Patent Application
20060112410
The present invention relates to the field of communications networks, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for presenting on-demand event records to a user in a communications network.
On-demand services, which are provided by many service providers, deliver stored digital files (streams) to many interactive users upon request. These on-demand services may include, but are not limited to, video-on-demand (VOD) services or audio-on-demand services. As these on-demand services continue to increase in popularity, more on-demand content will inevitably become available to communications network users via service providers.
To determine which on-demand content is available from their service provider, users typically maneuver through an on-demand user interface by scrolling down one or more lists comprising one or more user interface items displayed on a television device coupled to their set-top device. The display device presenting the on-demand user interface is communicatively coupled to the set-top device, which receives the on-demand content from a communications network such as a satellite television network. If the user decides to view particular on-demand content, the user enters a selection indication in response to the user interface item representing the particular on-demand content.
This prior art on-demand user interface typically groups the available on-demand content together by similar programming, such as episodes 1-23 of “SEINFELD” being grouped together, with each episode listed in chronological order with respect to the episode number. For example, the third episode of Seinfeld would be listed as “SEINFELD 3” and would be the third user interface item in the list of available on-demand content in the “SEINFELD” grouping presented on the on-demand user interface.
However, one of the problems with this prior art on-demand user interface is that the user may have difficulty determining which on-demand content the user has previously viewed. Typically, users may not remember the name of every episode they have watched, especially if the episode name presented in the on-demand event record is simply the name of the content followed by the episode number (such as, “SEINFELD 7”). Without knowing exactly which episodes the user has watched before, the user is at a risk of ordering on-demand content that has already been viewed by the particular user. Nothing is more frustrating for a user than to order, and pay for, on-demand content which they have already seen, when the user was hoping to view an unviewed episode.
Information regarding previously viewed on-demand content could prove very useful, not only in helping to prevent the on-demand event records in a manner which indicates which on-demand content has been viewed before, but in further supporting the relationship between the service provider and the user. For example, the service provider may wish to provide promotions for their on-demand content that would require this information, such as a “buy two, get one free” promotion for on-demand content. Information regarding which on-demand content has been previously viewed could assist service providers in supporting such promotions if such information were available to the service provider's business system.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for presenting available on-demand content in such a manner that the user may determine, at a glance, which user interface items represent previously viewed on-demand content. There is also a need in the art for a method and apparatus for managing such information regarding previously viewed on-demand content in such a manner that will further support the relationship between the service provider and the user.
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned and other deficiencies in the prior art by providing a method and system for presenting available on-demand content via a user interface wherein the user may determine which user interface item represents previously viewed on-demand content. An on-demand event data structure comprises one or more on-demand event records corresponding to available on-demand content. Once a user views particular on-demand content, the on-demand event record corresponding to the on-demand content is flagged as “previewed” in an on-demand content data structure. Then, the next time the user interface is presented, the user interface items representing pre-viewed on demand content are presented in such a manner as to communicate to the user that the on-demand content has been previously viewed.
The present invention comprises both an on-demand server-based embodiment and a set-top device based embodiment. In the on-demand server based embodiment of the present invention, this on-demand content data structure is stored in a memory located in the on-demand server. In the set-top device based embodiment of the present invention, this on-demand content data structure is stored in a memory located in the set-top device.
For a fuller understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Generally, the present invention is a method and apparatus for presenting on-demand content. More particularly, the present invention is a method and apparatus for presenting on-demand event records in a manner in which the user can easily determine which on-demand content the user has previously viewed.
Set-top device 104 is a typical set-top device in the exemplary embodiment, but may comprise any electronic device capable of receiving on-demand content. Set-top device 104 comprises set-top memory 110, which may comprise either volatile or non-volatile memory. In the set-top device embodiment of the present invention, this set-top memory 110 is utilized to store a client application for operating in accordance with the method of the present invention, along with the on-demand event data structure later discussed in
Content distribution channel 114 is located within video delivery network 116, and serves as a communication channel for on-demand content between the on-demand server 102 and the set-top device 104. Communications network 116 may comprise any network capable of communicating content from on-demand server 102 to the set-top device 104, including but not limited to, an (HFC) network, fiber network, Ethernet network, or an internet protocol (IP) network.
At step 206, the present invention determines that particular on-demand content has been previously viewed at step 206. This determination comprises the set-top device 104 determining that either the entirety of the particular on-demand content has been previously viewed, or that the particular content has been viewed past a particular threshold point. This threshold point may be pre-programmed into the set-top device 104 at the time of manufacture, or may be programmed into the set-top device 104 by the user. Furthermore, this determination may be made in response to receiving billing information from business system 108 indicating the user has purchased the particular on-demand content. In addition, this determination may be in response to an input from the user or set-top device 110 indicating that the particular content has been previously viewed.
At step 208, the set-top device increments the previously viewed indication with the on-demand event record corresponding to the particular on-demand content in the on-demand event data structure. Once the on-demand event record has been incremented, the on-demand user interface may present the user interface item representing the on-demand event record with a previously viewed identifier which indicates that the on-demand content corresponding to the on-demand event record has been previously viewed. This previously viewed identifier may include, but is not limited to, presenting the user interface item in a different location, or a different color, than user interface items representing unviewed on-demand content. Unviewed on-demand content comprises on-demand content which has not been viewed by the particular user before, either in its entirety or only a portion thereof. Furthermore, the previously viewed identifier may comprise simply failing to present the user interface item, wherein only user interface items representing unviewed on-demand content are presented to the user. Method 200 terminates at step 210.
In an embodiment of the invention, a home may include a plurality of set-top devices, for example set-top device 104 and set-top device 104′ (not shown). Set-top device 104 and set-top device 104′ are communicatively coupled, either by one or more of a direct connection between the two (wireline or wireless) or through headend 118. In accordance with this embodiment, a purchase made, for example, on set-top device 104 will cause the on-demand event records of both set-top device 104 and set-top device 104′ to be incremented, such that the on-demand user interfaces associated with set-top devices 104 and 104′ each present a previously viewed identifier to the user with reference to the particular on-demand content purchased solely through set-top device 104.
The flag indicator column of each on-demand event record 304 comprises a flag indicator field which may be flagged to indicate that the particular on-demand content has been previously viewed. This field may be flagged after the user selects particular on-demand content, after a user views the on-demand content for a particular amount of time, or in response to a user command indicating that the content has been previously viewed. In addition to flagging the flag indicator field, the flag indicator field may comprise a numerical value indicating the number of times the particular on-demand content has been previously viewed. The flag indicator field may also possibly comprise user profile information, in a system involving one or more user profiles for users of set-top device 104, which user profile previously viewed the particular on-demand content associated with each flag indicator field.
A “computer-readable carrier” for purposes of embodiments of the present invention may be any medium or transmission that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, system or device. The computer readable carrier can be, by way of example only but not by limitation, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, system, device, propagation medium, or computer memory.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “a specific embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all embodiments. Thus, respective appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a specific embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Thus, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in the following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.
