Methods and techniques for adaptive search
View Patent ↗A user may establish a reservation for content that is not currently available to the user via a group of sources, including broadcast, streaming, and/or download sources. For example the a user may establish a reservation to record a broadcast of specific content that is currently not scheduled for broadcast. As another example, the user may establish a reservation for the purpose of alerting the user once a new movie becomes available through a subscription streaming service. Based on a reservation, the service provider and/or the user's media playback device may monitor content availability data for one or more sources. When the content is indicated as available, the user may be so informed. The content may then be streamed or downloaded, or a recording of the content may be scheduled. Additionally, or alternatively, the content may be automatically scheduled for recording or download.
1. A system for notifying users of availability of media content comprising:
control circuitry configured to:
receive input selecting metadata corresponding to a particular item of media content, and to receive input selecting, from a plurality of sources, one or more approved sources for the particular item of media content, the one or more approved sources being fewer in number than all sources in the plurality of sources;
responsive to determining that the particular item of media content is not yet known to be available at any specific time via any specific source in the one or more approved sources, generate, for a selected source of the one or more approved sources, an identifier comprising: (a) a source-identifier code uniquely identifying the source, and (b) an item-identifier code uniquely identifying the particular item of media content wherein the particular item is currently not yet known to be available at any specific time via any specific source in the one or more approved sources;
store a reservation data object that associates the particular item of media content with the identifier;
while subsequently comparing the item-identifier code and the source-identifier code in the reservation data object to updated content availability data for at least the one or more approved sources, determine that the particular item of media content will be available at least at a particular time via at least the selected source of the one or more approved sources; and
generate a notification that the particular item of media content will be available at the particular time via the selected source.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein the input subsystem is further configured to, responsive to a display of the notification, receive an instruction to download, stream, or record the particular item from the source; and
a content retrieval or recording subsystem, configured to, responsive to the instruction, download, stream, or record the particular item from the selected source, or scheduling said downloading, streaming, or recording.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more approved sources include at least a broadcast source and an Internet Protocol source.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the input selecting the one or approved more sources comprises an indication of one or more of: a plurality of sources available to a device operated by the user, a plurality of sources to which one or more users is subscribed, a selection of preferred source features, one or more global preferences, a request to view in the particular item in high-definition, a preference that specifically selects the one or more approved sources as approved for the particular item, a request that a first source of the plurality of sources from which the particular item is already available be ignored, or a request that no payment be required for the particular item of media content.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a content retrieval or recording subsystem, configured to automatically download or record the particular item in response to the reservation subsystem determining that the particular item will be available at a particular time.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reservation subsystem is further configured to:
determine that the particular item of media content will be available at least at a second particular time via at least a second source of the one or more approved sources; and
generate a prompt for user input selecting which of the selected source and the second source a particular device is to obtain the particular item.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more identifiers is a unique identifier in a content database, the content database describing, at any given time, at least certain media contents that are not yet available.
8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an interface subsystem configured to present an interface displaying at least the metadata for the particular item in association with a preview of the particular item or a list of movies showing in local theaters; and
wherein the input subsystem is further configured to receive the input selecting the metadata via the interface.
9. The system of claim 1 :
wherein the input selecting the particular item of media content indicates that the particular item is to be downloaded or recorded automatically when the particular item becomes available from any of the one or more approved sources; and
wherein the reservation subsystem is further configured to:
determine that the particular item of media content is available from at least a non-approved source of the plurality of sources at a certain time prior to becoming available via the selected source; and
generate a notification that the particular item of media content is alternatively available at the certain time via the non-approved source.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
querying a metadata database for additional metadata pertaining to at least one of the item-identifier code and the source-identifier code; and
modifying at least one of the item-identifier code and the source-identifier code based on the additional metadata.
11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions for generating notifications of availability for media content that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause performance of:
receiving input selecting metadata corresponding to a particular item of media content;
receiving input selecting, from a plurality of sources, one or more approved sources for the particular item of media content, the one or more approved sources being fewer in number than all sources in the plurality of sources;
responsive to determining that the particular item of media content is not yet known to be available at any specific time via any specific source in the one or more approved sources, generating, for a selected source of the one or more approved sources, an identifier comprising: (a) a source-identifier code uniquely identifying the source, and (b) an item-identifier code uniquely identifying the particular item of media content wherein the particular item is currently not yet known to be available at any specific time via any specific source in the one or more approved sources;
storing a reservation data object that associates the particular item of media content with the identifier;
while subsequently comparing the item-identifier code and the source-identifier code in the reservation data object to updated content availability data for at least the one or more approved sources, determining that the particular item of media content will be available at least at a particular time via at least the selected source of the one or more approved sources; and
generating a notification that the particular item of media content will be available at the particular time via the selected source.
12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:
responsive to displaying the notification, receiving an instruction to download, stream, or record the particular item from the source; and
responsive to the instruction, downloading, streaming, or recording the particular item from the selected source, or scheduling said downloading, streaming, or recording.
13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the one or more approved sources include at least a broadcast source and an Internet Protocol source.
14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the input selecting the one or approved more sources comprises an indication of one or more of: a plurality of sources available to a device operated by the user, a plurality of sources to which one or more users is subscribed, a selection of preferred source features, one or more global preferences, a request to view in the particular item in high-definition, a preference that specifically selects the one or more approved sources as approved for the particular item, a request that a first source of the plurality of sources from which the particular item is already available be ignored, or a request that no payment be required for the particular item of media content.
15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of automatically downloading or recording the particular item in response to determining that the particular item will be available at a particular time.
16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:
determining that the particular item of media content will be available at least at a second particular time via at least a second source of the one or more approved sources; and
generating a prompt for user input selecting which of the selected source and the second source a particular device is to obtain the particular item.
17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the one or more identifiers is a unique identifier in a content database, the content database describing, at any given time, at least certain media contents that are not yet available.
18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:
presenting an interface displaying at least the metadata for the particular item in association with a preview of the particular item or a list of movies showing in local theaters; and
receiving the input selecting the metadata via the interface.
19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:
wherein the input selecting the particular item of media content indicates that the particular item is to be downloaded or recorded automatically when the particular item becomes available from any of the one or more approved sources;
determining that the particular item of media content is available from at least a non-approved source of the plurality of sources at a certain time prior to becoming available via the selected source; and
generating a notification that the particular item of media content is alternatively available at the certain time via the non-approved source.
20. A method for generating notifications of availability for media content comprising:
receiving input selecting metadata corresponding to a particular item of media content;
receiving input selecting, from a plurality of sources, one or more approved sources for the particular item of media content, the one or more approved sources being fewer in number than all sources in the plurality of sources, wherein the particular item of media is not yet known to be available at any specific time via any specific source in the one or more approved sources;
responsive to determining that the particular item of media content is not yet known to be available at any specific time via any specific source in the one or more approved sources, generating, for a selected source of the one or more approved sources, an identifier comprising: (a) a source-identifier code uniquely identifying the source, and (b) an item-identifier code uniquely identifying the particular item of media content wherein the particular item is currently unavailable from the source;
storing a reservation data object that associates the particular item of media content with the identifier;
while subsequently comparing the item-identifier code and the source-identifier code in the reservation data object to updated content availability data for at least the one or more approved sources, determining that the particular item of media content will be available at least at a particular time via at least the selected source of the one or more approved sources; and
generating a notification that the particular item of media content will be available at the particular time via the selected source.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
responsive to displaying the notification, receiving an instruction to download, stream, or record the particular item from the source; and
responsive to the instruction, downloading, streaming, or recording the particular item from the selected source, or scheduling said downloading, streaming, or recording.