IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,707,106
Granted Patent B2
US 12,707,106 · App. 18/924,419 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Systems and methods for management of media content subscriptions

Inventors: Adam Bates (Los Gatos, CA); Hafiza Jameela (Milpitas, CA); Jesse F. Patterson (Pacifica, CA); Mark K. Berner (Santa Clara, CA); Eric Dorsey (Palo Alto, CA); Jonathan A. Logan (Mountain View, CA); David W. Chamberlin (Pacifica, CA); Paul Stevens (Felton, CA); Herbert A. Waterman (Merced, CA); William L. Thomas (Evergreen, CO)
Assignee: Adeia Guides Inc.
H04N21/2543H04N21/251H04N21/25891H04N21/4532H04N21/4826
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,707,106
App. No.
18/924,419
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for managing subscriptions. A media guidance application obtaining viewing patterns of a subscriber and determining a first and second media package of interest to the subscriber. A first and second release schedule are obtained related to media content in the first and second media packages. The media guidance application predicts a first viewing impact of the first subscription and a second viewing impact of the second subscription, for the upcoming time period, wherein the viewing impact indicates a total predicted amount of time spent viewing the media packages in the upcoming time period. An available amount of time for viewing media in the upcoming time period is also determined. The media guidance application generates a subscription recommendation for the upcoming time period based on the first viewing impact, second viewing impact, and available amount of time for viewing media in the upcoming time period.

Claims (49)

1 . A method comprising:

accessing media content viewing patterns indicated by an account of a user, wherein the accessing media content viewing patterns further comprises:

determining that the user subscribes to a set of media content providers;

based on the determining that the user subscribes to the set of media content providers, tracking the media content viewing patterns of the user on a set of applications corresponding to the set of media content providers;

accessing media content viewing patterns of a plurality of similar users, wherein the media content viewing patterns of the plurality of similar users are similar to the media content viewing patterns of the user;

determining, based at least in part on the media content viewing patterns of the user and the media content viewing patterns of the plurality of similar users, a predicted amount of time the user will spend viewing media content in an upcoming time period from the set of media content providers, wherein the determining is based on identifying a newly released series on at least one media content provider from the set of media content providers that has not been viewed by the user and has been viewed by the plurality of similar users;

identifying a plurality of media content items available from a subset of media content providers of the set of media content providers in the upcoming time period,

wherein total viewing time of the plurality of media content items matches the predicted amount of time the user will spend viewing media content in the upcoming time period, and

wherein the subset of media content providers includes less media content providers than the set of media content providers; and

generating for display on a device associated with the account of the user a recommendation to acquire respective viewing permissions from each media content provider of the subset of media content providers of the set of media content providers.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the plurality of media content items available from the subset of media content providers is based at least in part on the media content viewing patterns of the user and the media content viewing patterns of the plurality of similar users.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subset of media content providers contains a fewer number of media content providers than the set of media content providers.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the plurality of media content items available from the subset of media content providers is based at least in part on minimizing number of media content providers included in the subset of media content providers.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the plurality of media content items available from the subset of media content providers is based at least in part on minimizing total cost of acquiring viewing permissions from media content providers included in the subset of media content providers.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the predicted amount of time the user will spend viewing each media content item in the upcoming time period is further based on a received user interface input.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of media content items available from the subset of media content providers is available through a pay-per-view or video on demand option.

8 . A system comprising:

control circuitry configured to:

access media content viewing patterns indicated by an account of a user, wherein the accessing media content viewing patterns further comprises:

determining that the user subscribes to a set of media content providers;

based on the determining that the user subscribes to the set of media content providers, tracking the media content viewing patterns of the user on a set of applications corresponding to the set of media content providers;

access media content viewing patterns of a plurality of similar users, wherein the media content viewing patterns of the plurality of similar users are similar to the media content viewing patterns of the user;

determine, based at least in part on the media content viewing patterns of the user and the media content viewing patterns of the plurality of similar users, a predicted amount of time the user will spend viewing media content in an upcoming time period from the set of media content providers, wherein the determining is based on identifying a newly released series on at least one media content provider from the set of media content providers that has not been viewed by the user and has been viewed by the plurality of similar users; and

identify a plurality of media content items available from a subset of media content providers of the set of media content providers in the upcoming time period,

wherein total viewing time of the plurality of media content items matches the predicted amount of time the user will spend viewing media content in the upcoming time period, and

wherein the subset of media content providers includes less media content providers than the set of media content providers; and

input/output circuitry configured to:

generate for display on a device associated with the account of the user a recommendation to acquire respective viewing permissions from each media content provider of the subset of media content providers of the set of media content providers.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to identify the plurality of media content items available from the subset of media content providers based at least in part on the media content viewing patterns of the user.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the subset of media content providers contains a fewer number of media content providers than the set of media content providers.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to identify the plurality of media content items available from the subset of media content providers based at least in part on minimizing number of media content providers included in the subset of media content providers.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to identify the plurality of media content items available from the subset of media content providers based at least in part on minimizing total cost of acquiring viewing permissions from media content providers included in the subset of media content providers.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine the predicted amount of time the user will spend viewing each media content item in the upcoming time period based at least in part on a received user interface input.

14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the plurality of media content items available from the subset of media content providers is available through a pay-per-view or video on demand option.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon that when executed by control circuitry cause the control circuitry to:

access media content viewing patterns indicated by an account of a user, wherein the accessing media content viewing patterns further comprises:

determining that the user subscribes to a set of media content providers;

based on the determining that the user subscribes to the set of media content providers, tracking the media content viewing patterns of the user on a set of applications corresponding to the set of media content providers;

access media content viewing patterns of a plurality of similar users, wherein the media content viewing patterns of the plurality of similar users are similar to the media content viewing patterns of the user;

determine, based at least in part on the media content viewing patterns of the user and the media content viewing patterns of the plurality of similar users, a predicted amount of time the user will spend viewing media content in an upcoming time period from the set of media content providers, wherein the determining is based on identifying a newly released series on at least one media content provider from the set of media content providers that has not been viewed by the user and has been viewed by the plurality of similar users;

identify a plurality of media content items available from a subset of media content providers of the set of media content providers in the upcoming time period,

wherein total viewing time of the plurality of media content items matches the predicted amount of time the user will spend viewing media content in the upcoming time period, and

wherein the subset of media content providers includes less media content providers than the set of media content providers; and

generate for display on a device associated with the account of the user a recommendation to acquire respective viewing permissions from each media content provider of the subset of media content providers of the set of media content providers.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions cause the control circuitry to further identify the plurality of media content items available from the subset of media content providers based at least in part on the media content viewing patterns of the user.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the subset of media content providers contains a fewer number of media content providers than the set of media content providers.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions cause the control circuitry to further identify the plurality of media content items available from the subset of media content providers based at least in part on minimizing number of media content providers included in the subset of media content providers.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions cause the control circuitry to further identify the plurality of media content items available from the subset of media content providers based at least in part on minimizing total cost of acquiring viewing permissions from media content providers included in the subset of media content providers.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions cause the control circuitry to further determine the predicted amount of time the user will spend viewing each media content item in the upcoming time period based at least in part on a received user interface input.