System and method for distributed trick play resolution using user preferences
View Patent ↗Distributed trick play resolution in a distributed video viewing group network includes determining trick play preferences for each of a plurality of peer nodes in the distributed video viewing group network with respect to a video item. Conflicting trick play preferences between the peer nodes is determined based on one or more of a group consisting of: user rankings, user voting, trick play ranking, and owner resolution. The determined conflicting trick play preferences are resolved.
1. A method of distributed trick play resolution in a distributed video viewing group network, the method comprising:
determining trick play preferences for each of a plurality of peer nodes in the distributed video viewing group network with respect to a video item;
determining conflicting trick play preferences between the peer nodes based on one or more of a group consisting of: user rankings, user voting, trick play ranking, and owner resolution; and
resolving the determined conflicting trick play preferences.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distributed media group network comprises a distributed video viewing group network and the media item comprises a video item.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising maintaining information at each of the plurality of peer nodes, the information including one or more of a user profile, genre preferences, a content history, and semantic relationships.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the user profile comprises at least one of demographics and account information.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the content history comprises at least one of video content viewed, video content skipped, and video content rewound.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the semantic relationships comprise a cache of genres and content which is semantically relevant to a user's preferences.
7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising using the information maintained at each peer node to automatically generate a trick play mapping file.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the trick play mapping file comprises a data structure that identifies a user and comprises a substructure for each scene of the video item, the substructure comprising a scene identification and trick play actions that are allowed, denied, or do not matter to the user for a particular scene.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the mapping file generated at each peer node is distributed up front to all other peer nodes for a merge function to generate one mapping file for the entire distributed video viewing group network.
10. The method of claim 8 ; wherein the mapping file generated at each peer node is passed to a single peer node or a remote service, and wherein the single peer node or remote service merges all of the mapping files into a single, master mapping file for the entire distributed video viewing group network, the method further comprising passing the single, master mapping file back to the individual peer nodes, and each peer node consulting the single, master mapping file before making a trick play request.
11. The method of claim 2 , wherein a user at a particular peer node selects scenes from the video item and examines the scenes explicitly and manually sets the trick play preferences.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trick play preferences comprise one or more of no trick play allowed at all, pause allowed, pause not allowed, fast forward allowed, fast forward not allowed, rewind allowed, and rewind not allowed.
13. A media system for trick play content resolution in a distributed video viewing group network, comprising:
a server configured to:
determine trick play preferences for each of a plurality of peer nodes in the distributed video viewing group network with respect to a video item;
determine conflicting trick play preferences between the peer nodes based on one or more of a group consisting of: user rankings, user voting, trick play ranking, and owner resolution; and
resolve the determined conflicting trick play preferences.
14. The media system of claim 13 , wherein the server is configured to automatically generate a trick play mapping file.
15. The media system of claim 14 , wherein the trick play mapping file comprises a data structure that identifies a user and comprises a substructure for each scene of the video item, the substructure comprising a scene identification and trick play actions that are allowed, denied, or do not matter to the user for a particular scene.
16. A media system for trick play content resolution in a distributed video viewing group network, comprising:
a peer device configured to:
determine trick play preferences for each of a plurality of peer nodes in the distributed video viewing group network with respect to a video item;
determine conflicting trick play preferences between the peer nodes based on one or more of a group consisting of: user rankings, user voting, trick play ranking, and owner resolution; and
resolve the determined conflicting trick play preferences.
17. The media system of claim 16 , wherein the peer device is configured to automatically generate a trick play mapping file.
18. The media system of claim 17 , wherein the trick play mapping file comprises a data structure that identifies a user and comprises a substructure for each scene of the video item, the substructure comprising a scene identification and trick play actions that are allowed, denied, or do not matter to the user for a particular scene.
19. The media system claim 17 , wherein the mapping file generated by the peer node is distributed to the other peer nodes for a merge function to generate one mapping file for the entire distributed video viewing group network.
20. The media system of claim 19 , wherein the mapping file generated by the peer node is passed to another single peer node or a remote service, and wherein the single peer node or remote service merges all of the mapping files from all the peer nodes into a single, master mapping file for the entire distributed video viewing group network, and wherein the single peer node or remote service passes the single, master mapping file back to the peer node, such that the peer node consults the single, master mapping file before making a trick play request.
21. A tangible computer readable medium storing a computer program, executable by a machine, for trick play content resolution in a distributed video viewing group network, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:
determining trick play preferences for each of a plurality of peer nodes in the distributed video viewing group network with respect to a video item;
determining conflicting trick play preferences between the peer nodes based on one or more of a group consisting of: user rankings, user voting, trick play ranking, and owner resolution; and
resolving the determined conflicting trick play preferences.