Systems and methods for recommending content

1. A method for recommending content, the method comprising:

receiving, at a user equipment device during a first time interval, a first input from a remote control device operated by a first user positioned in a viewing area;

in response to receiving the first input:

transmitting a first instruction to activate an image capturing device; and

receiving, from the image capturing device, a first image of the viewing area;

detecting in the received first image that the remote control device is positioned at a position;

retrieving, from the storage device, a first profile associated with a portion of the viewing area that includes the detected position of the remote control device in the received first image;

determining a first media content of interest based on the retrieved first profile;

generating a display recommending the first media content to the first user;

receiving, at the user equipment device during the first time interval, a second input from the remote control device operated by a second user positioned in the viewing area, wherein the second user is different from the first user;

in response to receiving the second input:

transmitting a second instruction to activate the image capturing device; and

receiving, from the image capturing device, a second image of the viewing area;

detecting in the received second image that the remote control device is positioned at the position;

retrieving, from the storage device, the first profile associated with the portion of the viewing area that includes the detected position of the remote control device in the received second image;

determining a second media content of interest based on the retrieved first profile; and

generating a display recommending the second media content to the second user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieved first profile includes a viewing history of media content selected when the remote control device was positioned in a vicinity of the determined position in the viewing area.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the viewing history includes at least one of (i) the media content selected in a vicinity of a particular time, and (ii) the media content selected on a particular day.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting in the received first image that the remote control device is positioned at the position comprises:

receiving a signal from the remote control device that is captured in the first image;

identifying a location of one or more pixels that are activated in the first image due to the signal from the remote control device; and

determining the position of the remote control device based on the identified location.

5. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

receiving two signals simultaneously from the remote control device;

identifying a first location of one or more pixels and a second location of one or more pixels that are activated in the first image due to the two signals from the remote control device;

retrieving a distance associated with the two signals;

calculating a distance of the remote control device from a display device in the viewing area based on the identified first and second locations and the retrieved distance; and

determining the position of the remote control device based on the identified first and second locations and the distance.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the two signals are received simultaneously from two infrared (IR) devices included in the remote control device.

7. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

determining a location of a third user in the viewing area when the second user is in the viewing area;

retrieving, from the storage device, a profile based on the location of the third user; and

determining at least one media content of interest to both users based on the retrieved profiles.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the location of the third user in the viewing area comprises:

analyzing the received second image to detect silhouettes corresponding to one or more users;

retrieving, from the storage device, a silhouette for the third user;

comparing the retrieved silhouette for the third user to the silhouettes detected in the second image; and

determining the location of the third user in the viewing area based on the comparison.

9. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

receiving a plurality of inputs from the remote control device over a period of time;

receiving, from the image capturing device, a plurality of images of the viewing area over the period of time;

clustering a plurality of positions in the viewing area to define a user area based on the position of the remote control device in each captured image; and

associating the defined user area with the first user.

10. The method of claim 9 , the method further comprising:

receiving, from the image capturing device, the first image of the viewing area;

analyzing the received first image to detect the position of the remote control device;

determining the user area associated with the detected position; and

retrieving, from the storage device, the first profile associated with the portion of the viewing area based on the determined user area.

11. A system for recommending content, the system comprising:

control circuitry configured to:

receive a first input from a remote control device operated by a first user positioned in a viewing area;

in response to receiving the first input;

transmit a first instruction to activate an image capturing device; and

receive, from the image capturing device, a first image of the viewing area;

detect in the received first image that the remote control device is positioned at a position;

retrieve, from a storage device, a first profile associated with a portion of the viewing area that includes the detected position of the remote control device in the received first image;

determine a first media content of interest based on the retrieved first profile;

generate a display recommending the first media content to the first user;

receive, at the user equipment device, a second input from the remote control device operated by a second user positioned in the viewing area, wherein the second user is different from the first user;

in response to receiving the second input:

transmit a second instruction to activate the image capturing device; and

receive, from the image capturing device, a second image of the viewing area;

detect in the received second image that the remote control device is positioned at the position;

retrieve, from the storage device, the first profile associated with the portion of the viewing area that includes the detected position of the remote control device in the received second image;

determine a second media content of interest based on the retrieved first profile; and

generate a display recommending the second media content to the second user.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the retrieved first profile is based on a viewing history of media content selected when the remote control device is positioned in a vicinity of the determined position in the viewing area.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the viewing history only includes at least one of (i) the media content selected in a vicinity of a particular time, and (ii) the media content selected on a particular day.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry for detecting in the received first image that the remote control device is positioned at the position is further configured to:

receive a signal from the remote control device that is captured in the first image;

identify a location of one or more pixels that are activated in the first image due to the signal from the remote control device; and

determine the position of the remote control device based on the identified location.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive two signals simultaneously from the remote control device;

identify a first location of one or more pixels and a second location of one or more pixels that are activated in the first image due to the two signals from the remote control device;

retrieve a distance associated with the two signals;

calculate a distance of the remote control device from a display device in the viewing area based on the identified first and second locations and the retrieved distance; and

determine the position of the remote control device based on the identified first and second locations and the distance.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the two signals are received simultaneously from two infrared (IR) devices included in the remote control device.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine a location of a third user in the viewing area when the second user is in the viewing area;

retrieve, from the storage device, a profile based on the location of the third user; and

determine at least one media content of interest to both users based on the retrieved profiles.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the control circuitry for determining the location of the third user in the viewing area is further configured to:

analyze the received second image to detect silhouettes corresponding to one or more users;

retrieve, from the storage device, a silhouette for the third user;

compare the retrieved silhouette for the third user to the silhouettes detected in the second image; and

determine the location of the third user in the viewing area based on the comparison.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a plurality of inputs from the remote control device over a period of time;

receive, from the image capturing device, a plurality of images of the viewing area over the period of time;

cluster a plurality of positions in the viewing area to define a user area based on the position of the remote control device in each captured image; and

associate the defined user area with the first user.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive, from the image capturing device, the first image of the viewing area;

analyze the received first image to detect the position of the remote control device;

determine the user area associated with the detected position; and

retrieve, from the storage device, the first profile associated with the portion of the viewing area based on the determined user area.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving the first profile further comprises:

determining when the detected position of the remote control is within a user area; and

based on the determining, retrieving the first profile associated with the user area.

22. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry for retrieving the first profile is further configured to:

determine when the detected position of the remote control is within a user area; and

based on the determining, retrieve the first profile associated with the user area.

23. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the user equipment device during a second time interval, a third input from the remote control device operated by the first user positioned in the viewing area, wherein the second time interval is different from the first time interval;

in response to receiving the third input:

transmitting a third instruction to activate the image capturing device; and

receiving, from the image capturing device, a third image of the viewing area;

detecting in the received third image that the remote control device is positioned at the position;

retrieving, from the storage device, a second profile associated with the portion of the viewing area that includes the detected position of the remote control device, wherein the second profile is different from the first profile;

determining a third media content of interest based on the retrieved second profile; and

generating a display recommending the third media content to the first user.

24. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive, during a second time interval, a third input from the remote control device operated by the first user positioned in the viewing area, wherein the second time interval is different from the first time interval;

in response to receiving the third input:

transmit a third instruction to activate the image capturing device; and

receive, from the image capturing device, a third image of the viewing area;

detect in the received third image that the remote control device is positioned at the position;

retrieve, from the storage device, a second profile associated with the portion of the viewing area that includes the detected position of the remote control device, wherein the second profile is different from the first profile;

determine a third media content of interest based on the retrieved second profile; and

generate a display recommending the third media content to the first user.