Systems and methods for multi-device content recommendations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016192005-A1
Application number	US-201414582325-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 24, 2014
Priority date	Dec 24, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed herein for a media guidance application that provides content recommendations based on recent activity. For example, the media guidance application determines that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device. In response, the media guidance application retrieves, from memory, a length of time that the user has consumed media on the first device. The media guidance application then determines the time interval when the user was consuming media on the first device. Next, media content is determined that the user consumed on the first device during the time interval. The media guidance application then determines a characteristic of the consumed media content and recommends media content on a second device based on the characteristic.

First claim

1 . A method for providing content recommendations based on recent activity, the method comprising:
determining that a user has stopped using a first device and is using a second device;
in response to determining that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device, retrieving a threshold length of time from memory;
determining a period of time beginning at a point in time when the user began using the second device and extending backwards for the threshold length of time; determining first media content consumed by the user on the first device during the period of time; determining a characteristic of the first media content; and recommending, based on the characteristic, second media content for consumption on the second device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing a list of devices associated with the user; and recommending, based on the characteristic, the second media content for consumption on each device in the list of devices.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device comprises detecting that the user has moved from a first location that is associated with the first device to a second location that is associated with the second device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device comprises detecting that the user has stopped interacting with the first device and is interacting with the second device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first media content comprises video content and the second media content consists of audio content.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold length of time is based on an amount of time the user continuously used the first device immediately before using the second device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the characteristic of the first media content comprises:
determining a plurality of content types consumed by the user during the period of time on the first device; and determining the characteristic based on a content type of the plurality of content types most frequently consumed by the user.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of the first media content consists of at least one of a genre, subject matter, title, type, actor, character, and location.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying characteristics associated with available media content; and filtering the available media content based on whether the available media content is associated with the characteristic to determine the second media content.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating an alert that indicates to the user that the second media content is available on the second device.

11 . A system for providing content recommendations based on recent activity, the system comprising:
control circuitry configured to:
determine that a user has stopped using a first device and is using a second device;
in response to determining that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device, retrieve a threshold length of time from memory;
determine a period of time beginning at a point in time when the user began using the second device and extending backwards for the threshold length of time;
determine first media content consumed by the user on the first device during the period of time;
determine a characteristic of the first media content; and
recommend, based on the characteristic, second media content for consumption on the second device.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
storage circuitry configured to store a list of devices associated with the user; and control circuitry configured to:
recommend, based on the characteristic, the second media content for consumption on each device in the list of devices.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to determine that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device is further configured to detect that the user has moved from a first location that is associated with the first device to a second location that is associated with the second device.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to determine that the user has stopped using the first device and is using the second device is further configured to detect that the user has stopped interacting with the first device and is interacting with the second device.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first media content comprises video content and the second media content consists of audio content.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the threshold length of time is based on an amount of time the user continuously used the first device immediately before using the second device.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to determine the characteristic of the first media content is further configured to:
determine a plurality of content types consumed by the user during the period of time on the first device; and determine the characteristic based on a content type of the plurality of content types most frequently consumed by the user.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the characteristic of the first media content consists of at least one of a genre, subject matter, title, type, actor, character, and location.

19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
identify characteristics associated with available media content; and filter the available media content based on whether the available media content is associated with the characteristic to determine the second media content.

20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate an alert that indicates to the user that the second media content is available on the second device.

21 - 50 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Rovi Guides Inc

Inventors

• Larson Danielle
• Nichols Michael R

Classifications

• H04N21/4668 Primary

  for recommending content, e.g. movies · CPC title

• H04N21/44218

  Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV programme (methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45) · CPC title

• H04N21/44231

  Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device (configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817) · CPC title

• H04N21/4667

  Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections · CPC title

• H04N21/251 Primary

  Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies (details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08) · CPC title