U.S. patent application number 15/641187 was filed with the patent office on 2017-10-26 for content recommendation engine.
The applicant listed for this patent is ThinkAnalytics. Invention is credited to Shahad Ahmed, Darren Callaghan, Ewen Cattanach, Peter Docherty, Gordon McIntyre, Alan Ryman, David Scott, Asim Ullah, Xiaowei Zhang.
Application Number | 20170311015 15/641187 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59152504 |
Filed Date | 2017-10-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170311015 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Docherty; Peter ; et
al. |
October 26, 2017 |
CONTENT RECOMMENDATION ENGINE
Abstract
A method of setting controls on a digital communication device
operated by an end user participant in a digital content event
provided from a digital communication network includes operating a
tracking control in the digital communication network to track
activity of the digital communication device in a context of the
digital content event; operating a timer in conjunction with the
activity to form a time-stamped set of ranking controls;
attenuating the time-stamped set of ranking controls according to
an elapsed time; applying the time-stamped set of ranking controls
and content inputs from a digital content manager to operate a
ranking control and digital filter to generate a control interface
for the digital communication device, the control interface
comprising a plurality of individually operable controls; and
configuring the digital communication device with the control
interface.
Inventors: |
Docherty; Peter; (Glasgow,
GB) ; Cattanach; Ewen; (Woodbridge, GB) ;
Zhang; Xiaowei; (Glasgow, GB) ; Scott; David;
(Glasgow, GB) ; Ahmed; Shahad; (Glasgow, GB)
; Ryman; Alan; (Glasgow, GB) ; Ullah; Asim;
(Glasgow, GB) ; Callaghan; Darren; (Glasgow,
GB) ; McIntyre; Gordon; (Glasgow, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ThinkAnalytics |
El Segundo |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59152504 |
Appl. No.: |
15/641187 |
Filed: |
July 3, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14881152 |
Oct 12, 2015 |
9699491 |
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15641187 |
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62062760 |
Oct 10, 2014 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/441 20130101;
H04N 21/4312 20130101; H04N 21/4667 20130101; H04N 21/251 20130101;
H04N 21/44222 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04N 21/25 20110101
H04N021/25; H04N 21/466 20110101 H04N021/466; H04N 21/442 20110101
H04N021/442 |
Claims
1. A method of setting controls on a digital communication device
operated by an end user participant in a digital content event
provided from a digital communication network, the method
comprising: operating a tracking control in the digital
communication network to track activity of the digital
communication device in a context of the digital content event;
operating a timer in conjunction with the activity to form a
time-stamped set of ranking controls; attenuating the time-stamped
set of ranking controls according to an elapsed time; applying the
time-stamped set of ranking controls and content inputs from a
digital content manager to operate a ranking control and digital
filter to generate a control interface for the digital
communication device, the control interface comprising a plurality
of individually operable controls; and configuring the digital
communication device with the control interface.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: correlating the
time-stamped set of ranking controls with ranking controls of
non-users of the digital communication device to produce adapted
ranking controls.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: operating the
tracking control on a digital personal video recorder associated
with the digital communication device.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: operating a
sub-stream filter on the digital content event to generate an
extracted digital sub-stream; operating a text-to-speech converter
on the extracted digital sub-stream to generate a digital text
sequence; and applying the digital text sequence to adapt the
time-stamped set of ranking controls into adapted ranking
controls.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: the extracted digital
sub-stream is a voice-over audio track for a video animation; and
attenuating an effect of the digital text sequence on the adapted
ranking controls to lower than an effect on the adapted ranking
controls by a non-voice-over audio track.
6. The method of claim 1, the plurality of individually operable
controls each operable to cause a video server to stream a
different digital video to the digital communication device.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: correlating the
digital content event to serial content based on a threshold level
of the serial content represented in the time-stamped set of
ranking controls; detecting gaps in the activity associated with
the serial content represented in the time-stamped set of ranking
controls; and adapting the control interface with controls
corresponding to the gaps.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the
computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when
executed by a device including a processor and memory, uniquely
configure the memory and cause the device to: operate a tracking
control in the digital communication network to track activity of
the digital communication device in a context of the digital
content event; operate a timer in conjunction with the activity to
form a time-stamped set of ranking controls; attenuate the
time-stamped set of ranking controls according to an elapsed time;
apply the time-stamped set of ranking controls and content inputs
from a digital content manager to operate a ranking control and
digital filter to generate a control interface for the digital
communication device, the control interface comprising a plurality
of individually operable controls; and configure the digital
communication device with the control interface.
9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the
instructions further configure the computer to: correlate the
time-stamped set of ranking controls with ranking controls of
non-users of the digital communication device to produce adapted
ranking controls.
10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the
instructions further configure the computer to: operate the
tracking control on a digital personal video recorder associated
with the digital communication device.
11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the
instructions further configure the computer to: operate a
sub-stream filter on the digital content event to generate an
extracted digital sub-stream; operate a text-to-speech converter on
the extracted digital sub-stream to generate a digital text
sequence; and apply the digital text sequence to adapt the
time-stamped set of ranking controls into adapted ranking
controls.
12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the
instructions further configure the computer to: the extracted
digital sub-stream is a voice-over audio track for a video
animation; and attenuate an effect of the digital text sequence on
the adapted ranking controls to lower than an effect on the adapted
ranking controls by a non-voice-over audio track.
13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the plurality
of individually operable controls each operable to cause a video
server to stream a different digital video to the digital
communication device.
14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the
instructions further configure the computer to: correlate the
digital content event to serial content based on a threshold level
of the serial content represented in the time-stamped set of
ranking controls; detect gaps in the activity associated with the
serial content represented in the time-stamped set of ranking
controls; and adapt the control interface with controls
corresponding to the gaps.
15. A computing apparatus, the computing apparatus comprising: a
processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by
the processor, configure the apparatus to: operate a tracking
control in the digital communication network to track activity of
the digital communication device in a context of the digital
content event; operate a timer in conjunction with the activity to
form a time-stamped set of ranking controls; attenuate the
time-stamped set of ranking controls according to an elapsed time;
apply the time-stamped set of ranking controls and content inputs
from a digital content manager to operate a ranking control and
digital filter to generate a control interface for the digital
communication device, the control interface comprising a plurality
of individually operable controls; and configure the digital
communication device with the control interface.
16. The computing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions
further configure the apparatus to: operate the tracking control on
a digital personal video recorder associated with the digital
communication device.
17. The computing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions
further configure the apparatus to: operate a sub-stream filter on
the digital content event to generate an extracted digital
sub-stream; operate a text-to-speech converter on the extracted
digital sub-stream to generate a digital text sequence; and apply
the digital text sequence to adapt the time-stamped set of ranking
controls into adapted ranking controls.
18. The computing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the instructions
further configure the apparatus to: the extracted digital
sub-stream is a voice-over audio track for a video animation; and
attenuate an effect of the digital text sequence on the adapted
ranking controls to lower than an effect on the adapted ranking
controls by a non-voice-over audio track.
19. The computing apparatus of claim 15, the plurality of
individually operable controls each operable to cause a video
server to stream a different digital video to the digital
communication device.
20. The computing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions
further configure the apparatus to: correlate the digital content
event to serial content based on a threshold level of the serial
content represented in the time-stamped set of ranking controls;
detect gaps in the activity associated with the serial content
represented in the time-stamped set of ranking controls; and adapt
the control interface with controls corresponding to the gaps.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority and benefit under 35 U.S.C.
119 to U.S. application Ser. No. 62/062,760, filed on Oct. 10, 2014
and incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In a content-rich world, consumers (i.e., end users) are
overwhelmed by the viewing choices available to them on TV, Video
on Demand, the Internet, mobile, etc. This rapidly becomes an
irritating experience as, each time, they click through
channel-after-channel on the TV listings or wander through the VOD
library. The result--consumers stick to watching what they already
know, and after a while begin to question whether they are getting
value for their subscription money. In this situation customer
retention becomes a problem. The fact is consumers cannot select
what they don't know--so `Search` alone is the wrong approach to a
constantly changing Electronic Program Guide or large VOD
library.
[0003] It is valuable to expose consumers to a wider range of
content than they would normally discover for themselves. Where the
consumer explicitly declares a wide range of tastes this is
relatively simple to achieve, but in many cases the consumer may be
cautious or lazy and will declare a narrow range of tastes or even
none. For instance, they may often start by declaring only gender,
age and perhaps one taste area.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] To easily identify the discussion of any particular element
or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number
refer to the figure number in which that element is first
introduced.
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates aspects of a system for configuring a
control interface for a communication device 100 in accordance with
one embodiment.
[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates a machine control interface configuration
process 200 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0007] FIG. 3 illustrates a machine control interface configuration
process 300 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates a machine control interface configuration
process 400 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0009] FIG. 5 illustrates a machine feedback circuit 500 in
accordance with one embodiment.
[0010] FIG. 6 illustrates a machine feedback circuit 500 in
accordance with one embodiment.
[0011] FIG. 7 illustrates a system to configure a personal video
recorder 700 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0012] FIG. 8 illustrates a video server control configuration
process 800 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 9 illustrates a machine feedback circuit 900 in
accordance with one embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 10 illustrates an aspect of the subject matter in
accordance with one embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 11 illustrates a video server and end user device
control system 1100 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 12 illustrates a method for operating a video server
and configuring a control interface on a user device 1200 in
accordance with one embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 13 illustrates a video server and end user device
control system 1300 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 14 illustrates a video server and end user device
control process 1400 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 15 illustrates a machine 1500 in accordance with one
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Description
[0020] Described herein are embodiments of systems and processes
that may be utilized to recommend digital content to users of a
networked content storage and delivery system, such as provided by
cable television or Internet video/audio web sites. In some
embodiments, a one or more computing apparatus embodying these
systems and processes may operate a tracking control in a digital
communication network to track activity of digital communication
device (i.e. end user devices) in a context of a digital content
event. A timer may be operated in conjunction with the activity to
form a time-stamped set of ranking controls. The time-stamped set
of ranking controls may be attenuated according to an elapsed time.
The time-stamped set of ranking controls and content inputs from a
digital content manager may be applied to operate a ranking control
and digital filter to generate a control interface for the digital
communication device. The control interface may include a group of
individually operable controls. The digital communication device
may be configured with the control interface. The group of
individually operable controls each operable to cause a video
server to stream a different digital video to the digital
communication device.
[0021] The tracking control may be operated on a digital personal
video recorder associated with the digital communication device. A
sub-stream filter may be operated on the digital content event to
generate an extracted digital sub-stream. A text-to-speech
converter may be operated on the extracted digital sub-stream to
generate a digital text sequence. The digital text sequence may be
applied to adapt the time-stamped set of ranking controls into
adapted ranking controls.
[0022] In some embodiments, the extracted digital sub-stream is a
voice-over audio track for a video animation. An effect of the
digital text sequence on the adapted ranking controls may be
attenuated to lower than an effect on the adapted ranking controls
by a non-voice-over audio track.
[0023] The digital content event may be correlated to serial
content based on a threshold level of the serial content
represented in the time-stamped set of ranking controls. Gaps in
the activity associated with the serial content represented in the
time-stamped set of ranking controls may be detected, and the
control interface adapted with controls corresponding to the
gaps.
[0024] In one implementation, the system prioritizes new learning
as to user preferences for content over old learning of the user
preferences. To this end, a preference formulator may engage with a
ranking module to weight more heavily or rank higher earnings from
a learned preference database having a more recent timestamp. In
support of this feature, search and viewing activity logged to an
activity history database by the tracking module may by
timestamped. Learned preference updates to the learned preference
database from the preference formulator may be weighted by their
newness, then aged (weights reduced) over time.
[0025] Search activity by a user may be tracked and applied to
formulate preference learning. In one embodiment, queries from a
user device (set top box STB, mobile phone, personal computer,
tablet device, etc.) are communicated to a search logic (e.g.,
tracking controller, which may interface with one or more
commercial search engines, not illustrated). In addition to
engaging a search of the (one or more) content database for titles
matching the query, the search module may also notify the tracking
logic of the search activity. The tracking logic may log the search
activity (associated with a user identifier and also possibly
timestamped) in an activity history database for later application
to preference formulation. A learned preference database may in
some embodiments comprise user profiles, and thus a user's search
activity may be applied to learn and formulate a user profile.
Content recommendations for a particular user may also be learned
in some implementations from search and viewing activity of other
users having a threshold level of common characteristics. The
recommendations for the other users may be referred to herein as
"related content recommendations".
[0026] In one embodiment a filter may be utilized to limit the
results of search queries and/or recommended content titles to only
those titles that have either (1) been viewed by the user before
(and thus are recorded in the activity history for the user), or
(2) are "favorites" of the user making the query. Favorites may be
identified in a number of ways. For example, favorites may be
identified as those titles that are most frequently watched and/or
searched (e.g., the activity type "viewed" or "searched" has a
value above some set threshold); favorites may be identified as
those titles viewed and/or searched most recently as indicated by
the activity timestamp; favorites may be identified as those titles
having a highest associated activity level, meaning a total number
of activity types (including interaction/engagement with a title
being viewed); favorites may be identified from combinations of
these factors, such as frequency of activity/search and also
recentness of activity/search. In one embodiment, search results
and/or recommendations reflect only content available on certain
channels identified as user favorites, or are ranked more highly if
they are on a favorite channel (e.g., ShowTime, HBO, ScyFi).
Favorite channels may be identified by activity levels (positive
activity) above a set threshold level for content from a same
channel.
[0027] The system may recommend to a user other system users to
share a content experience, i.e. to "watch with". See FIG. 8-11.
Activity from multiple user devices 810, 812 is tracked and formed
into updates to an activity history database 806 for the users. A
user matching module 808 compares user profiles and forms matching
sets based on aggregate similarities in activity or user
preferences (e.g., similar user profiles). Recommendations are then
provided to the users in similar sets, so that the users are aware
of upcoming opportunities to view/interact with content that other
like-minded viewers will be watching. The user's search activity
may also influence the watch-with recommendations, as it may affect
the user's profile (see learned preference database 108 and
preference formulator 104).
[0028] The system may search or recommend content to and from a
personal video recorder (either on-premise or a network PVR).
Various interacting sub-components may be utilized to formulate
digital content recommendations for consumers of network-hosted
content (the recommendations possibly ranked and filtered as
well).
[0029] The system may supply recommendation(s) to the video server,
which obtains the recommended title(s) from a content management
system and streams (or downloads) the title to the personal video
recorder (which may be on user premise or network hosted). The user
then later views the content of the title from the PVR using their
user device. In another embodiment, content detected on the PVR may
be identified and provided to the system for influencing future
recommendations (it may be detected as a form of user activity
involving the content). Fast forward, rewind, and other PVR
behaviors may be identified as specific activity types influencing
preference formation. (e.g., rewind and replay is reinforcing of a
preference for the reviewed content; fast forward indicates a
distaste for the skipped or skimmed content).
[0030] The system may attenuate the importance of voice-overs in
animated content when forming content recommendations. Voice-over
content (audio) may be filtered from the digital video stream
(e.g., animation with a voice-over actor). The extracted voice-over
(speech) may be converted to text symbols (words, phrases,
sentences, etc.) and this text may then be analyzed for information
about the subject matter of the overall content (e.g., the
underlying animation), which in turn may be correlated in time with
user activity directed at/for the overall content. However, if the
underlying content is animation (or other narrated scenes in a
video, for example), the system may give less weight to the
voice-over content when forming recommendations than to the spoken
words of human actors.
[0031] The system may recommend content that belongs to a content
series. In one embodiment, viewing and/or search activity is
recorded in a user activity database. This activity (mostly or all
viewing activity, in one embodiment) is analyzed by a content
series detector. If a level of activity by a user (or group, such
as a family in a same household) involving episodes of a content
series (television series, mini-series, multi-part feature, etc.)
exceeds a set threshold, the system may identify the content series
and recommend any gaps in the activity (missed episodes, or
upcoming episodes, for example) to the user device. These gaps
(missed episodes or upcoming next episodes in the series) may be
ranked highly in recommendations or returned search results (a
"don't miss this episode" functionality). In some implementations,
the system may recommend an entire content series to the user,
based on activity involving a single or few episodes of the series,
or based on activity by the user involving content characteristic
of the series as a whole (vs particular episodes). The system may
prioritize (rank highly or highest in a list of recommendations or
search results) a next to be released episode in a series. In some
cases, this high ranking only takes place when there is a threshold
level of user activity already for the series. In other cases, the
high ranking is made for a next episode of the series in
particular, when the series itself is recommended for any
reason.
Drawings
[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates aspects of a system for configuring a
control interface for a communication device 100 in accordance with
one embodiment.
[0033] The system for configuring a control interface for a
communication device 100 comprises a rank controller 102, ranking
controls 104, ranking logic 106, filter 108, tablet or phone 110,
personal computer 112, end user devices 114, set top box 116, video
server 118, tracking logic 120, activity record database 122,
adapted user rank controls 124, tracking control 126, content
manager 128, and machine interface controls 130.
[0034] At block 202 the video server 118 receives a video on demand
(VOD) request signal from one or more end user devices 114. The
video server 118 activates the tracking logic 120 at block 204 to
begin tracking activity by and from the end user devices 114, such
as length of viewing, pauses, searches, selections (e.g., of ads or
other supplemental content), fast forward, rewind, and so on.
[0035] Digital video content is streamed to the end user devices
114 by the video server 118 at block 206. Activity is tracked
(block 208) and logged on a machine record (block 210).
[0036] The end user devices 114 query the tracking control 126
(block 302) which activates the tracking logic 120 (block 304) to
record the query, and which operates the content manager 128 to
obtain settings (e.g., comprising content titles) matching the
query. These settings may be communicated to the end user devices
114, which may then activate a VOD stream from the video server
118.
[0037] The tracking control 126 is configured by the results from
the content manager 128 (block 308) and the tracking logic 120 to
detect and log in the activity record database 122 activity of the
end user devices 114 on the video stream (block 310). The tracking
control 126 co-operates a timer 132 to time-stamp activity by the
end user devices 114. The timer 132 may also be applied to an
attenuator 134 that operates on controls in the activity record
database 122 to attenuate the effect of the controls on the rank
controller 102 over time (e.g., to `decay` the effects of older
activities on the rank controller 102).
[0038] The rank controller 102 forms ranking controls 104 based on
the user's activity as recorded in the activity record database 122
and further according to the adapted user rank controls 124
formulated over time based on, for example, similar activity by
other users (see later Drawings for more detail).
[0039] The tracking logic 120 is responsive to the ranking controls
104 and configuration information about content titles obtained
from the content manager 128 to generate machine interface controls
130 that are passed through a filter 108 and then applied to the
end user devices 114 (block 312). The machine interface controls
130 may comprise, in one embodiment, an ordered arrangement of
active areas on a machine display, each particular area of the
active areas configured to cause activation of streaming by the
video server 118 of a particular video stream when the particular
active area is operated by one or more of the end user devices
114.
[0040] User activity on the end user devices 114 is logged (block
402) and this activity is applied to form user-specific settings
for the rank controller 102 (block 404). The rank controller 102 is
configured (block 406) and operated to generate machine interface
controls 130 for the end user devices 114 (block 408). The end user
devices 114 are configured with the machine interface controls 130
(block 410).
[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates a machine feedback circuit 500 in
accordance with one embodiment. The machine feedback circuit 500
comprises a video server 118, adapted user rank controls 124,
control correlator 504, and set top box 116. The set top box 116 is
representative of the end user devices 114 and could be any
suitable device of this type.
[0042] User activity with the set top box 116 is communicated via
the video server 118 to the tracking logic 120 (other embodiments
may not utilize the video server 118 to intermediate this
communication). The tracking logic 120 influences the rank
controller 102, which accesses control settings stored by the
adapted user rank controls 124. The adapted user rank controls 124
are adapted and changed over time by a control correlator 504.
[0043] The rank controller 102 operates ranking logic 106 to
generate machine interface controls 130 which are applied through a
filter 108 to the set top box 116.
[0044] Thus for example a video on demand request may be received
from one or more of the end user devices 114 (block 602) and
digital video is streamed to the one or more end user devices 114
by the video server 118 in response (block 604). activity by the
one or more end user devices 114 is tracked (block 606) and the
adapted user rank controls 124 are changed (e.g., updated, block
608). The adapted user rank controls 124 are matched with the user
rank controls of other users having an activity history (e.g.,
behavior and preferences for certain types of video content) that
strongly correlate with the user ranking controls 104, and the
ranking controls 104 may be set or changed to reflect this
correlation (block 610). The end user devices 114 are then set
(block 612) and operated (block 614) according to machine interface
controls 130 formed by the ranking logic 106 and filter 108 as
configured by the ranking controls 104.
[0045] FIG. 7 illustrates a system to configure a personal video
recorder 700 in accordance with one embodiment. User activity with
a tablet or phone 110, or a remote control 702 (for example) that
affects a personal video recorder 710 may be tracked and utilized
to adapt the video server control settings 708 applied by a server
controller 706 to the video server 118. For example video content
from the content manager 128 stored in the memory of the personal
video recorder 710 may be applied as configuration information to
affect the video server control settings 708.
[0046] The adapted user rank controls 124 are applied to the video
server 118 (block 802), causing the video server 118 to retrieve
video content from the content manager 128 (block 804) and
communicate the video content to the personal video recorder 710
(block 806). From the personal video recorder 710, the content is
streamed to the end user devices 114 (block 808).
[0047] Activity by the personal video recorder 710 as controlled by
the end user devices 114 or remote control 702 is tracked (block
810), and this activity is applied to adapt the adapted user rank
controls 124 (block 812), which are applied to control operation of
the video server 118 (block 814).
[0048] FIG. 9 illustrates a machine feedback circuit 900 in
accordance with one embodiment. The machine feedback circuit 900
comprises a personal computer 112 (or other end user device), a
video server 118, tracking logic 120, a sub-stream filter 906,
speech-to-text conversion logic 908, level setting logic 910, and a
server controller 706 configured with video server control settings
708.
[0049] The video server 118 streams video (block 1002) to the
personal computer 112, for example in response to a VOD request
from the personal computer 112. The video stream 902 is also
communicated to the sub-stream filter 906, which extract a voice
over sub-stream 904 from the video stream 902 (block 1004). The
voice over sub-stream 904 is input to the speech-to-text conversion
logic 908 and there converted to a text sequence (block 1006). The
level setting logic 910 sets levels on sub-sequences of the text
sequence, e.g., particular words and phrases are attenuated in
control status (block 1008), and the text sequence is applied to
adapt the video server control settings 708 of the server
controller 706 (block 1010), which then controls the operation of
the video server 118 to form the machine control interface
configuration process 300 (block 1012) that is applied to the
personal computer 112 (block 1014).
[0050] FIG. 11 illustrates a video server and end user device
control system 1100 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0051] Sensors of the end user devices 114 are operated to generate
a user or group (e.g., family or home) identification (block 1202).
Examples of sensors are fingerprint scanner 1106, microphone 1108,
camera 1110, and wireless device detector 1112 (e.g., WiFi SSID
detector). The end user or group id is applied to control the
activity record database 122 (block 1204), which comprises user
configuration controls 1102 and group configuration controls 1104.
These controls are applied to affect the server controller 706 by
adapting the video server control settings 708 (block 1206). The
video server 118 is operated according to the video server control
settings 708 (block 1208).
[0052] The user configuration controls 1102 and group configuration
controls 1104 are also applied to the rank controller 102 to affect
operation of the tracking logic 120 and the filter 108 to generate
the machine interface controls 130 (block 1210). These are
communicated to the end user devices 114 (block 1212) and applied
to operate the end user devices 114 (block 1214).
[0053] FIG. 13 illustrates a video server and end user device
control system 1300 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0054] A VOD request (for example) is received by the video server
118 (block 1402) which streams video to the end user devices 114
(block 1404). User activity with the end user devices 114 is
tracked (block 1406--see previous Drawings). The system receives a
content query (block 1408) and executes and tracks (e.g., records
in the activity record database 122) the query (block 1410).
[0055] A test (block 1412) is performed (e.g., by the content
series detector 1302) for a threshold activity level on the video
stream and a set of associated content (e.g., files forming
episodes of a content series). If the threshold is met, the series
content is correlated with the video stream and/or end user (block
1414), and gaps in the activity record database 122 are identified
for the series content and the end user devices 114 or end user or
group (block 1416). These gaps are applied to adapt the video
server control settings 708 (block 1418). The video server 118 is
controlled with the adapted video server control settings 708 and
the machine interface controls 130 are adapted to provide controls
for activation of content in the gap from the video server 118 when
operated (block 1420).
[0056] FIG. 15 illustrates several components of an exemplary
machine 1500 in accordance with one embodiment. In various
embodiments, machine 1500 may include a desktop PC, server,
workstation, mobile phone, laptop, tablet, set-top box, appliance,
or other computing device that is capable of performing operations
such as those described herein. In some embodiments, machine 1500
may include many more components than those shown in FIG. 15.
However, it is not necessary that all of these generally
conventional components be shown in order to disclose an
illustrative embodiment. Collectively, the various tangible
components or a subset of the tangible components may be referred
to herein as "logic" configured or adapted in a particular way, for
example as logic configured or adapted with particular software or
firmware.
[0057] In various embodiments, machine 1500 may comprise one or
more physical and/or logical devices that collectively provide the
functionalities described herein. In some embodiments, machine 1500
may comprise one or more replicated and/or distributed physical or
logical devices.
[0058] In some embodiments, machine 1500 may comprise one or more
computing resources provisioned from a "cloud computing" provider,
for example, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud ("Amazon EC2"), provided
by Amazon.com, Inc. of Seattle, Wash.; Sun Cloud Compute Utility,
provided by Sun Microsystems, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif.; Windows
Azure, provided by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., and the
like.
[0059] Machine 1500 includes a bus 1502 interconnecting several
components including a network interface 1508, a display 1506, a
central processing unit 1510, and a memory 1504.
[0060] Memory 1504 generally comprises a random access memory
("RAM") and permanent non-transitory mass storage device, such as a
hard disk drive or solid-state drive. Memory 1504 stores an
operating system 1512.
[0061] These and other software components may be loaded into
memory 1504 of machine 1500 using a drive mechanism (not shown)
associated with a non-transitory computer-readable medium 1516,
such as a floppy disc, tape, DVD/CD-ROM drive, memory card, or the
like.
[0062] Memory 1504 also includes database 1514. In some
embodiments, server 200 (deleted) may communicate with database
1514 via network interface 1508, a storage area network ("SAN"), a
high-speed serial bus, and/or via the other suitable communication
technology.
[0063] In some embodiments, database 1514 may comprise one or more
storage resources provisioned from a "cloud storage" provider, for
example, Amazon Simple Storage Service ("Amazon S3"), provided by
Amazon.com, Inc. of Seattle, Wash., Google Cloud Storage, provided
by Google, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif., and the like.
[0064] References to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" do not
necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may. Unless
the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description
and the claims, the words "comprise," "comprising," and the like
are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an
exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of
"including, but not limited to." Words using the singular or plural
number also include the plural or singular number respectively,
unless expressly limited to a single one or multiple ones.
Additionally, the words "herein," "above," "below" and words of
similar import, when used in this application, refer to this
application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this
application. When the claims use the word "or" in reference to a
list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following
interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of
the items in the list and any combination of the items in the list,
unless expressly limited to one or the other. "Logic" refers to
machine memory circuits, non transitory machine readable media,
and/or circuitry which by way of its material and/or
material-energy configuration comprises control and/or procedural
signals, and/or settings and values (such as resistance, impedance,
capacitance, inductance, current/voltage ratings, etc.), that may
be applied to influence the operation of a device. Magnetic media,
electronic circuits, electrical and optical memory (both volatile
and nonvolatile), and firmware are examples of logic. Logic
specifically excludes pure signals or software per se (however does
not exclude machine memories comprising software and thereby
forming configurations of matter). Those skilled in the art will
appreciate that logic may be distributed throughout one or more
devices, and/or may be comprised of combinations memory, media,
processing circuits and controllers, other circuits, and so on.
Therefore, in the interest of clarity and correctness logic may not
always be distinctly illustrated in drawings of devices and
systems, although it is inherently present therein. The techniques
and procedures described herein may be implemented via logic
distributed in one or more computing devices. The particular
distribution and choice of logic will vary according to
implementation. Those having skill in the art will appreciate that
there are various logic implementations by which processes and/or
systems described herein can be effected (e.g., hardware, software,
and/or firmware), and that the preferred vehicle will vary with the
context in which the processes are deployed. "Software" refers to
logic that may be readily readapted to different purposes (e.g.
read/write volatile or nonvolatile memory or media). "Firmware"
refers to logic embodied as read-only memories and/or media.
Hardware refers to logic embodied as analog and/or digital
circuits. If an implementer determines that speed and accuracy are
paramount, the implementer may opt for a hardware and/or firmware
vehicle; alternatively, if flexibility is paramount, the
implementer may opt for a solely software implementation; or, yet
again alternatively, the implementer may opt for some combination
of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Hence, there are several
possible vehicles by which the processes described herein may be
effected, none of which is inherently superior to the other in that
any vehicle to be utilized is a choice dependent upon the context
in which the vehicle will be deployed and the specific concerns
(e.g., speed, flexibility, or predictability) of the implementer,
any of which may vary. Those skilled in the art will recognize that
optical aspects of implementations may involve optically-oriented
hardware, software, and or firmware. The foregoing detailed
description has set forth various embodiments of the devices and/or
processes via the use of block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or
examples. Insofar as such block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or
examples contain one or more functions and/or operations, it will
be understood as notorious by those within the art that each
function and/or operation within such block diagrams, flowcharts,
or examples can be implemented, individually and/or collectively,
by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or virtually any
combination thereof. Several portions of the subject matter
described herein may be implemented via Application Specific
Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays
(FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or other integrated
formats. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that some
aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, in whole or in part,
can be equivalently implemented in standard integrated circuits, as
one or more computer programs running on one or more computers
(e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more computer
systems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors
(e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more
microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination
thereof, and that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code
for the software and/or firmware would be well within the skill of
one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the
subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as
a program product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative
embodiment of the subject matter described herein applies equally
regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media used to
actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing
media include, but are not limited to, the following: recordable
type media such as floppy disks, hard disk drives, CD ROMs, digital
tape, flash drives, SD cards, solid state fixed or removable
storage, and computer memory. In a general sense, those skilled in
the art will recognize that the various aspects described herein
which can be implemented, individually and/or collectively, by a
wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or any combination
thereof can be viewed as being composed of various types of
"circuitry." Consequently, as used herein "circuitry" includes, but
is not limited to, electrical circuitry having at least one
discrete electrical circuit, electrical circuitry having at least
one integrated circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one
application specific integrated circuit, circuitry forming a
general purpose computing device configured by a computer program
(e.g., a general purpose computer configured by a computer program
which at least partially carries out processes and/or devices
described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a computer
program which at least partially carries out processes and/or
devices described herein), circuitry forming a memory device (e.g.,
forms of random access memory), and/or circuitry forming a
communications device (e.g., a modem, communications switch, or
optical-electrical equipment).
[0065] Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common
within the art to describe devices and/or processes in the fashion
set forth herein, and thereafter use standard engineering practices
to integrate such described devices and/or processes into larger
systems. That is, at least a portion of the devices and/or
processes described herein can be integrated into a network
processing system via a reasonable amount of experimentation.
* * * * *