Methods and systems for content scheduling across multiple devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9445036-B2
Application number	US-49562209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2009
Priority date	Jun 30, 2009
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

Methods and systems for scheduling media content presentation across multiple devices are disclosed. A media planner application generates media event presentation schedules for one or more users based on user-scheduled media events and automatic media event recommendations. Media events can be scheduled for presentation on multiple user devices, including portable devices. Media event recommendations can be generated based at least in part on user preferences and habits, such as user media preferences, device availability, device usage, device connectivity, and user mood.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for scheduling media content presentation across multiple user devices, comprising:
accessing stored user profile information in a memory, wherein the stored user profile information identifies a first user device and a second user device different than the first user device, wherein the stored user profile information comprises first user information on content types that a user favors at different timeslots and second user information on lengths that the user favors for each of the content types;
automatically scheduling a first media content event to be presented in the future on the first user device during a first timeslot based at least in part on a content type of the first media content event, a length of the first media content event, and the first and second user information comprised in the user profile information;
automatically scheduling a second media content event to be presented in the future on the second user device during a second timeslot based at least in part on a content type of the second media content event, a length of the second media content event, and the first and second user information comprised in the user profile information;
automatically presenting the first media content event on the first user device during the first timeslot; and
automatically presenting the second media content event on the second user device during the second timeslot.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second user devices are portable media players.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein accessing the stored user profile information comprises accessing automatically generated user profile information.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user profile information includes at least one of a device availability sub-profile, a device connectivity sub-profile, and a device usage sub-profile.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining when the first user device will be connected; and
scheduling delivery of the first media content event to the first user device based at least in part on the determining.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a media content event recommendations list based at least in part on at least one media source external to the first user device and the second user device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first media content event is a video media content event and the second media content event is a non-video media content event.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting advertisements on at least one of the first user device and the second user device based on the user profile information.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating the stored user profile information based on user interactions with one of the first and second user devices.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating the stored user profile information based on automatically monitored user habits, preferences, or interactions.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining at least one media content format supported by the first user device;
determining if the first media content associated with the first media content event is in the at least one supported media content format;
in response to determining that the first media content is not in the at least one supported media content format, searching for an alternate version of the first media content in the at least one supported media content format; and
in response to determining that no alternate version of the first media content can be found, transcoding the first media content into one of the at least one supported media content format.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating for display a list of scheduled media events including at least one user-scheduled event and at least one system-scheduled event; and
receiving user input to change schedule information associated with at least one of the at least one user-scheduled event and the at least one system-scheduled event.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the user profile information comprises timeslot information of when the user most usually consumes the first media content and the second media content; and
one of the first timeslot and the second timeslot is determined based on the timeslot information.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
wherein the type of the first media content event is one of an audio asset and a video asset; and
wherein the type of the second media content event is one of an audio asset and a video asset.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
wherein the type of the first media content event is one of a media asset recorded by the user, an on demand video asset, and a broadcast media asset; and
wherein the type of the second media content event is one of a media asset recorded by the user, an on demand media asset, and a broadcast media asset.

16. The method of claim 3 wherein the automatically generated user profile information is based, at least in part, on monitoring interactions of the user with at least one of the first user device and the second user device.

17. The method of claim 4 , further comprising providing media content event recommendations based on at least one of the device availability sub-profile, the device connectivity sub-profile, and the device usage sub-profile.

18. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one media source comprises at least one of web logs, online forums, news websites, review websites, and social networking websites.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the list of scheduled media events is interactive.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving the user input to change schedule information comprises changing a user device associated with at least one of the at least one user-scheduled event and the at least one system-scheduled event to a different user device.

21. The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving the user input to change schedule information comprises changing the format of media content associated with at least one of the at least one user-scheduled event and the at least one system-scheduled event.

22. A system for scheduling media content presentation across multiple user devices, comprising:
a memory; and
processing circuitry configured to:
access stored user profile information in the memory, wherein the stored user profile information identifies a first user device and a second user device different than the first user device, wherein the stored user profile information comprises first user information on content types that a user favors at different timeslots and second user information on lengths that the user favors for each of the content types;
automatically schedule a first media content event to be presented in the future on the first user device during a first timeslot based at least in part on a content type of the first media content event, a length of the first media content event, and the first and second user information comprised in the user profile information;
automatically schedule a second media content event to be presented in the future on the second user device during a second timeslot based at least in part on a content type of the second media content event, a length of the second media content event, and the first and second user information comprised in the user profile information;
automatically present the first media content event on the first user device du

Assignees

• Hamano Royce
• Shimy Camron
• Strader Christopher
• Rovi Guides Inc

Inventors

• Hamano Royce
• Shimy Camron
• Strader Christopher

Classifications

• H04N5/44543 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N21/458

  Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules {; time-related management operations (arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10)} · CPC title

• H04N21/4821

  using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time · CPC title

• H04N7/17318

  Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests · CPC title

• H04H60/46 Primary

  for recognising users' preferences · CPC title