khoo, Denis, Ratcliff, Raymond F. III.
Application Number | 20030037334 10/206902 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23934497 |
Filed Date | 2003-02-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030037334 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Khoo, Denis ; et
al. |
February 20, 2003 |
Method and system for providing a customized media list
Abstract
A method and system is described for providing a customized
media list to a user over a data network. The method comprises
providing a personalized data of the user to a computer system,
generating a customized media list by the computer system for the
user based on the personal data, and providing the customized media
list to the user through the computer system where the customized
media list represents a customized content and a customized
advertising. A system is further disclosed and claimed for
providing customized media list to a user over a data network.
Inventors: |
Khoo, Denis; (Los Angeles,
CA) ; Ratcliff, Raymond F. III; (Plano, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PILLSBURY WINTHROP, LLP
P.O. BOX 10500
MCLEAN
VA
22102
US
|
Family ID: |
23934497 |
Appl. No.: |
10/206902 |
Filed: |
July 26, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10206902 |
Jul 26, 2002 |
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09487120 |
Jan 19, 2000 |
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6434747 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
725/46 ;
348/E5.105; 348/E7.061; 348/E7.063; 348/E7.071; 725/35; 725/42;
725/47 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/4755 20130101;
H04N 21/4316 20130101; G06Q 30/02 20130101; H04N 21/4821 20130101;
H04N 7/165 20130101; H04N 21/25816 20130101; H04N 21/44222
20130101; H04N 7/163 20130101; H04N 21/8153 20130101; H04L 65/612
20220501; H04N 21/478 20130101; H04N 21/4438 20130101; H04N 21/812
20130101; H04N 21/25891 20130101; H04N 7/173 20130101; H04N 7/17318
20130101; H04N 21/25883 20130101; H04N 21/6582 20130101; H04N
21/26208 20130101; H04N 21/4314 20130101; H04N 21/4532 20130101;
H04N 21/482 20130101; H04N 21/47 20130101; H04N 21/2668 20130101;
H04N 21/26258 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/46 ; 725/42;
725/47; 725/35 |
International
Class: |
H04N 007/025; H04N
007/10; G06F 003/00; H04N 005/445; G06F 013/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for providing a customized media list to a user over a
data network, said method comprising the steps of: providing a
personalized data of said user to a computer system; generating a
customized media list by said computer system for said user based
on said personalized data; and providing said customized media list
to said user through said computer system, said customized media
list representing a customized content and a customized
advertising.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of
retrieving, by said computer system, a customized media based on
said customized media list.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said customized content
represents a list of television shows and said customized
advertising represents a list of advertising commercials, wherein
said list of televisions shows and said list of advertising
commercials are arranged in a predetermined order.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing said
personalized data comprises the substeps of: providing a personal
profile of said user, said personal profile containing data
describing said user; and providing a television show preference of
said user.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said generating step further
comprises the substeps of: generating, by said computer system,
said customized media list based on said personal profile, said
television show preference, a past viewing habit of said user, and
a predetermined list of available television shows.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing said
personalized data to said computer system further comprises the
steps of: providing said personalized data to a client of said
computer system; and transmitting said personalized data to a
server of said computer system from said client of said computer
system.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating step further
comprises the step of generating said customized media list at a
server of said computer system.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing said
customized media list to said user further comprises the steps of:
transmitting said customized media list from a server to a client
of said computer system; retrieving, by said client, a customized
media being represented by said customized media list immediately
upon receiving said customized media list, wherein said customized
media includes a television show and an advertising commercial; and
providing said customized media list from said client to said
user.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of providing
an option to said user of modifying said customized media list.
10. A system for providing a customized media list to a user over a
data network, comprising: a server storage medium for storing an
entire content media, an entire advertising media and a
personalized data of said user; a server processor for generating a
customized media list from said personalized data and said entire
content media and said entire advertising media; a transmitting
means for transmitting said customized media list over a data
network; a client processor for retrieving said a customized media
represented by said customized media list; and a client storage
medium for storing said customized media list and said customized
media transmitted from said server processor.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein said client processor further
provides an option to said user of modifying said customized media
list.
12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a display means for
displaying said customized media to said user.
13. A system for providing a customized media list to a user over a
data network, comprising: a storage means for storing an entire
content media, an entire advertising media and a personalized data
of said user; a server processing means for generating a customized
media list from said personalized data and said entire content
media and said entire advertising media; a transmitting means for
transmitting said customized media list over a data network; a
client processing means for retrieving said a customized media
represented by said customized media list; and a client storage
means for storing said customized media list and said customized
media transmitted from said server processor.
14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a display means for
displaying said customized media to said user.
15. A computer readable medium having computer instructions stored
thereon that, when loaded into a computer system, cause said
computer system to perform the steps of: providing a personalized
data of said user to a computer system; generating a customized
media list by said computer system for said user based on said
personalized data; and providing said customized media list to said
user through said computer system, said customized media list
representing a customized content and a customized advertising.
16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising
the step of retrieving, by said computer system, a customized media
based on said customized media list.
17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said
customized content represents a list of television shows and said
customized advertising represents a list of advertising
commercials, wherein said list of televisions shows and said list
of advertising commercials are arranged in a predetermined
order.
18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said step of
providing said personalized data comprises the substeps of:
providing a personal profile of said user, said personal profile
containing data describing said user; and providing a television
show preference of said user.
19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said
generating step further comprises the substeps of: generating, by
said computer system, said customized media list based on said
personal profile, said television show preference, a past viewing
habit, and a predetermined list of available television shows.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said step of
providing said personalized data to said computer system further
comprises the steps of: providing said personalized data to a
client of said computer system; and transmitting said personalized
data to a server of said computer system from said client of said
computer system.
21. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said
generating step further comprises the step of generating said
customized media list at a server of said computer system.
22. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said step of
providing said customized media list to said user further comprises
the steps of: transmitting said customized media list from a server
to a client of said computer system; retrieving, by said client, a
customized media being represented by said customized media list
immediately upon receiving said customized media list, wherein said
customized media includes a television show and an advertising
commercial; and providing said customized media list from said
client to said user.
23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, further comprising
the step of providing an option to said user of modifying said
customized media list.
24. An electronic signal, comprising: computer instructions that,
when loaded into a computer, cause said computer to perform the
steps of: providing a personalized data of said user to a computer
system; generating a customized media list by said computer system
for said user based on personalized data; and providing said
customized media list to said user through said computer system,
said customized media list representing a customized content and a
customized advertising.
25. A method for retrieving a customized media list by a user over
a data network, said method comprising the steps of: entering, by
said user, a personalized data of said user to a computer system;
generating, by said computer system, a customized media list for
said user based on said personalized data; and retrieving, by said
user, said customized media list, through said computer system,
said customized media list representing a customized content and a
customized advertising.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the transmission
of broadcast media over a data network, and more particularly to, a
method and system for providing a customized media list to a user
over that data network.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventional broadcast media (including visual and audio
media over a television) has been provided to viewers and listeners
for decades and typically falls under the paradigm illustrated in
prior art FIG. 1. Prior art FIG. 1 is a block diagram view of a
conventional broadcast media paradigm. In prior art FIG. 1, media
5, includes both content 10 (e.g. television shows, sports, news,
weather, movies, concerts, etc.) and advertising 15. The content 10
is provided to the viewer and listener for entertainment or
information purposes, while the advertising 15 is typically used to
provide revenues for the broadcaster 20. The broadcaster 20 also
shares the advertising revenues with the content 10 providers.
Thus, from FIG. 1, the broadcaster 20 is the distributor 25 of the
content 10 and the advertising 15 to the viewer and listener 30
through a distribution means 35. The distribution means 35 includes
public broadcast 40, cable 45 distribution and satellite 50
distribution. In essence, the broadcaster 20 distributes the
content 10 and advertising 15 through the distribution means 35 and
generally shares the costs of distributing such content 10 and
advertising 15 with the viewer and listener 30 through the
distribution means 35.
[0005] Several disadvantages exist with the paradigm of prior art
FIG. 1. These disadvantages are shared by the advertisers of the
advertising 15, the broadcasters 20 and the viewer and listener 30.
A first disadvantage is that the viewer and listener 30 has few
options as to the content 10 and advertising 15 that the viewer and
listener 30 may view. That is, such content 10 and advertising 15
has already been scheduled by the distributor 25 and the viewer and
listener 30 may only watch (or listen to) such content 10 and
advertising 15 that has been scheduled. The viewer and listener's
only option is to change the channel on the television or turn off
the television. Either option limits the viewing audience for the
broadcasters 20, advertisers 15 and content 10 providers.
[0006] A second disadvantage is that advertisers can only guess as
to the number of the target audiences viewing the content 10. Well
known audience estimators only estimate the number or actual
viewers and listeners that watch and listen to the content 10 and
advertising 15. The advertisers 15 base their targeted audiences on
such estimated ratings. Thus, advertisers are paying for
advertising that may never reach the full target audience. This is
because the advertisement is not reaching 100 percent of the target
audience. Also, the current estimate of viewers and listeners only
provide a guess on the number of actual viewers and listeners.
[0007] A third disadvantage with the paradigm of prior art FIG. 1
is that no one television channel is customized to each viewer and
listener. A viewer and listener must therefore search the various
contents throughout the television channels which takes time and
may result in little or no content and advertising being
watched.
[0008] A fourth disadvantage is that specific television content 10
is only shown at a specified schedule, which a viewer and listener
may not always be available to adhere to. Thus, a viewer is forced
to either miss the scheduled content or otherwise must record the
content which takes planning and time.
[0009] A fifth disadvantage is that the ratings for the audience of
a particular content is delayed in the paradigm of prior art FIG.
1. Further, such ratings are imperfect in that only an estimate
rather than an actual number of viewers may be given.
[0010] A need therefore exists for a method and system for
providing media that alleviates many of these disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides for a method for providing a
customized media list to a user over a data network. The method
includes the first step of providing a personalized data of the
user to a computer system. Then, the computer system generates a
customized media list for the user based on the personalized data
and provides the customized media list to the user through the
computer system. The customized media list represents a customized
content and a customized advertising to the user.
[0012] In a further embodiment, the method also includes the step
of retrieving, through the computer system, a customized media
based on the customized media list. The customized content
represents a list of television shows and the customized
advertising represents a list of advertising commercials, where the
list of television shows and the list of advertising commercials
are arranged in a predetermined order.
[0013] An additional step, in a still further embodiment, of
providing the personalized data includes the step of providing a
personal profile of the user that contains data describing the
user. This substep includes, in this embodiment, providing a
television show preference of the user.
[0014] The generating step, in another embodiment, also includes
generating, through the computer system, the customized media list
based on the personal profile, the television show preference, the
past viewing habits and a predetermined list of available
television shows of the user.
[0015] The step of providing the personalized data to the computer
system further includes, in another embodiment, providing the
personalized data to a client of the computer system and then
transmitting the personalized data to a server of the computer
system from the client of the computer system. Then, in a further
embodiment, the generating step includes the step of generating the
customized media list at the server of the computer system.
[0016] The step of providing the customized media list to the user
further includes, in a still further embodiment, the steps of
transmitting the customized media list from a server to the client
of the computer system, then retrieving through the client, a
customized media being represented by the customized media list
immediately upon receiving the customized media list, where the
customized media includes a television show and an advertising
commercial. Then the step of providing the customized media list
from the client to the user is provided. A further embodiment
includes a step of providing an option to the user of modifying the
customized media list.
[0017] The present invention further provides for a system for
providing a customized media list to a user over a data network.
This system, in one embodiment, includes a server storage medium
for storing an entire content media, an entire advertising media
and a personal data of the user. In this embodiment, the system
further includes a processor for generating a customized media list
from the personalized data, the entire content media and the entire
advertising media. A transmitting means for transmitting the
customized media list over a data network is also included as part
of the system. Also as part of the system is a client processor for
retrieving the customized media represented by the customized media
list. A client storage media is also provided for storing the
customized media list and the customized media transmitted from the
service processor. The system further includes a client processor
that provides an option to the user of modifying the customized
media list. Also as part of this system, in a further embodiment,
is a display means for displaying the customized media and
customized media list to the user.
[0018] In a still further embodiment, the present invention further
provides for a system that provides a customized media list to a
user over a data network that includes a storage means for storing
an entire content media, an entire advertising media and a
personalized data of the user. The system further has a server
processor means for generating a customized media list from the
personalized data, the entire content media and the entire
advertising media. A transmitting means for transmitting the
customized media list over a data network is provided, as is a
client processing means for retrieving the customized media
represented by the customized media list. A client storage means
for storing the customized media list and the customized media
transmitted from the server processor is also provided.
[0019] The present invention further provides, in another
embodiment, for a computer readable medium having computer
instructions stored thereon, so that when the computer instructions
are loaded into a computer system, those instructions cause the
computer system to perform the steps of providing a personalized
data of the user to a computer system, then generating a customized
media list by the computer system for the user based on the
personalized data. A last step is then performed of providing the
customized media list to the user through the computer system where
the customized media list represents a customized content and a
customized advertising.
[0020] The present invention also provides, in a still further
embodiment, for an electronic signal having data containing
computer instructions that, when loaded into a computer system,
causes the computer system to perform the steps of providing a
personalized data of the user to a computer system, then generating
a customized media list by the computer system for the user based
on the personalized data, and then providing the customized media
list to the user through the computer system where the customized
media list represents a customized content and a customized
advertising.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of
the advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes
better understood by reference to the detailed description when
considered in connection with the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a prior art block diagram view of a broadcast
media industry paradigm;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a block diagram view of an embodiment of the
computer system of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a block diagram view of an embodiment of the
server of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a block diagram view of an embodiment of the
client of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an embodiment of the method of the
present invention;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an embodiment of the method of the
present invention; and
[0028] FIG. 7 is a block diagram view of a general purpose computer
that may be used to implement an embodiment of the method and
system of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] System Overview
[0030] FIG. 2 is a block diagram view of an embodiment of the
computer system of the present invention. In FIG. 2, a computer
system 200 is shown having a server storage medium 205. The server
storage medium 205 may be any type of storage device as are well
known in the art, for example, any type of disc including floppy
disc, optical disc, DVD, CD-ROMS, magnetic optical discs, RAM,
EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of storage
media that is suitable for storing electronic instructions/data.
The server storage medium 205 contains individual databases
including an entire content media 210, an entire advertising media
215 and a personalized data database 220 of a user 240. It is noted
that the personalized database 220 may also contain personalized
data of multiple users. Each of these databases store either
content 210, advertising 215 or personalized data 220 for use in
the computer system 200 using an embodiment of the method of the
present invention as described below. The computer system 200
further includes a server 225, which may have the embodiment of any
general purpose computer as shown in FIG. 7 described below. It is
noted that the computer system 200, as shown in the embodiment of
FIG. 2, shows a server 225 and client 235 as two separate general
purpose computers (FIG. 7). However, as is apparent to one skilled
in the art, the server 225 and client 235 connected by the data
network 230 may, in fact, be a single general purpose computer,
where the data network 230 is a bus (FIG. 7) rather than a data
network such as the Internet. That is, while the embodiment of FIG.
2 shows the server and client as separate entities, those entities
may in fact be one general purpose computer as shown in FIG. 7.
[0031] Still in FIG. 2, a data network 230 connects the server 225
and the client 235. The data network 230 may be an Internet, an
Intranet, an ethernet-type bus, or any type of connection that is
able to transfer data between the server 225 and client 235. In one
embodiment, the data network 230 is the Internet, where data is
transmitted from different geographical locations where the server
225 and the client 235 are located. The server 225 includes a
server processor (not shown), which may be any well-known central
processing unit (CPU) or a microprocessor (whether a single
microprocessor or a plurality of microprocessors). The server
processor, in one embodiment of the present invention, generates a
customized media list 226 from personalized data 241 that is
entered by the user 240 to the client 235. Thus, as more fully
described below, a user 240 will provide personalized data 241 to
the client 235. Again, the client 235 is a computer system 200,
which may be any general purpose computer as described below in
FIG. 7.
[0032] After the user provides the personalized data 241 to the
client 235, that personalized data 241 is transferred through the
data network 230 to the server 225, which is also part of the
computer system 200. Once at the server 225, a server processor
generates a customized media list 226 from the personalized data by
reviewing the entire content media in the content media 210 and the
entire advertising media 215 to match the entire content media 210
and the entire advertising media 215 to the personalized data 241
to create a customized media list 226. By match, it is understood
that two particular algorithms are provided, within the server 225,
in order to provide a customized media list. The match occurs using
properties of the content 210 and advertising 215 as described
below. A first algorithm, implemented by a personalized content
service module (FIG. 3), generates a customized content portion of
the customized media list while a second algorithm, a personalized
advertising service module (FIG. 3), generates a customized
advertising media for the customized media list 226. These
algorithms are created using software programming techniques that
may be programmed using languages such as Java, C++ or any basic
conditional programming language. Any such algorithm would attempt
to optimize the entire content media 210 and the entire advertising
media 215 that is generated onto the customized media list so as to
personalize the content based on the user's 240 preference while
minimizing the advertising media 215 based on an optimal profit to
the provider of the content media 210.
[0033] Once the customized media list 226 is generated by the
server 225 using the two algorithms described above, the customized
media list is transmitted through the data network 230 by any
transmitting means. In one embodiment, the transmitting means would
be any means of data communications including modem lines, cable,
satellite, DSL, fiber optic lines or other well-known similar means
for transmitting data between two remote locations. In a further
embodiment, the transmitting means may be the bus described in the
general purpose computer of FIG. 7. Furthermore, the client 235 may
be a single client, or a single general purpose computer such as
the computer of FIG. 7, or may be multiple clients as shown in FIG.
2. A client processor (not shown) retrieves customized media from
the entire customized content media 210 that is represented on the
customer media list. That is, the client 235 receives the
customized media list from the server 225 over the data network 230
and then the client processor may retrieve the customized media,
from other locations, based on the customized media list 226. Once
at the client 235, the customized media list 226 is stored on a
client storage medium that also may store the customized media
transmitted from the server processor at the server 225. Again, the
client storage medium may be any type of medium as described with
regard to the server storage medium and the general purpose
computer of FIG. 7.
[0034] In a further embodiment, the client processor (not shown)
further provides an option to a user 240 of modifying the
customized media list 226 received from the server 225. For
example, the user may remove or add shows to the customized media
list 226, or may rearrange the customized media list 226. It is
further understood that the user may modify the customized media
list not only to modify the customized media, but also to modify
the customized advertising that is part of the customized media
list 226. In a still further embodiment, the user may remove
customized advertising by paying the content provider a premium
fee.
[0035] In another embodiment, a display means (not shown) is
provided to the user 240 in order to view the customized media list
226 and the customized media. Further, the display means is used to
transmit other information such as the personalized data 241 and
other information described herein to the user. In a still further
embodiment, an audio means is provided whereby the user may listen
to the content media and advertising media being transmitted. Both
the display means and audio means are implemented using devices
described in the general purpose computer of FIG. 7 below.
[0036] FIG. 3 is a block diagram view of the server 225 shown in
FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, various software layers or modules are shown
within the server 225. As is well known to one skilled in the art,
these layers or modules are implemented in computer code to perform
the functions described herein. It is noted that while the server
225 is shown with the layers or modules depicted in FIG. 3, various
other hardware and software modules may exist within server 225
including, for example, the server processor, storage means, etc.
to make the server a general purpose computer as exemplified in the
embodiment shown in FIG. 7.
[0037] Still in FIG. 3, the server 225 is in communication with the
data network 230 as depicted in FIG. 2. Within the server 225 are
multiple software modules and/or layers. A client communication
layer 300 manages the manner in which the server 225 communicates
with the client 235. The client communications layer 300 is
replaceable depending on the type of data network 230 utilized as
well as the type of client utilized. Also in the server 225 is a
personalized advertisement service module 305. The personalized
advertisement service module 305 performs the service of the first
algorithm discussed above that matches the advertisement contained
in the entire advertising media 215 to the customized content of
210. Likewise, the personalized content service module 310 is the
second algorithm described above used to match or optimize the
content contained in the entire content media 215 to the users'
personalized data. It is noted that these modules are implemented
using software programming languages as described above. Also
contained on the server 225 is the inventory management module 315.
This module 315 works in conjunction with the personalized
advertisement service module 305 and the personalized content
service module 310 to efficiently provide those services 305 and
310 to a user. That is, the inventory management 315 is shared by
the module 305 and 310 for common routines or procedures that are
run by the modules 305 and 310. For example, it is anticipated that
certain routines or procedures will be reiterated throughout the
method of the present invention in providing the customized media
list, and therefore, the algorithms of the modules 305 and 310 may
use the module 315 to efficiently provide the services of those
modules 305 and 310 to the user 240 (FIG. 2).
[0038] The user management module 320 is used by the server 235 to
receive the personalized data 241 of FIG. 2 and store such
information on typical storage mediums. The user management module
320 takes the personalized data that consists of the personal
profile of the user, the television show preference of the user and
the past viewing habits of the user and stores that data on a
storage medium in the server 235. That information is later
transmitted to the personalized advertisement service module 305
and the personalized content service module 310 that is later used
to generate the customized media list being returned to the user.
The media transport service module 325 is also located on the
server 235 and performs the function of retrieving the customized
media that is based on the customized media list 226. The media
transport service module 325 communicates with the entire content
media 215 and the entire advertising media 210 to deliver the
customized media to the user based on the customized media list
226. It is noted that the server storage medium 205 contains the
entire content media 215, the entire advertising media 210 and the
personalized data of the user may be physical databases contained
within the server or, in a further embodiment, may be databases
located throughout remote data networks or remote servers that may
be retrieved by the server 235. The database service module 330,
much like the client communication layer 300, facilitates the
communication between the server storage medium 205 and the modules
305, 310, 315, 320 and 325.
[0039] In use, the server 225 receives the personalized data 241
through the data network 230 using the client communication layer
300 to interface with the data network 230 and the client 235. Once
the personalized data 241 is received by the server 235, the
personalized data 241 is stored in the user management module 320.
Thereafter, the personalized data may be retrieved from the user
management module 320 to be used by the personalized advertisement
service module 305 and the personalized content service module 310,
in conjunction with the inventory management module 315, to
generate a customized media list 226 based on the personalized data
241. Again, as discussed previously, the personalized data 241 is
based on the personal profile of the user, the television show
preference of the user and the past viewing habit of the user that
is provided by the user to the computer system at a first point in
time where the user uses the computer system 200.
[0040] After the customized media list 226 is generated by the
server 235, the customized media list 226 is transmitted through
the data network 230 to the client 235. At the time the customized
media list reaches the client 235, the client 235 requests, from
the server storage medium 205, through the data network 230 and the
client 235, the customized content and customized advertising
contained within the entire content media 210 and entire
advertising media 215 which is then returned to the client 235. It
is noted that in the server storage medium 205, the personalized
data database 220 contains the personal profile, television show
preference and past viewing habits of the user. The customized
content retrieved from the entire content media 215 represents
television shows, movies, news, sports, weather, and other content
that is not advertising information. The customized advertising
contains advertising commercials that are sequenced within the
customized content in a predetermined order. The predetermined
order is determined by the content itself and the user's
personalized data.
[0041] To match particular content and advertisements to a user,
specific properties of the content and advertisements are stored in
the sever storage medium 205 of FIG. 3. For example, an advertiser
may link certain properties, such as target audience, genre, age of
user, income of the user, recreational interests of the user, etc.,
to particular advertisements and may send those advertisements to a
user whose personalized data matches those properties. Again, the
match is performed in the modules 305 (for advertisements) and 310
(for content) of FIG. 3 It is noted that these properties may be
saved in any database, not only the server storage database
205.
[0042] Similarly, content may contain properties saved on a
database that describe the content. The properties are, for
example, title, genre, actors, length of the content, recommended
audience and other properties that describe the content. In a
further embodiment, the properties may be embedded in the actual
content or advertisement itself. Alternatively, in a still further
embodiment, the properties may be embedded in the audio portions of
the content or advertisement and any type of speech recognition
device may be used to locate those properties in the audio portions
of the content or advertisement. In essence, the properties may be
placed in any location as long as the properties may be matched
with the personalized data of the user.
[0043] FIG. 4 is a block diagram view of the client 235 of FIG. 2.
In FIG. 4, the client 235 is shown with various modules contained
therein. Much like the server 225 of FIG. 3, these modules are
implemented using software code or other types of computer
instructions to implement the functionality of these modules as
described below. It is understood that the client 235 may be
multiple clients as shown in FIG. 2, may be a single client as
shown in FIG. 4 or even be the same as the server 225 as part of
one computer system 200. The devices that comprise the client are
standard general purpose computer devices as depicted in FIG. 7
below.
[0044] In FIG. 4, a user service module 400 is contained within the
client 235 and serves to interact with the user 240 to transmit the
personalized data 241 from the user 240 to the server 225 in order
to generate the customized media list (not shown). The user service
module 400 further provides the functions of interfacing with the
user to provide preferences to the user on television shows. In
essence, the user service 400 is used for all interactions with the
user 240 that may be implemented by the computer system of the
present invention. Also in client 235 is customized media service
module 405 that handles the reception of the customized media from
the server 225 through the data network 230. The customized media
service module 405 receives the customized media that is based on
the customized media list and sends the customized media to the
media cache service module 410 that contains a storage medium (not
shown) to hold the customized media. Again, the client 235 contains
multiple devices for a general purpose computer such as that shown
in FIG. 7 below. The server communication layer 415 enables a
client 235 to communicate with the data network 230 and the server
225, and is interchangeable with various types of servers and data
networks.
[0045] In use, the client 235 of FIG. 4 receives the personalized
data 241 that provides a personal profile of the user 240
containing data that describes the user 240. This type of data
includes information regarding the user 240 such as name, age,
income, address, hobbies, hours of television watched per day,
profession, and any other type of information that is suitable for
purposes of marketing content or advertising to a user 240. The
personalized data 241 further includes television show preferences
from the user 240 (either by category or particular shows), movies,
news, sports or other types of television broadcast. It is noted
that the personalized data 241 of the user 240 may also include
audio preferences of the user in order to transmit customized media
and a customized media list specifically directed to audio
preferences of the user. Thus, the present invention as claimed
below, is not limited to purely visual content. The preference of a
user may include audio preferences, in alternative embodiments.
[0046] Returning to FIG. 4, the personalized data 241 is received
by the user service module 400 of the client 235 and the
interaction between the user 240 and the client 235 is performed by
the user service module 400. Thus, a user 240 may receive prompts
such as questions asking "please insert your name", "please provide
your address", etc. depending on the data described above that is
being requested. After the user service module 400 receives that
information, that personalized data is transmitted through the data
network 230 to the server 225 where the customized media list is
generated by the server 225 as described in FIG. 3. The customized
media list is then returned from the server 225 through the data
network 230 to the client 235 where it is received by the user
service module 400 and transmitted to the user 240. Concurrently
with receiving the customized media list by the user 240, the
customized media is retrieved from the server 225 through the data
network 230 from the server storage medium and returned to the
customized media service 405 and the client 235 where it is stored
in media cache service 410 by a storage medium as described below
in FIG. 7.
[0047] Methodology
[0048] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an embodiment of the method of the
present invention. In FIG. 5, a first step 500 begins where a user
provides personalized data to a computer system. From FIGS. 2-4, it
is described that the user 240 provides personalized data to the
computer system 200 that includes the client 235 and the server 225
through a data network 230. The computer system 200 includes the
client 235, server 225 and the server storage medium 205, or, in
alternative embodiments, separate computer systems contained
remotely at the client location and the server location. The user
typically provides the personalized data to the computer system
through some type of display means (not shown) such as a television
set, a personal computer or other type of display means that allows
the user to interface with the computer system (FIG. 7). In another
embodiment, the user can enter the personalized data through other
means that are not visual, such as audio means, or other input
devices such as those listed with regard to the general purpose
computer of FIG. 7.
[0049] Once the user provides the personalized data to the computer
system, a customized media list for the user is generated based on
the user's personalized data at step 505. At this step 505, the
customized media list 226 of FIG. 2 is generated by the server 225
using the personalized advertisement service module 305 and the
personalized content service module 310, in conjunction with the
inventory management module 315, to generate the customized media
list (FIG. 3). As described above, the customized media list is
based on the personal profile, the television show preference, the
past viewing habits and a predetermined list of available
television shows that the user provides as personalized data and is
also provided from the entire content media 210 of the service
storage medium 205. Again, the customized media list is generated
by the modules 305 and 310 of FIG. 3. After the customized media
list is generated at step 505, the customized media list is
provided to the user and automatically utilized by the user via the
computer system. The customized media list represents the
customized content contained in the entire content media 210 and
the customized advertising contained in the entire advertising
media 215. The customized media list is provided to the user
through the user service module 400 of the client 235 and
instantaneously the customized media service module 405 of the
client 235 requests the customized content and the content
advertising to be sent to the client and stored in memory using the
media cache service module 410.
COMPREHENSIVE EXAMPLE
[0050] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an embodiment of the method of the
present invention. In FIG. 6, the comprehensive example of one
embodiment of the methodology and system of the present invention
begins at step 600 where a user, such as user 240 of FIGS. 2-4,
turns a television on. It is noted that this comprehensive example
relates specifically to providing visual content to a user, that
is, customized content and customized advertising that is visually
received by a user on a television. However, note that the present
method and system of the present invention is not limited to visual
content or televisions, but is also inclusive of receiving audio or
other stimulus through other means visual, audio or otherwise,
using the method and system of the present invention as claimed
below. Returning to the embodiment of the example of FIG. 6, after
turning on the television, the computer system determines whether a
personalized data of the user has been set up in the computer
system. Note that multiple users may use a common system of the
present invention, and therefore the computer system implementing
the method and system of the present invention may request to know
which user of a particular television, for example, is implementing
the method and system of the present invention. Thus, at step 605,
the computer system determines whether the user has a personalized
data by either asking the user's name or other identification, or
if no other users are able to use the system, then the computer
system automatically pulls up the personalized data of the user. If
the computer system does not have a personalized data of the user,
the user enters the personalized data if desired at step 610. After
the user enters the personalized data, the television transmits the
personalized data to the computer system 200 of FIG. 2 at step 615.
If the user does have personalized data already in the computer
system, the personalized data is automatically sent to the computer
system at step 615 and step 610 is skipped. At step 615, the user
has already provided a personal profile of the user, a television
show preference and a past viewing habit. This is combined with a
predetermined list of television shows that are contained in the
entire content media 215 of the server storage medium 205, all
shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. At step 615, the personalized data goes
from the user's television to the client 235 of FIG. 2 as shown in
FIG. 4. Once at the client, the personalized data, which used the
user service module 400 to interact with the user, is sent through
the server communication layer 415, through the data network 230
and to the server 225 which is shown in FIG. 3. Upon arriving at
the server 225, the personalized data 241 goes through the client
communication layer 300 and to the user management module 320. The
user management module 320 contains logic that stores the
personalized data in the personalized data database 220 and further
communicates with the personalized advertisement service module 305
and the personalized content service module 310 in order to
generate a customized media list, using the inventory management
module 315, where the customized media list is based on the
personalized data. Again, the customized media list is generated by
matching properties of the content and advertisements with the
personalized data of the user. When the customized media list is
generated by the server 235, the customized media list is sent
through the client communication layer 300 through the data network
230 to the client 235 where the customized media list is sent
through the server communication layer 415 to the customized media
service module 405. Once at the customized media service module
405, the customized media list is sent to the media cache service
410 while simultaneously sent to the user service module 400. At
the user service module 400, the customized media list is displayed
to the user, in this embodiment, through a television.
Simultaneously, when the customized media service module 405 sends
the customized media list to the media cache service module 410,
the media cache service module 410 interacts with the server
communication layer 415 and goes through the data network 230 to
the server 225, and through the client communication layer 300, to
retrieve the customized content and customized advertising that is
contained in the server storage medium 205. The customized content
and the customized advertising is then sent back through the server
225, the data network 230 and is cached at the media cache service
module 410 of the client 235 on a storage medium. Thus, at this
step, the computer system has generated the customized media list
and sent that list to the user's television at step 620. Now that
the customized media list has been sent to the user at step 620,
the television retrieves the customized content and the customized
advertising that has been cached in the storage medium through the
media cache service module 410 on the client 235 at step 625. Now,
at step 630, the user views the customized content and the
customized advertising being shown on the television. Next, at step
635, the user is given an option to modify the customized media
list. If the user so chooses, the user may customize the media list
to add, remove, or otherwise rearrange the customized content on
the customized media list at 640. If the user so chooses to modify
the customized media list, the personal data of the user is updated
in view of such modification at step 645. If the user does not
choose to modify the customized media list, the user the merely
views the customized content and customized advertising on the
television at step 630.
[0051] FIG. 7 illustrates a high-level block diagram of a general
purpose computer which is used, in one embodiment, to implement the
method and system of the present invention. The general purpose
computer, in one embodiment, acts as either the server 225 or
client 235 of FIGS. 2-4, or both. The general purpose computer 746
of FIG. 7 includes a processor 730 and memory 725. Processor 730
may contain a single microprocessor, or may contain a plurality of
microprocessors, for configuring the computer system as a
multi-processor system. In alternative embodiments described above,
the processor 730 includes the server processor and client
processor of FIGS. 2-4 above. Memory 725, stores, in part,
instructions and data for execution by processor 730. If the system
of the present invention is wholly or partially implemented in
software, including computer instructions, memory 725 stores the
executable code when in operation. Memory 725 may include banks of
dynamic random access memory (DRAM) as well as high speed cache
memory.
[0052] The computer of FIG. 7 further includes a mass storage
device 735, peripheral device(s) 740, audio means 750, input
device(s) 755, portable storage medium drive(s) 760, a graphics
subsystem 770 and a display means 785. For purposes of simplicity,
the components shown in FIG. 3 are depicted as being connected via
a single bus 780 (i.e. transmitting means). However, the components
may be connected through one or more data transport means (e.g.
Internet, Intranet, etc.). For example, processor 730 and memory
725 may be connected via a local microprocessor bus, and the mass
storage device 735, peripheral device(s) 740, portable storage
medium drive(s) 760, and graphics subsystem 770 may be connected
via one or more input/output (I/O) buses. Mass storage device 735,
which is typically implemented with a magnetic disk drive or an
optical disk drive, is in one embodiment, a non-volatile storage
device for storing data and instructions for use by processor 730.
The mass storage device 735 includes the storage medium of
embodiments of the present invention, and the server storage medium
and client storage medium in alternative embodiments. In another
embodiment, mass storage device 735 stores the first and second
algorithms of the server in an embodiment of the present invention.
The computer instructions that implement the method of the present
invention also may be stored in processor 730.
[0053] Portable storage medium drive 760 operates in conjunction
with a portable non-volatile storage medium, such as a floppy disk,
or other computer-readable medium, to input and output data and
code to and from the computer system of FIG. 7. In one embodiment,
the method of the present invention that is implemented using
computer instructions is stored on such a portable medium, and is
input to the computer system 746 via the portable storage medium
drive 760. Peripheral device(s) 740 may include any type of
computer support device, such as an input/output (I/O) interface,
to add additional functionality to the computer system 746. For
example, peripheral device(s) 740 may include a network interface
card for interfacing computer system 746 to a network, a modem, and
the like.
[0054] Input device(s) 755 provide a portion of a user interface.
Input device(s) 755 may include an alphanumeric keypad for
inputting alpha-numeric and other key information, or a pointing
device, such as a mouse, a trackball, stylus or cursor direction
keys. Such devices provide additional means for interfacing with
the customized media list and the customized media in the method of
the present invention. In order to display textual and graphical
information, the computer 746 of FIG. 7 includes graphics subsystem
770 and display means 785. Display means 785 may include a cathode
ray tube (CRT) display, liquid crystal display (LCD), other
suitable display devices, or means for displaying, that enables a
user to view the customized media list or customized media.
Graphics subsystem 770 receives textual and graphical information
and processes the information for output to display 785. The
display means 785 provides a practical application for providing
the customized media list of the present invention since the method
of the present invention may be directly and practically
implemented through the use of the display means 785. The computer
system 746 of FIG. 7 also includes an audio system 750. In one
embodiment, audio means 750 includes a sound card that receives
audio signals from a microphone that may be found in peripherals
740. In another embodiment, the audio system 750 may be a
processor, such as processor 730, that processes sound.
Additionally, the computer of FIG. 7 includes output devices 745.
Examples of suitable output devices include speakers, printers, and
the like.
[0055] The devices contained in the computer system of FIG. 7 are
those typically found in general purpose computer, and are intended
to represent a broad category of such computer components that are
well known in the art. The system of FIG. 7 illustrates one
platform which can be used for practically implementing the method
of the present invention. Numerous other platforms can also
suffice, such as Macintosh-based platforms available from Apple
Computer, Inc., platforms with different bus configurations,
networked platforms, multi-processor platforms, other personal
computers, workstations, mainframes, navigation systems, and the
like.
[0056] In a further embodiment, the present invention also includes
a computer program product which is a computer readable medium
(media) having computer instructions stored thereon/in which can be
used to program a computer to perform the method of the present
invention as shown in FIG. 5. The storage medium can include, but
is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical
disks, DVD, CD ROMs, magnetic optical disks, RAMs, EPROM, EEPROM,
magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for
storing electronic instructions.
[0057] These same computer instructions may be located in an
electronic signal that is transmitted over a data network that
performs the method as shown in FIG. 5 when loaded into a computer.
The computer instructions are in the form of data being transmitted
over a data network. In one embodiment, the method of the present
invention is implemented in computer instructions and those
computer instructions are transmitted in an electronic signal
through cable, satellite or other transmitting means for
transmitting the computer instructions in the electronic
signals.
[0058] Stored on any one of the computer readable medium (media),
the present invention includes software for controlling both the
hardware of the general purpose/specialized computer or
microprocessor, and for enabling the computer or microprocessor to
interact with a human user or other mechanism utilizing the results
of the present invention. Such software may include, but is not
limited to, device drivers, operating systems and user
applications. Ultimately, such computer readable media further
includes software for performing the method of the present
invention as described above.
[0059] Numerous advantages exist with the method and system of the
present invention as claimed below.
[0060] First, a user is given many more options as to what content
the user wishes to view or listen to than in the past. Rather than
going channel by channel on a television or audio receptor, the
user is able to specifically personalize the content that it wishes
to view at all times. Second, advertisers now have highly
personalized data on each user so that the advertising may be
directed closely to the particular audience that advertisers wish
to attract. Third, a user may, as discussed above with options to
the system and method of the present invention, choose to pay
additional fees in order to avoid advertising in general. This adds
to the entertainment value of the content being watched since
advertisements are avoided and time is saved. Fourth, the number of
actual users may now be closely monitored rather than relying on
audience estimators that can only guess as to the number of actual
viewers or users watching or listening. Fifth, with the personal
data on the user being known, advertisers may be more confident in
the percentage of those users that fit within its target audience,
thereby reaching a higher percentage of that target audience than
in the past.
[0061] Sixth, the user has the advantage now that it may schedule
the content that it wishes to view or listen to at the user's
leisure rather than on a scheduled programming list as is currently
the case.
[0062] Although the present invention has been described in detail
with respect to certain embodiments and examples, variations and
modifications exist which are within the scope of the present
invention as defined in the following claims.
* * * * *