U.S. patent application number 12/317081 was filed with the patent office on 2009-04-23 for intelligent electronic program guide.
This patent application is currently assigned to NDS Limited. Invention is credited to Shabtai Atlow, Gershon Bar-On, Amir Eilat, Moshe Kranc, Jonathan Maissel, Yishai Sered, Yossef Tsuria, David Zviel.
Application Number | 20090106787 12/317081 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11070341 |
Filed Date | 2009-04-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090106787 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Maissel; Jonathan ; et
al. |
April 23, 2009 |
Intelligent electronic program guide
Abstract
A subscriber unit for use in a television system including a
television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting
program schedule information, the subscriber unit including a
receiving unit for receiving the program schedule information from
said television network, an icon-based guide generator for
producing a program guide including an icon-based hierarchical
program guide including the program schedule information, and
display apparatus for displaying the program guide, the icon-based
hierarchical program guide including a plurality of
hierarchically-arranged screens each including at least one icon.
Related apparatus and methods are also disclosed.
Inventors: |
Maissel; Jonathan;
(Jerusalem, IL) ; Eilat; Amir; (Tel Aviv, IL)
; Tsuria; Yossef; (Jerusalem, IL) ; Kranc;
Moshe; (Jerusalem, IL) ; Sered; Yishai;
(Newton, MA) ; Bar-On; Gershon; (Kochav Hashachar,
IL) ; Atlow; Shabtai; (Efrat, IL) ; Zviel;
David; (Efrat, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Husch Blackwell Sanders, LLP;Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP Welsh & Katz
120 S RIVERSIDE PLAZA, 22ND FLOOR
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Assignee: |
NDS Limited
Middlesex
GB
|
Family ID: |
11070341 |
Appl. No.: |
12/317081 |
Filed: |
December 19, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10639563 |
Aug 12, 2003 |
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12317081 |
|
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|
09242871 |
Jun 10, 1999 |
6637029 |
|
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PCT/IL98/00307 |
Jun 30, 1998 |
|
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10639563 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
725/9 ;
725/46 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/4667 20130101;
H04N 21/454 20130101; H04N 21/482 20130101; H04N 21/466 20130101;
H04N 5/44543 20130101; H04N 21/4312 20130101; H04N 21/44222
20130101; H04N 21/4882 20130101; H04N 21/25891 20130101; H04N
21/4314 20130101; H04N 21/47 20130101; H04N 7/17345 20130101; H04N
21/4532 20130101; H04N 21/2221 20130101; H04N 21/43615
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/9 ;
725/46 |
International
Class: |
H04H 60/33 20080101
H04H060/33; H04N 5/445 20060101 H04N005/445 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 3, 1997 |
IL |
121230 |
Claims
1. A method for providing real-time audience information to a
subscriber unit of a television system comprising a headend and a
multiplicity of subscriber units, the method comprising: collecting
real-time viewing data from said multiplicity of subscriber units;
computing real-time audience information from the collected
real-time viewing data, said real-time audience information
comprising a real-time indication of a proportion of subscriber
units currently tuned to a program; and transmitting said real-time
computed audience information to said subscriber unit.
2. A method of providing real-time audience information to a viewer
of a television system, said television system comprising a headend
and a plurality of subscriber units, said method comprising:
receiving, at one subscriber unit of said plurality of subscriber
units, real-time computed audience information from said headend,
said real-time computed audience information comprising an
indication of a proportion of subscriber units currently tuned to a
program; and displaying said real-time computed audience
information to the viewer.
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said displaying comprises
displaying said real-time computed audience information to the
viewer as an on-screen alert.
4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said displaying comprises
displaying said real-time computed audience information to the
viewer as a graph.
5. A method according to claim 2, wherein said displaying comprises
displaying said real-time computed audience information to the
viewer throughout the viewing of a program by said viewer.
6. A method according to claim 2, wherein said displaying comprises
displaying said real-time computed audience information to the
viewer for a time when said viewer tunes to a program.
7. A method according to claim 2, wherein said displaying comprises
displaying said real-time computed audience information to the
viewer on demand from said viewer.
8. A method according to claim 2 and wherein said indication
comprises an indication of a proportion of subscriber units
currently tuned to a program which is the same as a program being
viewed by said viewer.
9. A method according to claim 2 and wherein said indication
comprises an indication of a proportion of subscriber units
currently tuned to a program which is not the same as a program
being viewed by said viewer.
10. A subscriber unit for use in a television system comprising a
television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting
program schedule information, the subscriber unit comprising: a
receiving unit for receiving said program schedule information; a
profile storage unit for storing at least one viewer preference
profile of at least one television viewer using said subscriber
unit; viewer preference profile loading apparatus for providing a
recorded viewer preference profile of another viewer to the profile
storage unit for storage; an intelligent agent for customizing said
program schedule information based, at least in part, on said
viewer preference profile using said recorded viewer preference
profile of another viewer, to produce a program guide comprising
customized program schedule information; and display apparatus for
displaying the program guide.
11. A subscriber unit according to claim 10, wherein said
intelligent agent comprises an intelligent agent customizing said
program schedule information based, at least in part, on said
viewer preference profile using said recorded viewer preference
profile of another viewer as an anti-profile, to produce a program
guide comprising customized program schedule information.
12. A subscriber unit according to claim 11, wherein said recorded
viewer preference profile of another viewer is used as an
anti-profile such that customizing said program schedule
information is opposite to customizing said program schedule
information using said recorded viewer preference profile of
another viewer.
13. A subscriber unit according to claim 10, wherein a particular
program preferred according to said recorded viewer preference
profile of another viewer is deemphasized.
14. A subscriber unit according to claim 10, wherein said another
viewer comprises a viewer who has used another subscriber unit.
15. A subscriber unit according to claim 10, wherein said viewer
preference profile loading apparatus receives said recorded viewer
preference profile via said television network.
16. A subscriber unit according to claim 10, wherein said
customizing comprises one of the following: emphasizing at least a
portion of said customized program schedule information based, at
least in part, on said viewer preference profile; and deemphasizing
at least a portion of said customized program schedule information
based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.
17. A subscriber unit according to claim 10, wherein said another
viewer comprises a well-known famous person.
Description
[0001] The present application is a divisional application of
co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/639,563, filed 12
Aug. 2003 and entitled INTELLIGENT ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE, which
is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/242,871,
filed 10 Jun. 1999 and entitled INTELLIGENT ELECTRONIC PROGRAM
GUIDE, which is a 35 USC .sctn.371 application of PCT/IL98/00307,
filed on 30 Jun. 1998, which was published on 14 Jan. 1999 in the
English language with International Publication No. WO 99/01984,
and which relies for priority on Israel Patent Application No.
121230, filed on 3 Jul. 1997.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to television systems in
general, and in particular to electronic program guides for
television systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Electronic program guides are well-known in the art.
Electronic program guides provide television program schedule
information on the television screen. Typically, electronic program
guides display a rectangular grid schedule on the television
screen, and allow the viewer to navigate through the schedule and
to perform a variety of functions for one or more programs
appearing on the schedule. Typical prior art program guides and
related technologies are described in the following patents and
published applications:
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,121 to Young and Reexamination
Certificate B1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,121 to Young;
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,455 to Young;
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,211 to Hallenbeck;
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,789 to Young;
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,240 to Amano et al.;
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,121 to Young et al.;
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,499 to Saitoh
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,266 to Young et al.;
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,268 to Young et al.;
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,106 to Chaney et al.;
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,195 to Clanton, III et al.;
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,576 to Klosterman;
[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,088 to Saitoh;
[0017] PCT published application WO 90/00847, assigned to Insight
Telecast, Inc.;
[0018] PCT published application WO 91/07050, assigned to Insight
Telecast, Inc.;
[0019] PCT published application 92/04801, assigned to Insight
Telecast, Inc.; and
[0020] PCT published application WO 95/31069, assigned to Starsight
Telecast, Inc.
[0021] Customization of program guide information based on
information explicitly entered by a viewer is known in the art and
is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,479,266 and
5,479,268, mentioned above. Customization of program guide
information based on the channel watched and time watched is
described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,323,240; 5,444,499; and
5,564,088.
[0022] Broadcast methods of interest in the field of the present
invention are described in DVB standard ETS 300-468.
[0023] The terms "agent" and "intelligent agent" are used
interchangeably throughout the present specification and claims to
refer to any machine-based assistant, including but not limited to
a machine-based assistant implemented in software, with authority
delegated from the user or users of the agent. Specifically, the
terms "agent" and "intelligent agent", as used herein, are not
limited to agents used by a particular person and may include
agents used by one person or a plurality of people, whether used in
a domestic, commercial, or other context.
[0024] Intelligent agents are both in use and proposed for future
use in computer systems, particularly computer systems connected to
an internetwork such as the Internet. Publications describing the
intelligent agent prior art and proposals for the future use of
intelligent agents include the following:
[0025] 1. Fah-Chun Cheong, Internet Agents: Spiders, Wanderers,
Brokers, and Bots, published by New Riders Publishing, 1996,
describes the state of the art in agents in general and in Internet
agents in particular. Chapter 1, pages 3-35 and the bibliography
thereto on pages 387-390 are particularly relevant to the agent
prior art. On page 9, Cheong describes surrogate bots, which are
agents to "relieve users of low-level administrative and clerical
tasks, such as setting up meetings, sending out papers, locating
information, tracking whereabouts of people, and so on." Cheong
gives the example of a visitor scheduling bot whose purpose is to
assist in scheduling the visitors of the user of the bot.
[0026] On page 19, Cheong describes learning agents, a type of
personal agent envisioned in the future for which "learning about
the particular user's habits and goals, and tailoring to them
accordingly" is the essential principle of operation. As an example
of a learning agent, Cheong gives a calendar apprentice which helps
a user organize the user's meeting schedule.
[0027] 2. A World Wide Web Document found on the Internet at
www.raleigh.ibm.com/iag/iaghome.html describes intelligent agents
in general and IBM intelligent agents in particular. A copy of the
document was obtained from the Internet on Sep. 24, 1996 at 2:14
PM.
[0028] 3. A World Wide Web Document found on the Internet at
www.raleigh.ibm.com/iag/iagptc2.html, entitled "The Role of
Intelligent Agents in the Information Infrastructure", describes
various application areas that intelligent agents can enhance. In
section 3.8, Adaptive User Interfaces, mention is made that "agent
technology allows systems to monitor the user's actions, develop
models of user abilities, and automatically help out when problems
arise." The document neither describes nor suggests the use of
intelligent agents to customize an electronic program guide or any
similar system component. A copy of the document was obtained from
the Internet on Sep. 24, 1996 at 2:16 PM.
[0029] The above-mentioned prior art does not appear to describe or
suggest the use of intelligent agents in any of the following
contexts: in television systems; with a program guide in any
context; or with an entity similar to a program guide in a computer
system.
[0030] The disclosures of all references mentioned above and
throughout the present specification are hereby incorporated herein
by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0031] The present invention seeks to provide an improved
electronic program guide for use in a television system. Throughout
the present specification and claims, the term "television system"
is used in a broad sense to include all types of television
systems, including but not limited to any one or combination of the
following: one-way systems; two-way systems; systems utilizing
cable communication networks, satellite communication networks,
telephone communication networks, other communication networks, or
any combination thereof, and CATV systems. Particularly, both pay
television systems and non-pay or free television systems are
included in the term "television system".
[0032] The present invention provides for customization of an
electronic program guide by an intelligent agent. Typically, the
intelligent agent monitors viewing behavior of one viewer or a
plurality of viewers and creates a preference profile based on the
monitored viewing behavior. The intelligent agent then preferably
employs the preference profile to customize the electronic program
guide based on the preference profile.
[0033] There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention a television system including a
television network, and transmitting apparatus for transmitting
program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units,
at least one of the multiplicity of subscriber units including a
receiving unit for receiving the program schedule information from
the television network, a profile storage unit for storing at least
one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer, an
intelligent agent for customizing the program schedule information
based, at least in part, on the viewer preference profile, to
produce a program guide including customized program schedule
information, and display apparatus for displaying the program
guide.
[0034] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a subscriber unit for use in a
television system including a television network and transmitting
apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the
subscriber unit including a receiving unit for receiving the
program schedule information, a profile storage unit for storing at
least one viewer preference profile of at least one television
viewer, an intelligent agent for customizing the program schedule
information based, at least in part, on the viewer preference
profile, to produce a program guide including customized program
schedule information, and display apparatus for displaying the
program guide.
[0035] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule
information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, the transmitting
apparatus including a headend, the headend including a profile
storage unit for storing at least one viewer preference profile of
at least one television viewer associated with one of the
multiplicity of subscriber units, and an intelligent agent for
customizing the program schedule information based, at least in
part, on the viewer preference profile, to produce customized
program schedule information, wherein the transmitting apparatus is
operative to transmit the customized program schedule information
to the one of the multiplicity of subscriber units, and at least
one of the multiplicity of subscriber units includes a receiving
unit for receiving the customized program schedule information from
the television network, and display apparatus for displaying a
program guide including the customized program schedule
information.
[0036] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a headend for use in a
television system including a television network and transmitting
apparatus for transmitting customized program schedule information
to at least one subscriber unit, the headend including a profile
storage unit for storing at least one viewer preference profile of
at least one television viewer associated with the at least one
subscriber unit, and an intelligent agent for customizing the
program schedule information based, at least in part, on the viewer
preference profile, to produce customized program schedule
information.
[0037] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the transmitting apparatus includes network
transmitting apparatus for transmitting over the television
network.
[0038] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the transmitting apparatus includes recording
apparatus for recording information on a removable medium, and
means for sending the removable medium to a subscriber location
including the subscriber unit, and the subscriber unit includes
loading apparatus for loading the information from the removable
medium into the subscriber unit.
[0039] Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the intelligent agent also includes profile
determination apparatus for determining viewer preference profile
information for at least one television viewer and for providing
the viewer preference profile information to the profile storage
unit for storage as a viewer preference profile, and the profile
determination apparatus determines the viewer preference profile
information by monitoring television viewing behavior of the at
least one television viewer.
[0040] Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the television viewing behavior includes viewing
at least a portion of at least one viewed television program.
[0041] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the television viewing behavior includes the
television viewer viewing only a portion of at least one viewed
television program.
[0042] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the profile determination apparatus compares
a length of the portion of the at least one viewed television
program to a predetermined viewing threshold length to determine
whether the length is greater than the threshold length, and the
profile determination apparatus determines the viewer preference
profile information based, at least in part, on whether the length
is greater than the threshold length.
[0043] Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention when the length is determined to be less than
the threshold length, the profile determination apparatus
determines the viewer preference profile information without regard
to the viewing only a portion of the at least one television
program.
[0044] Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention when the portion is determined to be less than
the threshold, the profile determination apparatus determines that
the viewer is engaged in channel surfing behavior, and the profile
determination apparatus determines the viewer preference profile
information based, at least in part, on the channel surfing
behavior.
[0045] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the program schedule information includes a first
plurality of criteria, at least one of the first plurality of
criteria being associated with each of a second plurality of
television programs, and the profile determination apparatus
determines the viewer preference profile information based, at
least in part, on at least one of the plurality of criteria
associated with the at least one viewed television program.
[0046] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the profile determination apparatus
determines the viewer preference profile information, at least in
part, in accordance with input provided by the at least one
television viewer.
[0047] Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the profile determination apparatus
determines viewer preference profile information from a reaction of
the at least one television viewer to previously displayed
customized program schedule information.
[0048] Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention each the viewer preference profile includes a
viewer preference profile of exactly one viewer.
[0049] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention at least one the viewer preference profile
includes a viewer preference profile of a plurality of viewers.
[0050] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the apparatus also includes viewer preference
profile loading apparatus for providing a recorded viewer
preference profile to the profile storage unit for storage.
[0051] Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the viewer preference profile loading
apparatus receives the recorded viewer preference profile via the
television network.
[0052] Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the viewer preference profile loading apparatus
receives the viewer preference profile from profile storage
apparatus located remotely thereto.
[0053] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the customizing includes emphasizing at least a
portion of the customized program schedule information based, at
least in part, on the viewer preference profile.
[0054] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the customizing includes deemphasizing at
least a portion of the customized program schedule information
based, at least in part, on the viewer preference profile.
[0055] Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the customizing includes tailoring a custom
channel based, at least in part, on the viewer preference
profile.
[0056] Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the customizing includes automatically tuning to
a program selected based, at least in part, on the viewer
preference profile.
[0057] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the customizing includes automatically recording,
on recording apparatus, a program selected based, at least in part,
on the viewer preference profile.
[0058] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the customizing includes ordering at least
some of the customized program schedule information based, at least
in part, on the viewer preference profile.
[0059] Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the display apparatus is operative to display
an on-screen alert including at least part of the customized
program schedule information.
[0060] Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the alert includes an unsolicited alert.
[0061] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the unsolicited alert includes audience viewing
information including an indication of a proportion of an audience
currently viewing a program.
[0062] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the program includes a program currently
being viewed by a viewer.
[0063] Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the program includes a program not currently
being viewed by a viewer.
[0064] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the display apparatus displays the on-screen
alert a predetermined period of time before a scheduled starting
time of a television program, the at least part of the customized
program schedule information including information associated with
the television program.
[0065] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the customizing includes displaying an
indication of a proportion of an audience currently viewing a
program.
[0066] Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the proportion of an audience includes a
proportion of an audience viewing a program currently being viewed
by a viewer.
[0067] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the proportion of an audience includes a
proportion of an audience viewing a program not currently being
viewed by a viewer.
[0068] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the display apparatus includes an icon-based
guide generator for producing an icon-based hierarchical program
guide including the program schedule information, and the program
guide includes the icon-based hierarchical program guide. The term
"icon", as used throughout the present specification and claims, is
used in the sense commonly accepted in the art of computer
programming, particularly computer interface design, to refer to a
small picture, photograph, or other representation which is meant
to pictorially recall to the user a function or functions
associated therewith.
[0069] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a television system including a
television network, and transmitting apparatus for transmitting
program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units,
each subscriber unit including a receiving unit for receiving the
program schedule information from the television network, an
icon-based guide generator for producing a program guide including
an icon-based hierarchical program guide including the program
schedule information, and display apparatus for displaying the
program guide.
[0070] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a subscriber unit for use in a
television system including a television network and transmitting
apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the
subscriber unit including a receiving unit for receiving the
program schedule information from the television network, an
icon-based guide generator for producing a program guide including
an icon-based hierarchical program guide including the program
schedule information, and display apparatus for displaying the
program guide.
[0071] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a method for providing a
program guide in a television system, the method including
providing a television network, and transmitting program schedule
information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, each subscriber
unit performing the following steps receiving the program schedule
information from the television network, storing at least one
viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer,
employing an intelligent agent to customize the program schedule
information based, at least in part, on the viewer preference
profile, to produce a program guide including customized program
schedule information, and displaying the program guide.
[0072] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a method for providing a
program guide in a television system including a television network
and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule
information, the method including receiving the program schedule
information, storing at least one viewer preference profile of at
least one television viewer, employing an intelligent agent to
customize the program schedule information based, at least in part,
on the viewer preference profile, to produce a program guide
including customized program schedule information, and displaying
the program guide.
[0073] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a method for providing a
program guide in a television system, the method including
providing a television network, and transmitting program schedule
information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, wherein the step
of transmitting includes storing at least one viewer preference
profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of
the multiplicity of subscriber units, employing an intelligent
agent to customize the program schedule information based, at least
in part, on the viewer preference profile, to produce customized
program schedule information, transmitting the customized program
schedule information to the one of the multiplicity of subscriber
units, receiving, at the one of the multiplicity of subscriber
units, the customized program schedule information from the
television network, and displaying a program guide including the
customized program schedule information.
[0074] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a method for providing a
program guide in a television system including a television network
and transmitting apparatus for transmitting customized program
schedule information, the method including storing at least one
viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer
associated with one of the multiplicity of subscriber units, and
customizing the program schedule information based, at least in
part, on the viewer preference profile, to produce customized
program schedule information.
[0075] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a method for providing a
program guide in a television system, the method including
providing a television network, and transmitting program schedule
information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, each subscriber
unit performing the following steps receiving the program schedule
information, producing a program guide including an icon-based
hierarchical program guide including the program schedule
information, and displaying the program guide.
[0076] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a method for providing a
program guide in a television system including a television network
and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule
information, the method including receiving the program schedule
information, producing a program guide including an icon-based
hierarchical program guide including the program schedule
information, and displaying the program guide.
[0077] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a headend for use in a
television system including a television network and transmitting
apparatus for transmitting customized program schedule information
to a multiplicity of subscriber units, the transmitting apparatus
including the headend, the headend including a profile creation
unit for creating at least one viewer preference profile of at
least one television viewer associated with one of the multiplicity
of subscriber units, based on viewer information associated with
the one of the multiplicity of subscriber units, and a transmission
unit for transmitting the at least one viewer preference profile to
the one of the multiplicity of subscriber units.
[0078] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a method for providing a
program guide in a television system including a television network
and transmitting apparatus for transmitting customized program
schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, the
method including creating at least one viewer preference profile of
at least one television viewer associated with one of the
multiplicity of subscriber units, based on viewer information
associated with the one of the multiplicity of subscriber units,
and transmitting the at least one viewer preference profile to the
one of the multiplicity of subscriber units.
[0079] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a method for providing a viewer
preference profile in a television system including a plurality of
subscriber units, the method including recording, at a first
subscriber unit, a viewer preference profile on a removable medium,
loading, at a second subscriber unit, the viewer preference profile
from the recording medium, and customizing a program guide, at the
second subscriber unit, based, at least in part, on the viewer
preference profile.
[0080] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a method for providing audience
information to a viewer of a television system, the method
including collecting viewing data from a multiplicity of viewers of
a television system, computing audience information from the
collected viewing data, and transmitting the computed audience
information to a viewer of the television system.
[0081] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the method also includes displaying the computed
audience information to the viewer of the television system.
[0082] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the computed audience information comprises
real-time computed audience information.
[0083] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention a method for providing a
program guide in a television system comprising a television
network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting information to
a multiplicity of subscriber units, the method including creating
at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television
viewer associated with one of the multiplicity of subscriber units,
based on viewer information associated with the one of the
multiplicity of subscriber units, creating a customized program
guide based, at least in part, on the at least one viewer
preference profile, and transmitting the customized program guide
to the one of the multiplicity of subscriber units.
[0084] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the transmitting step includes transmitting via
at least one of the following: conventional mail, electronic mail,
provision of a World Wide Web site comprising said customized
program guide, and wireless transmission to a portable electronic
receiving device.
[0085] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the icon-based hierarchical program guide
includes a plurality of icons, and at least one of the plurality of
icons is associated with additional information, the additional
information being provided to a user upon request.
[0086] Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the additional information includes at least
one of the following: audio material; visual material; audio-visual
material; multimedia material; a computer program; and at least one
preview of at least one program.
[0087] Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention the additional information includes a plurality
of customized items of information, and at least one of the
plurality of customized items of information is provided to the
user based, at least in part, on at least one of the following: a
user preference; a conditional access parameter; and a region in
which said user is located.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0088] The present invention will be understood and appreciated
more fully from the following detailed description, taken in
conjunction with the drawings in which:
[0089] FIG. 1 is a simplified partly pictorial, partly block
diagram illustration of a television system comprising a subscriber
unit constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
[0090] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram illustration of a
portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
[0091] FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram illustration of a
preferred implementation of the intelligent agent of FIG. 2;
[0092] FIG. 4 is a simplified flowchart illustration of a preferred
method of operation of the viewing information analysis apparatus
of FIG. 3;
[0093] FIG. 5 is a simplified flowchart illustration of a preferred
implementation of step 260 of FIG. 4;
[0094] FIG. 6 is a simplified flowchart illustration of a preferred
method of determining whether a viewer is engaged in surfing
behavior in step 280 of FIG. 5;
[0095] FIG. 7 is a simplified flowchart illustration of a preferred
method of operation of the program schedule customization apparatus
of FIG. 3;
[0096] FIG. 8A is a simplified partly pictorial, partly block
diagram illustration of a television system comprising a subscriber
unit constructed and operative in accordance with an alternative
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0097] FIG. 8B is a simplified partly pictorial, partly block
diagram illustration of a television system comprising a subscriber
unit constructed and operative in accordance with another
alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
[0098] FIGS. 9A-9L are simplified pictorial representations of
preferred embodiments of an electronic program guide, which may be
displayed on the display of FIG. 1, FIG. 8A, or FIG. 8B.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0099] Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which is a simplified partly
pictorial, partly block diagram illustration of a television system
comprising a subscriber unit constructed and operative in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The apparatus of FIG. 1 comprises display apparatus 100 for display
of an electronic program guide, the display apparatus 100 typically
comprising a television set as shown in FIG. 1. The television set
may comprise any suitable commercially available television
set.
[0100] It is appreciated that the display apparatus 100 may
alternatively comprise any other suitable display apparatus such
as, for example, a computer display, another suitable display, or
suitable projection equipment, as is well known in the art. In a
case where a display other than a television set is used, it is
appreciated that a television set is typically provided separately.
For the purpose of simplicity in description, a case where the
display apparatus 100 comprises a television set is generally
described throughout the present specification, but it is
appreciated that another type of appropriate display apparatus may
generally be used.
[0101] On the display apparatus 100 an on-screen alert 105 is
shown. The on-screen alert 105 is described more fully below. The
on-screen alert 105 is shown as an example of a component of an
electronic program guide, as described below. It is appreciated
that the electronic program guide may take a wide variety of forms
and that, typically, the on-screen alert 105 is comprised in the
electronic program guide and that the electronic program guide may
comprise other components alternatively, or in addition to, the
on-screen alert 105.
[0102] The apparatus of FIG. 1 also comprises an interface unit
110. The interface unit 110 is also known as a set top box (STB).
The interface unit 110 is operative to provide a least a one-way
interface, and optionally a two-way interface, between the display
apparatus 100 and a television network, which may be either a pay
television network or a non-pay or free television network. It is
appreciated that, in certain preferred embodiments of the present
invention such as, for example, the embodiments of FIGS. 8A and 8B,
described below, a two-way interface is preferable. The interface
unit 110 typically comprises a variety of conventional STB
components (not shown), as is well known in the art, to receive,
tune and, as necessary, decode television broadcasts received from
the television network and to send display signals representing the
received broadcasts to the display apparatus 100.
[0103] The interface unit 110 also typically comprises a receiving
unit 120, an intelligent agent 130, and a profile storage unit 140,
the receiving unit 120 and the profile storage unit 140 being
operatively attached to the intelligent agent 130. The receiving
unit 120, the intelligent agent 130, and the profile storage unit
140 are typically implemented in software in one or more suitable
microprocessors suitably equipped with memory, but it is
appreciated that a hardware implementation may also be used. The
functions of the receiving unit 120, the intelligent agent 130, and
the profile storage unit 140 are described in more detail below.
The apparatus of FIG. 1 may also comprise a recording device such
as a VCR (not shown), or any other appropriate conventional
recording device, including a DVCR (digital VCR) or DVD (digital
video disc) recording device.
[0104] The operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1 is now briefly
described. The interface unit 110 receives television broadcasts
from the television network. A user of the apparatus of FIG. 1
chooses a channel to watch, using means well-known in the art such
as, for example, a commercially-available remote control unit. The
interface unit 110, responsive to the user's choice of channel,
transmits display signals representing received broadcasts on the
chosen channel to the display apparatus 100, as is well-known in
the art.
[0105] As is well-known in the art, the television broadcasts
typically also comprise television program schedule information. It
is appreciated that program schedule information may alternatively
or additionally be distributed by other non-broadcast methods such
as, for example: by sending a removable medium to the user for
insertion in an appropriate unit (not shown) for receiving the
medium in the apparatus of FIG. 1; by publishing coded information,
such as in a newspaper or magazine, and by providing equipment (not
shown) for use with the apparatus of FIG. 1 to read the coded
information into the apparatus of FIG. 1; or otherwise.
[0106] The terms "program schedule information" and "television
program schedule information" are used interchangeably throughout
the present specification and claims to refer to information
describing a television program schedule. Program schedule
information is typically intended to assist a television viewer in
choosing a television program to watch, either at the current time
or in the future. Program schedule information typically comprises
one or more of the following:
[0107] channel number;
[0108] starting date;
[0109] starting time;
[0110] ending date;
[0111] ending time;
[0112] name of program;
[0113] description of program;
[0114] name of at least one actor in program;
[0115] name of director of program;
[0116] program provider;
[0117] price of program; and
[0118] classification criteria.
[0119] The classification criteria may typically comprise one or
more of the following: indications of whether the program is a
comedy, a drama, a documentary, a news program, etc.; an indication
of whether the program contains material unsuited for younger
viewers; the country of origin of the program; and any other
appropriate classification criteria. A typical example of such
criteria is described in DVB standard ETS 300-468, referred to
above.
[0120] Reference is now additionally made to FIG. 2, which is a
simplified block diagram illustration of a portion of the apparatus
of FIG. 1. The apparatus of FIG. 2 comprises the receiving unit
120, the intelligent agent 130, the profile storage unit 140, and
the display apparatus 150 of FIG. 2, and illustrates the
connections therebetween as well as the inputs thereto and outputs
therefrom. The apparatus of FIG. 2 also comprises an optional
viewer preference profile loading apparatus 160 (not shown in FIG.
1), described below.
[0121] The receiving unit 120 is typically operative to receive the
program schedule information from the television network and to
pass the program schedule information to the intelligent agent 130.
The receiving unit 120 may also be operative, as is well known in
the art, to filter the program schedule information from other
information broadcast via the television network, such as
television programs, thus producing the information passed by the
receiving unit 120 to the intelligent agent 130. The intelligent
agent 130 also typically receives television viewing information
representing current television viewing behavior of one or more
individual viewers. The television viewing information, typically
comprising an indication of the channel currently being watched
and, optionally, viewer identification information, may be received
from conventional components of the interface unit 110, as is well
known in the art, or from another appropriate source.
[0122] It is appreciated that, in a case where the television
viewing information comprises viewer identification information,
the viewer identification information is typically obtained using
methods well-known in the art for identifying viewers such as, for
example, requiring one or more viewers to supply identifying
information such as, for example, a personal identification number
(PIN) before viewing television. Thus, the television viewing
information may be associated with one or more viewers. It is also
appreciated that, in a case where the television viewing
information does not comprise viewer identification information the
television viewing information is preferably taken to be general,
that is, not to be associated with any particular viewer. For the
sake of simplicity in description, a case where the television
viewing information is associated with one or more viewers is
generally described herein, but it is appreciated that the present
invention also applies to the case where the television viewing
information is not associated with any particular viewer.
[0123] The intelligent agent 130 is preferably operable to combine
the television viewing information with the program schedule
information and to extract therefrom characteristics, typically
comprising components similar to those described above with respect
to program schedule information, which characterize the television
program currently being viewed by the viewer. Such components are
also known herein as current program characteristics. The
intelligent agent 130 is typically operative to store the current
program characteristics in a viewer preference profile, typically
in the profile storage unit 140, the viewer preference profile
typically comprising information, obtained over a period of time,
on the various current program characteristics of programs viewed
by a viewer at various times. The period of time may be as short as
a few minutes or as long as a year or more. The viewer preference
profile also typically comprises information on the amount of time
or proportion of duration of the program during which each program
was viewed by the viewer.
[0124] Typically, the viewer preference profile may contain
information on preference strength, that is, on how strongly a
certain program or type of program is preferred by the viewer.
Preference strength may reflect the number of times that the
program was viewed in a given period of time, the percentage of all
occurrences of the program that were viewed, or any other
appropriate criterion. Typically, the viewer preference profile is
accumulated over an unlimited amount of time. Alternatively, old
information may be eliminated from the profile or the profile may
be reset upon receipt of a signal from the television network.
[0125] Optionally, the apparatus of FIG. 1 may be operative to
display a viewer preference profile on the display apparatus 100 or
otherwise and to allow the viewer to edit or otherwise modify the
viewer preference profile, typically using user interface methods
well known in the art. In this case, the viewer is preferably
enabled to add, delete, or modify any information in the viewer's
viewer preference profile, it being appreciated that the apparatus
of FIG. 1 is preferably operative to provide an appropriate
questionnaire or other assisted data input method, as is well known
in the art, in order to assist the viewer in adding, deleting, or
modifying information. Particularly, the viewer is preferably
enabled to provide information on programs or types of programs
which the viewer prefers to view or prefers not to view.
Furthermore, the viewer is preferably enabled to do one or more of
the following:
[0126] turn off or on the collection of viewer preference profile
information;
[0127] define different levels of highlighting, as described
below;
[0128] turn the delivery of alerts on or off;
[0129] instruct the apparatus of FIG. 1 to include or not to
include popular programs in the program guide;
[0130] instruct the apparatus of FIG. 1 to include or not to
include programs having a certain rating, such as programs having a
rating as unsuitable for children, in the program guide;
[0131] instruct the apparatus of FIG. 1 to include or not to
include programs recommended by one or more critics in the program
guide; and
[0132] perform any other appropriate action.
[0133] As described below, the viewer preference profile stored by
the intelligent agent 130 and used as described below may comprise
a simple data structure describing current program characteristics
of programs viewed by a viewer and other information as stated
above. It is appreciated, however, that the viewer preference
profile may, in alternative embodiments of the present invention,
take a wide variety of forms. For example, without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the viewer preference profile may
comprise one or more rules abstracted from at least the current
program characteristics of programs viewed by a viewer, the
extraction and/or abstraction of such rules from the current
program characteristics of programs viewed by a viewer and other
information as stated above being possible using methods well-known
in the art, particularly methods in use with rule-based expert
systems.
[0134] Such rules, as is well known in the art, may comprise
conditions and results to be carried out if the conditions are
true. For example, such a rule might state that if the user
preference level for news is greater than a given threshold and if
a news program is scheduled within the next 30 minutes, a news
alert should be presented on the screen. For the sake of simplicity
in description, the case of a simple data structure will generally
be described below, it being appreciated that other methods, such
as, for example, a rule-based method, may also be used.
[0135] The intelligent agent 130 is also operative to customize the
program schedule information received from the receiving unit 120
in accordance with one or more viewer preference profiles belonging
to one or more viewers and to output a program guide comprising the
customized program schedule information to the display apparatus
150 for display. It is appreciated that, in a case where more than
one viewer preference profile is used, the plurality of viewer
preference profiles may be combined by any appropriate method,
including simply combining the profiles, giving complete preference
to one profile over another profile, giving partial preference to
one profile over another profile, or by any other appropriate
combining method.
[0136] The term "customize" in its various forms, as used
throughout the present specification and claims with reference to
program schedule information to be comprised in a program guide, is
used generally to refer to any kind of customization including, for
example, one or more of the following:
[0137] changing the order in which programs appear in the program
guide;
[0138] changing the order in which channels appear in the program
guide;
[0139] removing certain programs from or adding certain programs to
the program guide, the added programs typically comprising programs
that were not previously displayed due to another
customization;
[0140] highlighting or emphasizing certain programs in the program
guide, possibly including multiple levels of highlighting or
emphasis;
[0141] de-highlighting or deemphasizing certain programs in the
program guide, possibly including multiple levels of
de-highlighting or de-emphasis;
[0142] modifying a hierarchy, such as, for example, an icon-based
hierarchy, of programs in the program guide;
[0143] modifying the appearance of an element of the program guide
such as, for example, an icon, including modifying an icon to be
non-objectionable for viewing by children;
[0144] displaying an alert comprising program schedule
information;
[0145] customizing a channel to contain selected programs from the
program guide, typically by creating a virtual channel comprising,
for example, a list of times and channels on which preferred
programs are broadcast at those times, to give a viewer the
appearance that the viewer's preferred programs are all broadcast
on the customized channel;
[0146] delivering an alert remind the viewer to record a
program;
[0147] automatically recording a program; and
[0148] any other appropriate kind of customization.
[0149] It is appreciated that other factors in addition to a viewer
preference profile may also be applied by the intelligent agent
130. Examples of such other factors and their typical use by the
intelligent agent 130 include the following:
[0150] parental control information, which is well known in the
art, may be used to eliminate certain programs from the program
guide or to modify objectionable descriptions and/or icons so that
they are suitable for viewing by children;
[0151] parental control or other information may be used to limit
total viewing time or viewing during certain times of the day by
removing programs falling outside the limitation from the program
guide;
[0152] subscription information, typically including information on
television services which have been subscribed to by a viewer, may
be used to eliminate programs not subscribed for from the program
guide;
[0153] rating information, typically including information on
general viewer popularity of a program based on ratings as are well
known in the art, may be used to modify the customization of the
program guide, typically by including or promoting the importance
of highly rated programs but possibly by excluding or reducing the
importance of highly rated programs, and further possibly by
modifying the viewer preference profile based on the rating
information; and
[0154] language choice information, typically including information
on a preferred language, may be used to display listings in a
particular language or for program versions in a particular
language, it being appreciated that viewer preference profile
information on language viewing preferences may override language
choice information.
[0155] The optional viewer preference profile loading apparatus
160, if present, may be used to load a recorded viewer preference
profile of another viewer, including a viewer who has used another
apparatus, similar to that of FIG. 1, at a different time and
place. Such a recorded viewer preference profile may be provided on
any appropriate recording medium, may be broadcast via the
television network, or may be delivered from profile storage
apparatus by any appropriate means. It is appreciated that a
recorded viewer preference profile may typically be a profile of a
well-known person, may be intended to provide customization of the
program guide in a way similar to that which would be provided to
the famous person, and may be provided for a fee or other
consideration. The effect of using such a recorded viewer
preference profile would be, approximately, to receive a customized
program guide customized according to the preferences of the person
who is the source of the recorded viewer preference profile.
[0156] Alternatively, a recorded viewer preference profile could be
used as an anti-profile in the sense that customization could occur
opposite to what would be the result of using the recorded
preference profile; that is, a particular program that was
preferred according to the recorded viewer preference profile could
be, for example, deemphasized.
[0157] Optionally, the profile loading apparatus 160, if present,
may also be operative to record a viewer preference profile on any
appropriate recording medium such as, for example, a diskette or an
appropriate smart card. The recorded viewer preference profile may
then be provided to another viewer having apparatus similar to that
of FIG. 1 for loading as described above.
[0158] It is appreciated that the implementation of the present
invention described above, wherein a program guide is transmitted
to a television, comprises one particular implementation of the
present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is
not limited by the above-described implementation. In particular,
it is appreciated that, with minor variations as is well known in
the art, a customized program guide could be delivered to a viewer
by, for example, one or more of the following methods:
[0159] conventional mail;
[0160] electronic mail, including conventional electronic mail,
electronic mail delivered to a television, text-based electronic
mail, graphics-based electronic mail, HTML-based electronic mail,
or any other suitable type of electronic mail;
[0161] a personalized World Wide Web site on the Internet; and
[0162] wireless delivery to a portable electronic device such as a
suitable beeper, palmtop device, personal organizer, watch, radio
receiver, or any other suitable portable electronic device.
[0163] Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which is a simplified block
diagram illustration of a preferred implementation of the
intelligent agent 130 of FIG. 2. The apparatus of FIG. 3 preferably
comprises viewing information analysis apparatus 170, which
typically receives program schedule information from the receiving
unit 120 of FIG. 2, as described above, as well as receiving
television viewing information, as described above with reference
to FIG. 2.
[0164] The apparatus of FIG. 3 also preferably comprises viewer
preference profile update and storage apparatus 180. The viewing
information and analysis apparatus 170 is preferably operative to
provide current program information and information on the current
viewer, typically comprised in the television viewing information,
as described above with reference to FIG. 2, to the update and
storage apparatus 180. The update and storage apparatus 180 is
preferably operative to store the received information in an
appropriate viewer preference profile in the profile storage unit
140 of FIG. 2.
[0165] The apparatus of FIG. 3 also preferably comprises viewer
preference profile retrieval apparatus 190 and program schedule
customization apparatus 200. The retrieval apparatus 190 typically
retrieves the viewer preference profile of a viewer under control
of the program schedule customization apparatus 200 and sends the
viewer preference profile to the program schedule customization
apparatus 200.
[0166] The program schedule customization apparatus 200 preferably
receives the viewer preference profile, as well as the program
schedule information from the receiving unit 120 of FIG. 2. The
program schedule customization apparatus 200 is preferably
operative to customize the program schedule information received
from the receiving unit 120 in accordance with one or more viewer
preference profiles belonging to one or more viewers and to output
a program guide comprising the customized program schedule
information.
[0167] The viewing information analysis apparatus 170, the viewer
preference profile update and storage apparatus 180, the view
preference profile retrieval apparatus 190, and the program
schedule customization apparatus 200 are typically implemented in
software in one or more suitable microprocessors suitably equipped
with memory, but it is appreciated that a hardware implementation
may also be used.
[0168] Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which is a simplified
flowchart illustration of a preferred method of operation of the
viewing information analysis apparatus of FIG. 3. The method of
FIG. 4 preferably includes the following steps:
[0169] When program schedule information is received, the
information is processed (step 210). Program schedule information
is generally received when the program schedule information is sent
over the television network. The program schedule information may
be sent periodically, may be sent when there is a change in program
schedule information, or may be sent at other times. Processing
program schedule information preferably comprises updating a
working copy of program schedule information kept in the
intelligent agent 130 and used in other steps of the method of FIG.
4.
[0170] A check is made as to whether television viewing information
has been received (step 220). Generally, television viewing
information is received when there is a change in television
viewing such as, for example: a new viewer begins viewing
television according to viewer identification information; a
television channel change occurs; or the television is turned on or
turned off. Television viewing information may also comprise an
indication that a viewer has responded to a customized alert
positively, by tuning to the program named in the alert, or
negatively, by not tuning to the program named in the alert.
Preferably, such a positive response is taken to reinforce the
preference which led to the alert. A negative response, on the
other hand, is preferably taken to weaken or erase the preference
which led to the alert.
[0171] If no television viewing information is received, the
process of FIG. 4 preferably ends.
[0172] It is appreciated that, after step 220, further action need
only be taken when some television viewing information is received,
on the assumption that eventually some change in television viewing
will occur and further action can be taken at that time. It is
further appreciated that, to prevent a possibility of no television
viewing information being received for a very long time such as,
for example, for an entire day, step 220 may include a check for a
very long time having passed since television information has been
received and, in that case, the check of step 220 may preferably
behave as if television viewing information, comprising viewed
program information, has been received, in order to ensure that
current television viewing information, even if unchanged, is
eventually stored.
[0173] If television viewing information is found to have been
received in step 220, a check is made as to whether the television
viewing information comprises viewer identification information
(step 230). If viewer identification information has been received,
the identification of the current user is noted and preferably
stored (step 240). Processing continues with step 260, described
below.
[0174] If the check of step 230 does not show receipt of viewer
identification information, a check is made as to whether viewed
program information has been received (step 250). If not, the
method of FIG. 4 preferably ends. If viewed program information was
found to have been received in step 250, processing continues with
step 260.
[0175] In step 260, viewed program information and/or viewer
identification information are processed.
[0176] Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which is a simplified
flowchart illustration of a preferred implementation of step 260 of
FIG. 4. The method of FIG. 5 preferably comprises the following
steps:
[0177] Checks are made as to whether the current viewer is a new
viewer (step 270) and whether the end of the previous program has
been reached, whether by a change in television viewing information
or by reaching the end of a program according to the program
schedule information (step 290). If either the check of step 270 or
the check of step 290 is found to be true, new profile information
is output. (step 280). The new profile information typically
includes viewed program and viewer information.
[0178] In a case where the viewed program and viewer information
indicate that the viewer has viewed a program for a short period of
time, the new profile information may include surfing information,
that is, an indication that the viewer prefers to surf, that is, to
view programs only for a short period of time. The short period of
time typically comprises a predetermined period of time, also
termed herein a threshold.
[0179] The surfing information may include details such as, for
example, how often the user surfs and for how long the user surfs.
Alternatively, information about a program which the viewer has
viewed for a short period of time may be ignored and may not be
included in the new profile information. The term "short period of
time", as used in the context of the explanation of step 280, may
include one or more of the following:
[0180] a short absolute period of time such as, for example, less
time than a threshold measured in minutes, for example, 2 minutes
or 5 minutes; and
[0181] a short relative period of time such as, for example, less
than a certain percentage of the scheduled time of a program.
[0182] It is appreciated that the short period of time may vary in
length according to time of day, day of week, day of year, price of
a particular program, or according to any other appropriate
criterion. It is further appreciated that, in a case where a viewer
views different portions of a program, the times during which each
portion was viewed are preferably added before comparison to the
threshold.
[0183] When the profile information includes information indicating
that the viewer prefers to surf, customized electronic program
guide information based on the profile information may be tailored
for a viewer who prefers to surf, by including randomized program
selections as preferred program selections, for example.
[0184] Reference is now made to FIG. 6, which is a simplified
flowchart illustration of a preferred method of determining whether
a viewer is engaged in surfing behavior in step 280 of FIG. 5. The
method of FIG. 6 is self-explanatory.
[0185] It is appreciated that the method described above with
reference to FIGS. 4-6 is one particular embodiment of a method of
operation of the viewing information analysis apparatus of FIG. 3.
The method of FIGS. 4-6 is provided by way of example only, and it
is appreciated that other methods, including methods based on
rule-based expert systems, as are well known in the art, may also
be used.
[0186] FIG. 7 is a simplified flowchart illustration of a preferred
method of operation of the program schedule customization apparatus
200 of FIG. 3. The method of FIG. 7 preferably comprises the
following steps:
[0187] The program schedule customization apparatus receives
program schedule information (step 300) and at least one viewer
preference profile (step 310).
[0188] The program schedule customization apparatus then preferably
identifies preferred programs by applying the at least one viewer
preference profile to the program schedule information (step 320).
It is appreciated that similar results could be obtained by
modifying step 320 to identify the programs which are not
preferred, and then modifying the remainder of the method of FIG. 7
accordingly.
[0189] It is also appreciated that, depending on the form of the
viewer preference profiles, as described above with reference to
FIG. 2, the implementation details of step 320 will vary
accordingly. For example, in a case where the viewer preference
profile comprises a simple data structure describing current
program characteristics of programs viewed by a viewer and other
information, a preferred implementation of step 320 may comprise
comparing the program schedule information to the information
stored in the data structure and determining that programs in the
program schedule whose characteristics resemble information stored
in the data structure are preferred. For example, if information
stored in the data structure indicates that news programs starting
at 8:00 PM or later are preferred, such a news program will be
identified as preferred in step 320. In a case where the viewer
preference profile comprises rules, for example, the rules will
typically be applied to the program schedule information, as is
well known in the art, to determine which programs are
preferred.
[0190] The program schedule is then customized (step 330). As
described above with reference to FIG. 2, such customization may
take a wide variety of forms.
[0191] Reference is now made to FIG. 8A, which is a simplified
partly pictorial, partly block diagram illustration of a television
system comprising a subscriber unit constructed and operative in
accordance with an alternative preferred embodiment of the present
invention. The system of FIG. 8A is similar to the system of FIG.
1, except as described below.
[0192] The system of FIG. 8A comprises a headend 340 comprised in
or operatively associated with a television network 350. The
headend 340 may be similar to conventional television system
headends, as are well known in the art, except as described
below.
[0193] The headend 340 comprises a headend intelligent agent 360
and a headend profile storage unit 370, which may be similar
respectively to the intelligent agent 130 of FIG. 1 and the profile
storage unit 140 of FIG. 1, respectively, except as follows.
[0194] Television viewing information may be transmitted to the
headend 340 by a modem 375, which may be any conventional modem
such as, for example, a telephone modem connected to a telephone
network or a cable modem connected to a cable network. The modem
375 is typically comprised in or operatively associated with the
interface unit 110. Alternatively, any appropriate means of
communicating between the interface unit 110 and the headend 340
may be supplied, such as, for example, a VSAT satellite connection
(not shown), as is well known in the art. The received television
viewing information is processed in a manner similar to that
described above with reference to the embodiment of FIG. 1.
[0195] The headend profile storage unit 370 is typically operative
to store viewer preference profiles for a wide variety of viewers
located at a multiplicity of sites. The intelligent agent 360 is
operative to receive one or more viewer preference profiles
associated with a particular site, such as a site 380, and to
prepare customized program schedule information intended for the
particular site. In the embodiment of FIG. 8A the headend 340 is
operative to deliver the customized program schedule information to
the particular site using methods well known in the art.
[0196] It is appreciated that, generally, the embodiment of FIG. 8A
differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in that processing and
storage largely occur in the headend 340. The embodiment of FIG. 8A
may be preferable in a case where processing power may be provided
more economically in a headend or in other cases. Furthermore, it
is appreciated that, in the embodiment of FIG. 8A, certain types of
customization may occur at the headend based on user preference
profiles. For example, if users tend to prefer to watch a certain
type of movie at a certain hour or hours of the night, that type of
movie may be broadcast, either conventionally or in a
near-video-on-demand system, at that hour or hours of the night. It
is appreciated that other types of customization, as referred to
above with respect to FIG. 2, may also occur at the headend.
[0197] It is further appreciated that other types of data
processing and analysis may occur at the headend 340, the other
types of data processing and analysis typically being directed to
provide additional programming information to viewers. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is appreciated that,
at the headend 340, realtime information on a proportion or
percentage of the audience viewing a particular program may be
computed. The term "audience", as used throughout the present
specification and claims, refers either to the sum total audience
viewing all programs at a particular time, or to the total audience
of viewers who are capable of receiving programs at a particular
time. The real-time information may then be transmitted to
subscribers and display information derived from the transmitted
information may then be displayed on the display apparatus 100.
[0198] Typically, the display information may comprise an alert to
a user of the display apparatus 100, similar to the alert 105,
informing the user that a program on another channel is currently
being viewed by a large proportion of the audience and optionally
suggesting that the user tune to that program or offering the user
a shortcut, as is well known in the art of television broadcasting,
to quickly tune to that program. Alternatively, any appropriate
method of displaying the display information, such as displaying a
bar graph or other graph indicating the proportion of the audience
currently viewing the program presently being viewed by the user or
the proportion currently viewing some other program, may be used.
It is appreciated that the display information may be displayed,
for example, at one or more of the following times: throughout
viewing of a program; for a short time when a user tunes to a
program; and on demand by a user, typically expressed by pressing a
designated button on a remote control unit (not shown) as is well
known in the art.
[0199] Reference is now made to FIG. 8B which is a simplified
partly pictorial, partly block diagram illustration of a television
system comprising a subscriber unit constructed and operative in
accordance with another alternative preferred embodiment of the
present invention. The system of FIG. 8B is similar to the system
of FIG. 8A, except that in FIG. 8B the profile storage unit 370 and
the intelligent agent 360 are comprised in the interface unit
110.
[0200] The operation of the system of FIG. 8B is similar to the
operation of the system of FIG. 8A, except that in the operation of
the system of FIG. 8B the headend 340 is operative to deliver a
user preference profile which is typically different for each site,
along with program schedule information which is typically the same
for each site. It is appreciated that the user preference profile
may be delivered only relatively infrequently such as, for example,
once per day or once per month or even less often, in which case
the embodiment of FIG. 8B might be preferred because of a
relatively small bandwidth required to deliver the user preference
profile and the program schedule information.
[0201] Reference is now made to FIGS. 9A-9L, which are simplified
pictorial representations of preferred embodiments of an electronic
program guide, which may be displayed on the display of FIG. 1, of
FIG. 8A, or of FIG. 8B. Each of FIGS. 9A-9L comprises, as described
below, one screen display which may be part of an electronic
program guide. For the purposes of the discussion below of FIGS.
9A-9L it is assumed that the viewer preference profile governing
electronic program guide customization shows a preference for news
programs beginning at 8:00 PM or later. It is appreciated that the
same principles shown and described with reference to FIGS. 9A-9L
apply to a wide variety of viewer preference profiles, including
viewer preference profiles which are much more complicated than the
given example.
[0202] The screen display of FIG. 9A shows a typical simplified
example of a non-customized grid-type screen display, with time
being shown in a first dimension and television channels being
shown in a second dimension, the resulting grid being filled in
with names of television programs scheduled for the indicated time
and the indicated channel. As is well known in the art, various
navigation techniques exist for a user of a program guide such as
that of FIG. 9A to choose a given program, obtain more information
about the program, book the program for future viewing, etc.
[0203] The screen display of FIG. 9B shows a typical simplified
example of the screen display of FIG. 9A after customization. In
FIG. 9B, news programs beginning at 8:00 PM or later are
emphasized. It is appreciated that, as described above, such
emphasis may be by highlighting, by a change in color, or by other
means. It is appreciated that such highlighting, change in color,
or other means may comprise a multi-valued scale, such that, for
example, different kinds of highlighting or different colors may
represent different levels of emphasis.
[0204] The screen display of FIG. 9C shows an alternative typical
simplified example of the screen display of FIG. 9A after
customization. In FIG. 9C, channels having news programs beginning
at 8:00 PM or later have been reordered to appear at the beginning
of the list of channels. It is appreciated that, in addition to
reordering, emphasis as described above with reference to FIG. 9B
may also be used.
[0205] The screen display of FIG. 9D shows a typical simplified
example of an icon-based non-customized electronic program guide.
In FIG. 9D, the icons 390 on the screen display represent program
subject matter such as, for example, comedy programs or, as
indicated by a news icon 395, news programs and, as indicated by a
drama icon 397, drama programs. The viewer may preferably select,
using methods well known in the art such as by moving a cursor and
selecting with a mouse (not shown) or other input device well-known
in the art, any of the icons 390 of FIG. 9D in order to obtain more
detailed information on programs falling under the selected subject
matter. In FIG. 9E, the icons 390, such as an 8:00 PM icon 400,
represent particular times at which programs start, and icons may
preferably be selected as described above with reference to FIG.
9D.
[0206] It is appreciated that a wide variety of different methods
of icon organization may be provided, of which those of FIGS. 9D
and 9E are only examples. It is further appreciated that, using
methods well known in the art, a viewer may choose a method of icon
organization or create a custom method of icon organization. For
example, icons may be used to represent listings for a particular
series of programs or set of related series of programs, including
a user-defined series of programs, which method of organization may
be preferable in a case where users desire to see programs of a
particular series.
[0207] The screen display of FIG. 9F shows a typical simplified
example of a screen display after a viewer selects the news icon
395 of FIG. 9D. The screen display of FIG. 9G shows a typical
simplified example of a screen display after a viewer selects the
8:00 PM icon 400 of FIG. 9E.
[0208] FIGS. 9H-9K show typical simplified examples of the screen
displays 9D-9G, respectively, customized to emphasize news programs
beginning at 8:00 PM or later. It is appreciated that such
icon-based customization may take a wide variety of forms,
including: different forms of emphasis; re-ordering the
hierarchical relationship between different icons and screens of
icons; creating new icons; removing icons; and other forms of
icon-based customization. It will be appreciated that such methods
of changing the appearance and the hierarchical relationships of
icons are well known in the art of computers and that those methods
or any other appropriate methods could be applied to the present
invention.
[0209] It is appreciated that the screen displays of FIGS. 9D-9G
may be hierarchical and, generally, may be hierarchical to any
desired depth, with a plurality of choices being generally possible
at each level, and with many possible selections and/or
arrangements of icons displayed at each level. To illustrate
another possible level of hierarchy, FIG. 9L shows a possible
hierarchical drama screen that may be displayed after user
selection of the drama icon 397 of FIG. 9D.
[0210] It is further appreciated that, in FIGS. 9A-9K, any icon may
be associated with additional material, which additional material
may be presented to the user upon request, such as by pressing a
particular button or by any other appropriate method. The
additional material preferably comprises any material associated
with the subject matter of the icon, particularly material which
might help clarify to the user the meaning of the icon and of its
underlying content. For example, and without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the additional material may comprise
one or more of the following: audio material; visual material;
audio-visual material; multimedia material; a computer program or
other related material comprising computer instructions or
software; and one or more previews of one or more associated
programs. Any appropriate method known in the art, such as force
tuning to a special program or downloading additional material on
demand, may be used to present the additional material to the
user.
[0211] It is appreciated that the additional material may be
particularly useful in systems where one of a plurality of
languages and/or dialects is preferred by each user and in cases
where very complex character sets, such as, for example, Chinese
characters and/or characters in certain other Oriental languages,
are used to write a language. In such cases, audio material
comprised in the additional material may provide an audio
description in cases where providing a written description is
technically difficult because of bandwidth limitations in
presenting complex character sets or other limitations. In a case
where one of a plurality of languages and/or dialects is preferred
by each user, the language and/or dialect used in the additional
material may be determined by one of the following: user preference
information; conditional access parameters such as, for example,
geographic information, as is well known in the art; or by any
other appropriate method.
[0212] It is appreciated that various features of the invention
which are, for clarity, described in the contexts of separate
embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single
embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which
are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment
may also be provided separately or in any suitable
subcombination.
[0213] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that
the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly
shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the invention
is defined only by the claims which follow:
* * * * *
References