Systems and methods for history-based decision making in a television receiver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9363464-B2
Application number	US-81941710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2010
Priority date	Jun 21, 2010
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

Various embodiments facilitate history-based decision making in television receivers, such as set-top boxes. In one embodiment, a history-based decision facilitator (“HBDF”) is provided. The HBDF facilitates decision making in a television receiver based on device history data received from the television receiver. In one embodiment, the HBDF receives an indication of an operation to be performed by the television receiver, the operation including one or more parameters. In response, the HBDF determines values for the one or more parameters, based on device history data received from the television receiver. The HBDF then provides the determined parameter values to the television receiver. In one example application, the HBDF can determine a tuner of the television receiver to utilize for recording a program, based on the history of the television receiver, such as that the determined tuner is typically idle during the scheduled recording time period.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computing system configured to facilitate history-based decision making in a television receiver having a first and a second tuner for receiving programs, comprising:
a memory;
a module stored on the memory that is configured, when executed, to:
receive device history data that includes indications of operations performed by the television receiver;
receive an indication of a user-specified function to be performed by the television receiver, the function including one or more parameters that specify operation of the function, and the function including recording a program at an indicated time;
determine values for the one or more parameters, based on the received device history data, by automatically determining to use the first tuner to receive the program for recording, based on the device history data indicating that the second tuner is typically in use during the indicated time; and
cause the television receiver to perform the function with the determined values for the one or more parameters.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the television receiver is remote from the computing system, and wherein the module is further configured to receive the device history data from the television receiver.

3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the television receiver includes the computing system, and wherein the module is further configured to receive the device history data from a data store of the television receiver.

4. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the received device history data includes an identifier for at least one of: the television receiver, a channel, a program, a user, a function, a time, a date, and/or a duration.

5. A method for facilitating history-based decision making in a television receiver having a first and a second tuner for receiving programs, the method comprising:
under control of a computer processor,
receiving device history data that includes indications of operations performed by a television receiver;
receiving an indication of a user-specified function to be performed by the television receiver, the function including one or more parameters that specify operation of the function, and the function including recording a program at an indicated time;
determining values for the one or more parameters, based on the received device history data, by automatically determining to use the first tuner to receive the program for recording, based on the device history data indicating that the second tuner is typically in use during the indicated time; and
transmitting the determined values for the one or more parameters to the television receiver.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein receiving the device history data includes receiving an identifier for at least one of: the television receiver, a channel, a program, a user, a function, a time, a date, and/or a duration.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein receiving the device history data includes receiving multiple records that each describe an operation performed by the television receiver.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining values for the one or more parameters includes determining values for the one or more parameters based on an aggregation of device history data received from multiple television receivers.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining values for the one or more parameters includes statistically analyzing device history data associated with multiple television receivers.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the television receiver includes a resource having limited availability, wherein there are multiple functions to be performed by the television receiver, each function utilizing the resource, and further comprising:
allocating the resource by selecting less than the multiple functions to be performed; and
transmitting indications of the selected functions to the television receiver.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the television receiver includes a resource having limited availability, and further comprising:
determining a function that, when performed by the television receiver, increases availability of the resource; and
transmitting an indication of the determined function to the television receiver.

12. The method of claim 5 , wherein the television receiver has one or more tuners for receiving programs, and further comprising:
receiving an indication that television receiver is to record multiple programs at an indicated time, the number of programs to record exceeding the number of tuners in the television receiver; and
selecting one or more programs for recording, the number of selected programs being equal to the number of tuners, based on the device history data indicating that the selected programs are more frequently viewed than other of the multiple programs that are not selected for recording.

13. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
pre-populating a user interface control presented by the television receiver with the one of the determined values for the one or more parameters.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium whose contents, when executed, cause a computing system to facilitate history-based decision making in a television receiver, by performing a method comprising:
receiving device history data that reflects past operation of the television receiver;
receiving an indication of a user-specified function to be performed by the television receiver, the function including one or more parameters that specify operation of the function, and the function including recording a program at an indicated time;
determining values for the one or more parameters, based on the received device history data, by automatically determining to use the first tuner to receive the program for recording, based on the device history data indicating that the second tuner is typically in use during the indicated time; and
causing the television receiver to perform the function with the determined values for the one or more parameters.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the television receiver is a set-top box that is remote from the computing system, and wherein causing the television receiver to perform the function includes transmitting to the set-top box the determined values for the one or more parameters.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein causing the television receiver to perform the function includes pre-populating a user interface control presented by the television receiver with the one of the determined values for the one or more parameters.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the method further comprises:
determining that there is insufficient history data about the television receiver to determine values for the one or more parameters; and
in response, determining values for the one or more parameters based on device history data received from other television receivers.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the method further comprises:
determining, based on the received device history data, an operation to be performed by the television receiver, along with one or more parameter values; and
transmitting the determined operation along with the one or more parameter values to the television receiver.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the computer-readable storage medium is a memory in the computing system, and whe

Assignees

• Alexander Michael
• Echostar Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Alexander Michael

Classifications

• H04N21/4335

  Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions {(storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90)} · CPC title

• H04N21/4667 Primary

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

• H04N5/775

  between a recording apparatus and a television receiver · CPC title

• H04N21/4334

  Recording operations (recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27) · CPC title

• H04N21/47214

  for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market (stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224) · CPC title