Providing a continuation point for a user to recommence consuming content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11113229-B2
Application number	US-201916430148-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2019
Priority date	Jun 3, 2019
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A pause point during consumption of media data is identified. The pause point is a point at which identify a user stops the consumption of the media data. A portion of content preceding the identified pause point is determined. The portion of content is analyzed to identify changes in content concepts in the portion of content. One or more continuation points for the user to return to the content based on changes in the content concepts in the portion of content are identified. The one or more continuation points are indicated to the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for managing consumption of media data, the method comprising:
identifying a pause point during consumption of media data at which a user stops the consumption of the media data;
determining a portion of content that precedes the identified pause point, wherein the portion is determined based on at least one of a user preference and a factor regarding the consumption of the media data by the user;
analyzing the portion of content by using natural language processing techniques regarding interrelations between words of the portion of content to identify changes in content concepts in the portion of content, wherein the analyzing includes determining a respective rank of each of the changes that corresponds to how large each respective change is compared to others of the changes;
identifying one or more continuation points for the user to return to the content based on how changes in the content concepts in the portion of content as indicated by respective ranks of each of the changes correspond to one or more factors that identify how the user prefers to reconsume the media data; and
indicating the one or more continuation points to the user.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , including:
determining an elapsed time from the pause point until the user resumes consumption of the media data, wherein the elapsed time is one of the one or more factors, wherein the portion of content has a length based on the elapsed time.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , including:
determining user preferences for a length of content between a pause point and a continuation point from past interactions with media data, wherein the user preferences are included in the one or more factors, wherein the portion of content has a length based on the user preferences.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein analyzing the portion of content to identify changes in content concepts in the portion of content includes:
identifying sentences or paragraphs in the portion of text; and
identifying concepts covered in the sentences or paragraphs.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , including:
comparing the sentences or paragraphs with concepts of previous sentences or paragraphs to determine a largest change in concept in the portion of content as reflected by a highest respective rank,
wherein a continuation point is identified as a beginning of a respective paragraph or sentence after the largest change in concept.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein identifying one or more continuation points for the user to return to the content includes using a fixed algorithm with inputs of the one or more factors, where the one or more factors include one or more of the group of:
an elapsed time from the pause point until the user resumes use of the media data;
user preferences for a length of content between a pause point and a continuation point;
identified sentences or paragraphs in the portion of text; and
identified concepts covered in the sentences or paragraphs and the respective ranks that correspond to the sentence or paragraph.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein analyzing the portion of content to identify changes in content concepts in the portion of content includes using a natural language processing application programming interface.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein analyzing the portion of content to identify changes in content concepts in the portion of content includes using machine learning.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , including extending a length of the portion of content preceding the pause point in the event that no continuation point is identified in the portion of content.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein indicating the one or more continuation points to the user includes highlighting a starting word or moving a focus of a display of the content to the starting word when the user resumes user of the media data.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein identifying one or more continuation points for the user to return to the content based on changes in the content concepts in the portion of content includes:
determining a series of reference points marking changes in concept aspects at points preceding an identified continuation point, wherein the changes in concept aspects include one or more of the group of: changes in location, changes in time period, changes in perspective, and changes in description.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more continuation points are indicated to the user with one or more respective annotated details on the concept changes.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein indicating the one or more continuation points to the user includes indicating both a first continuation point with a first annotated detail regarding a first respective change of content concept and indicating a second continuation point with a second annotated detail regarding a second respective change of content concept.

14. A system for managing consumption of media data, the system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory including computer instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
identify a pause point during consumption of media data at which a user stops the consumption of the media data;
determine a portion of content preceding the identified pause point, wherein the portion is determined based on at least one of a user preference and a factor regarding the consumption of the media data by the user;
analyze the portion of content by using natural language processing techniques regarding interrelations between words of the portion of content to identify changes in content concepts in the portion of content, wherein the analyzing includes determining a respective rank of each of the changes that corresponds to how large each respective change is compared to others of the changes;
identify one or more continuation points for the user to return to the content based on how changes in the content concepts in the portion of content as indicated by respective ranks of each of the changes correspond to one or more factors that identify how the user prefers to reconsume the media data; and
indicate the one or more continuation points to the user.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 , the memory further comprising instruction that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine an elapsed time from the pause point until the user resumes consumption of the media data, wherein the elapsed time is one of the one or more factors, wherein the portion of content has a length based on the elapsed time.

16. The system as claimed in claim 14 , the memory further comprising instruction that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine user preferences for a length of content between a pause point and a continuation point from past interactions with media data, wherein the user preferences are included in the one or more factors, wherein the portion of content has a length based on the user preferences.

17. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein analyzing the portion of content to identify changes in content concepts in the portion of content includes identifying sentences or paragraphs in the portion of text and identifying concepts covered in the sentences or paragraphs, the memory further comprising instruction that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
compare the sentences or paragraphs with concepts of

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Vuong Steven
• Lees Andrew Michael
• Elsbury Adam
• Vaz Trabuco Pedro Miguel
• Saeed Salma

Classifications

• G06F15/0291 Primary

  for reading, e.g. e-books (constructional details of portable computers G06F1/1613) · CPC title

• G06N20/00

  Machine learning · CPC title

• G06F40/205

  Parsing · CPC title

• G06F40/131

  Fragmentation of text files, e.g. creating reusable text-blocks; Linking to fragments, e.g. using XInclude; Namespaces · CPC title

• G06F40/30 Primary

  Semantic analysis · CPC title