Recommender system using “fuzzy-now” for real-time events

1. Apparatus for presenting real-time event recommendations in the form of a list to a user, the apparatus comprising:

at least one user interface mechanism adapted to interact with the user; and

a processing device adapted to perform the following operations:

choosing at least one real-time event based upon at least one criterion, wherein the at least one criterion of the at least one real-time event is additionally weighted by multiple factors, a first factor being based on when the real time event is set to begin and to end relative to the user's current time, a second factor being based on a specific penalty per unit time for causing said user to wait until a real time event starts, and a same or different penalty per unit time for an accumulated time a user misses a real-time event, to yield a list of real-time event recommendations; and

presenting the list of real-time event recommendations to the user at the user interface mechanism.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one criterion is a function of a user profile.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one criterion is a function of a user-selected category.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one criterion and the weighted factor is a function of:

a minimum recommendation value for a show,

a maximum recommendation value of the show,

a current time,

a start time of the show, and

an end time of the show or a duration of the show.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a remote and the processing device is internal to the remote.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the real-time event comprises broadcast or transmitted content.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the real-time event is located at an assembly location external to a present locus of user activity.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein presenting occurs via a surf ring in which only recommended real-time events are assigned to the surf ring.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein presenting occurs via a graphical user interface including an EPG.

10. A remote control device for use with a consumer electronics device, comprising:

a display adapted to provide user interface elements to the user;

a communication outlet adapted to communicate with the consumer electronics device; and

a processor adapted to:

choose via the consumer electronics device at least one real-time event based upon at least one criterion, wherein the at least one criterion of the at least one real-time event is additionally weighted by multiple factors, a first factor being based on when the real time event is set to begin and to end relative to the user's current time, a second factor being based on a specific penalty per unit time for causing said user to wait until a real time event starts, and a same or different penalty per unit time for an accumulated time a user misses a real-time event, to yield a list of real-time event recommendations; and

cause the display to communicate the list of real-time event recommendations to the user.

11. The remote control device of claim 10 , wherein the real-time event is a television show and the consumer electronics device is a television.

12. The remote control device of claim 10 , wherein the real-time event is a real-time Internet event and the consumer electronics device is an Internet browsing device.

13. The remote control device of claim 10 , wherein the list of real-time event recommendations comprises an electronic program guide.

14. A content experiencing apparatus for real-time events of interest, comprising:

at least one user interface mechanism adapted to perform the following operations:

provide real-time events of interest to the user; and

receive input from the user as to the user's selection of the real-time events provided;

a communication facility adapted to receive the real-time events of interest from an external provider;

a tuning facility for selecting the real-time events of interest to be received via the communication facility; and

a processor adapted to perform the following operations:

calculating at least one recommended piece of real-time event of interest from amongst a plurality of available real-time events based upon at least one criterion, wherein the at least one criterion of the at least one real-time event is additionally weighted by multiple factors, a first factor being based on when the real time event is set to begin and to end relative to the user's current time, a second factor being based on a specific penalty per unit time for causing said user to wait until a real time event starts, and a same or different penalty per unit time for an accumulated time a user misses a real-time event, to yield a list of real-time event recommendations, and

in response to a user input that does not contain either a specific tuning specification or a request for recommendation, automatically tuning the tuning facility to receive the recommended piece of real-time event.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein

the apparatus is a TV;

the communication facility comprises at least one of an antenna or a cable connection; and

the user interface mechanism comprises a television screen.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the user input is a channel up button actuation, but the automatic tuning does not go to the next channel up in sequence from a current channel.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the user input is a channel down button actuation, but the automatic tuning does not go to the next channel down in sequence from a current channel.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the user input is a power on actuation and the automatic tuning goes neither to a last channel previously viewed nor to a default channel.