UCNEAA
`US005223924A
`[11] Patent Number:
`5,223,924
`[45] Date of Patent:
`Jun, 29, 1993
`
` 7
`
`United States Patent
`Strubbe
`
`[19]
`
`5,047,867
`5,093,718
`
`9/1991 Strubbe et al. wc es 358/335
`[54] SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
`3/1992 Hoarty et al.
`.
`AUTOMATICALLY CORRELATING USER
`PREFERENCESWITH A T.V, PROGRAM
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`INFORMATION DATABASE
`Stanfill; Parallel Free~Text Search on the Connection
`.
`Machine System; Comm. of the ACM;pp. 1229-1239;
`Inventor: ni J. Strubbe, Yorktown Heights,
`[75]
`vol. 29, #12, Dec. 1986.
`a“
`“Insight Telecast’, pp. 1-11.
`[73] Assignee: North American Philips Corporation,
`Primary Examiner—Reinhard J. Eisenzopf
`New stork, NW.
`Assistant Examiner—Philip J. Sobutka
`[21] Appl. No.: 889,201
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Michael E. Marion
`[22] Filed:
`May27, 1992
`[57}
`ABSTRAGE
`[ST] Ent, CUSeceeesesceeeescsesesceesesens HO4N 7/10
`
`[52] TOS. C1, ncssescseseneensessrveenecercesnaery 358/86; 358/84;|A user interface which can access downloaded TV
`455/5.1
`program information, which can be continually updated
`[58] Field of Search 0.0.0.0... 358/84, 86; 455/3.1,
`and provided either “over the air”, over cable or satel-
`455/4.2, 5.1, 186.1, 186.2
`lite transmission paths or other “fast data” paths, and
`automatically correlate this information with the prefer-
`i
`.
`References Cited
`ences of the user, to create and display at least one
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`program information database based upontheresults of
`4,706,121 11/1987 Young .
`the correlation.
`4,751,578
`6/1988 Reiter et al. oe 358/183
`4,977,455 12/1990 Young .
`
`56
`[56]
`
`2 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets
`
`SECTION DOWNLOADED TV
`
`MEMORY
`SECTION
`
`MEMORY
`SECTION
`
`MEMORY
`
`PERSONALIZED TV
`“LIKED/"DISLIKED"
`
`
`PROGRAM INFORMATION .~DATABASE PROGRAM INFORMATION
`
`DATABASE
`(SECOND DATABASE)
`DATABASE
`(FIRST DATABASE)
`(THIRD DATABASE)
`
`©
`
`39
`
`EX1039
`Roku V. Media Chain
`U.S. Patent No. 10,489,560
`
`EX1039
`Roku V. Media Chain
`U.S. Patent No. 10,489,560
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`June 29, 1993
`
`Sheet 1 of 5
`
`5,223,924
`
`LoLL|
`
`#3A190944NOISIAS131[EEEEew||topt||¥0SS300Ud||
`00030|,3d¥1qu|02«Oljt|pot|PGaga|ce-{Av1dSI0NANVAGAL
` ||HOLVYINI941300037|SOIHdWHO
`
`|lTHOdSNVUL
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`
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`cb11041NOD
`310W3Y
`
`|
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`June 29, 1993
`
`Sheet 2 of 5
`
`5,223,924
`
`LI
`
`Y0SS34dW0II0
`
`Viv
`
` AMdNi44
`
`40193913S
`
`Ld0Vd
`
`
`
`YOLVINGOWIGTYINNL
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`oOld
`
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`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`June 29, 1993
`
`Sheet 3 of 5
`
`5,223,924
`
`MEMORY
`SECTION
`
`MEMORY
`SECTION
`
`MEMORY
`
`SECTION
`
`(
`
`DOWNLOADED TV
`PROGRAM INFORMATION
`DATABASE
`(FIRST DATABASE)
`
`“LIKED"DISLIKED"
`DATABASE
`(SECOND DATABASE)
`
`PERSONALIZED TV
`PROGRAM INFORMATION
`DATABASE
`(THIRD DATABASE )
`
`35.
`
`FIG. 3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`June 29, 1993
`
`Sheet 4 of 5
`
`5,223,924
`
`100
`
`INPUT CHANNEL (Ch)|195
`INPUT TIME (1)
`
`FIND AND DISPLAY
`RECORD IN FIRST
`
`DATABASE
`
`STORE RECORD
`IN SECOND
`DATABASE WITH
`"DISLIKE"
`
`
`
`
`135
`
`INCREMENT OR
`DE CREMENT (Ch) AND/
`OR (+)
`
`130
`
`FIG. 4
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`June 29, 1993
`
`_
`
`Sheet 5 of 5
`
`5,223,924
`
`200
`
`
`SELECT TEXT RECORD
`IN SECOND DATA BASE
`
`
` PERFORM “FREE TEXT“) 2!9
`
`ANALYSIS TO DERIVE
`
`
`“STEMS AND WEIGHTS"|NeyT TEXT
`
`RECORD
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`PERFORM "SIMPLE QUERY"
`ON TEXT RECORDS OF
`FIRST DATABASE TO
`
`SET UP THIRD DATABASE
`
`
` 220)
`
`FIG.5
`
`

`

`1
`
`5,223,924
`
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY
`CORRELATING USER PREFERENCES WITH A
`T.V, PROGRAM INFORMATION DATABASE
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`The instant invention relates to an improved televi-
`sion interface system which utilizes a TV program in-
`formation database.
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,867 described an interface for a
`TV-VCRsystem which enabled the user to enter infor-
`mation concerning the user’s favorite television pro-
`grams. Such information can include program name,
`broadcast channel, starting time, length, repeat pattern
`and whether the user wanted the program recorded.
`The patent further described an interface system in
`which such information tould be provided in an intu-
`itive and easy manner through thetelevision receiver’s
`display. The teachings of this patent are incorporated
`by reference herein.
`Television systems utilizing downloadable TV pro-
`gram information have been described, for example, by
`Insight Telecast, Inc. and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,751,578;
`4,706,121 and 4,977,455, which are incorporated by
`reference herein. Using these systems, TV program
`information can be downloaded andstored in a memory
`to be displayed on the television display. U.S. Pat. No.
`5,093,718 describes a system which can provide such
`information, including graphics and interactive options,
`over a “fast data” path which can be a cable,fiber optic
`or satellite system. These references are incorporated
`by reference herein.
`In the December, 1986 issue of “Communications of
`the ACM”(Vol. 29, No. 12, pp. 1229-1239), in an arti-
`cle by Stanfill and Kahle entitled “Parallel Free-Text
`Search On The Connection Machine System”,
`the
`method knownas “free text search” is described which
`details a method in which seed wordsare located which
`can be used to correlate information provided in one or
`more portions of text. The teachings ofthis article are
`incorporated by reference herein. An overview ofthis
`subject is provided by the book “Automatic Text Pro-
`cessing” by Salton.
`An object ofthe instant inventionis to provide a user
`interface which can access downloaded TV program
`information, which can be continually updated and
`provided either “over the air’, over cable or satellite
`transmission paths or other “fast data” paths, and to
`automatically correlate this information with the prefer-
`ences of the user, to create at least one program infor-
`mation database based upon the results of the correla-
`tion.
`
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`One embodimentof the invention comprises an inter-
`face system which can be used with a television trans-
`mission system which provides, along with television
`programming, updatable TV program information
`which can, for example, include text summaries of the
`television programs scheduled for the coming week. In
`particular, the interface system can comprise a televi-
`sion receiver, a video cassette recorder, and a processor
`which can be used in conjunction with a digital trans-
`mission system which might carry compressed audio/v-
`ideo data as well as miscellaneous data which can in-
`clude the TV program information. In a preferred em-
`bodiment, the processorutilizes “free text” search tech-
`
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`niques to correlate the TV program information with
`the viewer’s preferences.
`Another embodiment of the invention comprises a
`system and method whichin addition to correlating the
`TV program information with the preferences of the
`user, comprises means for creating a customized TV
`program database, containing only programsofinterest
`to the viewer, and displaying this information as part of
`the television display. This information can comprise
`title, channel, category, day, time, length, repeat rate
`etc., as well as summaries, ratings, recommendations
`and cost for each of the programsfeatured. In addition,
`wherea wide band or fast data channel is used to pro-
`vide this information, video pictures and graphics re-
`lated to the program information can also be provided.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system comprising a
`preferred embodiment of the invention;
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram describing one of the RD
`decoders shown in FIG.1;
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the processor shown in
`FIG. 1;
`FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the browsing
`mode; and
`FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the interest
`matcher mode.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
`The embodiment of the invention described herein
`provides many of the features first described in U.S.
`Pat. No. 5,047,867 which is owned bythe assignee of
`the instant application and which has common inven-
`torship with the instant application. The ’867 patent
`describes the manner in which portions of memory can
`be used to store various categories of programming
`information. For example, a first memory portion can
`store, in the form of a database, information related to
`future television programs as well as information con-
`cerning those programs which are preferred by the
`user. By accessing this database, the user can display
`“Future Programs” as well as “Favorite Broadcast
`Programs” using a system of advanced menusand dis-
`plays and an expanded channel ring. The techniquesfor
`providing information from specific databases to the
`user, described in the ’867 application can be readily
`adaptedto the display requirementsofthe instant inven-
`tion and are incorporated by reference herein.
`FIG. 1 describes in block diagram form, a preferred
`embodimentof the invention. In this embodiment, it is
`assumed that program material as well as data describ-
`ing future programming,is provided via a digital trans-
`mission system which carries compressed audio/video
`data (for example using the MPEG and MUSICAM
`formats) together with data for providing in text and
`graphic form,
`information about
`television shows
`scheduled for the forthcoming week (or any other con-
`venient period of time). This information is updated
`periodically.
`2
`The arrangement described in FIG. 1 is for example
`only, and it should be understood that the various block
`elements shown can be separate, or integrated into
`larger apparatus as shown,andstill be within the prov-
`ince of the invention.
`Digital data comprising A/V (audio/videotelevision
`programs) as well as PID (programming information
`data) are provided to the system at input 2. As described
`
`

`

`3
`in the references incorporated herein, this data can be
`provided as an RFsignal either “over the air” or by
`cable, fiber optic, satellite or other appropriate means of
`delivery for such information. For purposes of this
`description, we will assume that the digital data is pro-
`vided by a wideband or “fast digital” data channel
`thereby permitting the PID to includetext and pictorial
`information related to upcomingtelevision programs.
`In the embodimentof the invention shown, a VCR 5
`is used in conjunction with a television receiver 40.
`Both the VCR 5 andthe receiver have RF decoders, 10
`and 15 respectively, which allow a combined display
`via PIP (picture in picture) circuit 30, of two decoded
`signals, or a combination of an “off the air” signal de-
`coded by RF decoder 15, and a stored program pro-
`vided by tape transport 20.
`Remote control 42 is used by the viewer to control
`the VCR 5 and receiver 40 in known fashion, and also
`provides input keys with which the viewer can indicate
`“liked” or “disliked” programs during the browsing
`mode as described below.
`Each of the decoders functions to demodulate and
`decodeor otherwise process the A/V data, as described
`in more detail below. The output of RF decoder 10 can
`be recorded by tape transport 20, or passed on to re-
`ceiver 40 via an auxiliary input 22 to receiver 40.
`RF decoder 15, separates the PID data provided by
`the RF signal input and provides the PID datato pro-
`cessor 35. The A/V data decoded by RF decoder 125 is
`switchably coupled, via input 17,
`to PIP circuit 30
`which is a known device which can provide two pro-
`gram sources and switch input programming between
`main and PIP display formats, to display 25. The PID
`data is processed by processor 35,as described in detail
`below,
`in conjunction with graphics generator 32, to
`provide a text or graphic output which can be combined
`with the output of PIP 30 in display 25.
`FIG. 2 is a more detailed block diagram of RF de-
`coder 15. RF decoder 10 can be identical to RF decoder
`15, In a fast data channel, data can be provided in the
`form of packets comprising the A/V data in com-
`pressed form, and the PID data, which can be, in un-
`compressed form.
`The RFsignal upon which the digital data is modu-
`lated, for example, is provided to tuner and demodula-
`tor 6 which demodulates and separates the packets.
`Packet selector 7, separates the A/V (compressed)
`packets from the PID packets, using techniques well
`knownin the digital signal processing art, and provides
`the compressed A/V data packets to data decompressor
`8 and PIC data packets to buffer 9. Decompressor 8
`decompresses the A/V data to provide audio and video
`of the television programming, via buffer 9,
`to PIP
`circuit 30. It should be stated here that although the
`A/V data is presented in this example as beingdigital in
`form, it could also be analog information, thuseliminat-
`ing the need for the packet selector (except to separate
`the PID digital data) and the data decompressor.
`The PID data consists of a TV program information
`data which can contain information about forthcoming
`television programs arranged, for example in data fields
`presenting categories of information. In this manner(as
`described in more detail in the references incorporated
`herein), title, start time, length, channel number, repeat
`days,
`logo or graphic illustration, cost (for pay-per-
`view), numberofrestarts (for staggered showings), the
`time betweenstarts, the type of program (i.e. drama,
`comedy, movie etc.), and a text summary of the pro-
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`gram comprising a description of the program and other
`information such as critics comments can be provided.
`Processor 35 is shown in more detail in FIG. 3. It
`comprises a CPU 50, programmed to perform memory
`addressing functions necessary to set up and control
`read/write instructions to volatile memory configured
`into three sections, to contain respectively a first section
`52, a second section 54 and a third section 56. CPU 50
`also is programmed to accept positive and negative
`feedback from the viewer via remote contro! 42, and
`use this feedback in conjunction with one or moreof the
`memory sections 52, 54, and 56, as described below. In
`addition, CPU 50 is programmedto perform “free text”
`search operations as detailed in the Stanfill and Kahle
`reference incorporated herein, on data stored in one or
`more of the memorysections 52, 54 or 56.
`In the embodiment described herein, memory section
`§2 is used to store as a first database, the TV program
`information data records downloaded as PID as de-
`scribed, for example,
`in the references incorporated
`herein. Memorysection 54 is used to store as a second
`database, recordsselected from thefirst database which
`are indicated as “liked” by the user (i.e. for which the
`user provided positive feedback) or “‘disliked” by the
`user (i.e. for which the user provided negative feed-
`back).
`The °867 patent describes the use of an expanded
`channel ring and display system to allow a user to
`browse through a group of records containing program
`information. These techniques can also be used to dis-
`play the information stored in thefirst database (as well
`as the other databases described below). While in the
`browsing mode, the viewer can sequentially scan the
`TV programming information data records stored in
`the first database, by entering a beginning time (t) and
`channel (ch). The first database stores the TV program-
`ming information in fields so that each record can be
`accessed by time of day (t) and channel (ch).
`FIG.4 is a flow chart which describes the browsing
`process. The “liked” or “disliked” indications can be
`made in several ways. The browsing sequence begins
`100 when the viewer presses a “start” or “browse”
`button on the remote control 42 which directs CPU 50
`to begin addressing the first database (i.e. memory sec-
`tion 52). The viewer inputs a channel (ch) and a time of
`day (t) 105 which is then used to index the TV informa-
`tion data record in thefirst database having fields which
`match the chosen (ch) and (t).
`In a mannersimilarto the display processes described
`in the ’867 patent, the information for the chosen data
`recordin first database is displayed 110. The PIP circuit
`30 can also be controlled in known fashion by the
`viewer using remote control 42 and the chosen data
`record can be displayed as text or graphic information
`superimposed overthe pictures provided by PIP circuit
`30, or can replace the picture provided by PIP circuit
`30 altogether. These modifications are to be understood
`as variations of the invention as described herein.
`Upon viewing the selected TV programming infor-
`mation record, the viewer can then register whether or
`not he “‘likes’”’ or “dislikes” the displayed selection 115.
`Weuse the terms “like” and “dislike” to represent any
`type of positive or negative feedback which the viewer
`might input. For example, a “like” response could be
`made by the viewer pressing a button indicating that the
`program is to be recorded (as described in the °867
`patent). It could also simply be made by the keypress of
`a “like” button on remote control 42. By inputting a
`
`

`

`5
`:
`“like” response, a flag is set in the record and then stored,
`along with that record, in the second database (in mem-
`ory section 54). A negative response by the viewer can
`similarly be made by pressing a button on the remote
`control 42 marked “dislike” which would set a corre-
`sponding flag in the record which is stored with the
`record in the second database 120. The aim is to create
`as the second database 125, a database containing only
`those records, (i.e. TV programs) selected from thefirst
`database, for which the viewerhas a clear preference or
`dislike.
`After registering “like” or “dislike” for a displayed
`record, the user can continue to search records having
`the same channelat different times of the day (by incre-
`menting or decrementing (t) and keeping (ch) the same)
`or by searching all records having the sametime of day,
`but different channels (by incrementing or decrement-
`ing (ch) and keeping t the same) 130. The newly se-
`lected (ch) and/or(t) is then used to find a second re-
`cord and display it to the viewer 135. If the viewer has
`no Opinion (i.e. neither “like” or “dislike”) she can sim-
`ply press “‘next/previous” on remote control 42 to se-
`lect a prior (or subsequent) record 117,130. “Liked” can
`also be recorded in the second database automatically as
`the viewer watches and/orrecordstelevision programs
`in real time. In other words,at the option of the viewer,
`merely watching and/orrecording a television program
`for longer than a given amount oftime (for example,at
`least 15 minutes), would automatically register as a
`“like” response and cause the record in first database
`corresponding to the selected program,to be stored in
`the second database 125.
`The purpose of developing the second database,is to
`enable the user to develop a personalized TV program
`information database in a third database stored in mem-
`ory section 56. This third database, could be accessed
`by the viewer via remote control 42, in order to allow
`him to select for viewing, only preferred programs
`which correspond either
`to forthcoming programs
`stored in the second database and indicated as “liked”,
`or programs automatically selected from thefirst data-
`base in the interest matcher mode described in FIG.5.
`The user can initiate 200 this processeither by press-
`ing the appropriate button remote control 42, or this
`mode can be initiated by simply turning on thetelevi-
`sion receiver, or each time the downloaded TV pro-
`gram database is updated.
`Thefield containing the text summary of each record
`stored in the second database is analyzed in accordance
`with the “free text” search techniques described and the
`4699 46.
`references incorporated herein 210, 215. Unimportant
`words like
`“a”,
`“the” etc are removed. The remaining
`words are reduced to their stems(i.e. prefixes and suf-
`fixes are removed). Each stem in each “liked” record is
`given a positive weight. Each stem in each “disliked”
`show, which is not simultaneously a stem in a “liked”
`
`6
`show is given a negative weight. With these stems and
`weights a “simple query” is performed over the records
`provided from the first database,i.e. the downloaded
`TV program database.
`In the “simple query” 220, every record in thefirst
`database is scored (for potential retrieval value) by
`adding up the weights for the word stemsit contains.
`Thetotal score is then normalized with respect to the
`length of the respective text record. Additional tech-
`niques can be used to speed up this query, in particular,
`the “surrogate coding” described in the Stanfill &
`Kahle reference incorporated herein. Those records
`having the highest retrieval values (i.e. weights) are
`taken as suggestions and are stored in chronological
`order along with those records actually flagged by the
`viewer as “liked”, in the third database. The third data-
`base can then be accessed by the viewer, as a personal-
`ized version of the downloaded TV databaseinitially
`stored in the first database.
`Thus, the invention provides a method for allowing
`the user to correlate his or her preferences, in an auto-
`matic fashion using, for example, “free text” searching
`techniques, in order to generate a personalized version
`of a downloaded TV program database.
`In case of a two-way interactive system (e.g. two-
`way cable, telephone system, etc.) the processor and
`databases of FIG. 3 can be located at the headend (cable
`company or telephone company), or be distributed be-
`tween the headend and the TVset.
`The first database, 52, can be extended to contain
`other things than TV shows(e.g. live performances). If
`their writeup matchesthe user’s interest, they can also
`be included in the (third) personalized database, 54.
`I claim:
`1. An apparatus for providing a personalized televi-
`sion program information guide for use in a system
`comprising meansfor receiving, storing and displaying
`an electronic information database comprising summary
`records of forthcoming television programs, said appa-
`ratus comprising:
`means for selecting, and indicating preference or
`dislike for, first selected records of said summary
`records;
`means for storing said first selected records;
`means for analyzing said first selected records to
`isolate first search information;
`meansfor using said first search information to select
`second selected records from said summary re-
`cords; and
`meansfor storing said second selected records so as
`to form said personalized television program infor-
`mation guide.
`2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said analyzing
`means comprises means for performing a free-text
`search.
`x
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