Systems and methods for automatically recording content based on user web activity data

1. A method, comprising:

collecting, by a user computer device, user web activity information associated with a user, the user web activity information including at least one of: web search information associated with web searches performed using the user computer device, and social media information associated with the user;

receiving, by a set top box, the user web activity information from the user computer device;

accessing user profile information associated with the user stored in a user profile information database, the user profile information indicating an allotment of timers among a total number of timers available for recording content that are assigned to the user, the user profile information including user-provided timer priority information indicating an order of priority for manually set timers and automatically set timers, the timer priority information further indicating an order of priority between timers assigned to different users associated with the set top box;

receiving, by the set top box, program content and content information from a content providing system, the content information being associated with program content that will be available for viewing via the set top box at a future time;

comparing the received user web activity information and the received content information to determine program content relevant to the user;

determining, based on the allotment of timers assigned to the user and the timer priority information, whether a timer assigned to the user will be available for automatically recording the program content relevant to the user at the time the program content will be available for viewing;

in response to determining that a timer assigned to the user will be available for automatically recording the program content, automatically setting the timer in the set top box, in advance of the time when the program content relevant to the user will be available for viewing, to record the program content relevant to the user at the time the program content becomes available for viewing; and

recording the program content relevant to the user at the time the program content becomes available for viewing.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing the received user web activity information in one or more user web activity information databases; and

storing the received content information in a content information database.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein storing the received user web activity information in one or more user web activity information databases includes storing the received user web activity information in at least one of a user web search database and a user social media database.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the user web search database and the user social media database is stored in the set top box.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the user web search database and the user social media database is stored on a server remote from the set top box.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting a message to the user computer device indicating that the timer has been automatically set to record the program content relevant to the user; and

receiving a message from the user, via the user computer device, instructing the set top box to record the program content relevant to the user at the time the program content becomes available for viewing.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing program content access restriction information associated with the user,

wherein automatically setting the timer includes automatically setting the timer to record the program content relevant to the user if the program content is not restricted for recording by the user.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving user-provided information indicating a period of time for storing the recorded program content; and

automatically deleting the stored recorded program content after the recorded program content has been stored for the period of time.

9. A system for recording program content relevant to a user, comprising:

a receiving device having a processor and a computer-readable storage medium;

one or more web activity information databases storing web activity information associated with the user, the web activity information including at least one of: web search information associated with web searches performed using the user computer device, and social media information associated with the user;

a user profile information database storing user profile information associated with the user, the user profile information indicating an allotment of timers among a total number of timers available for recording content that are assigned to the user, the user profile information including timer priority information indicating an order of priority for manually set timers and automatically set timers; and

a content information database storing content information associated with program content that will be available for viewing via the receiving device at a future time,

the receiving device being configured to:

determine the program content relevant to the user based on a comparison of the user web activity information and the content information;

determine, based on the allotment of timers assigned to the user and the timer priority information, whether a timer assigned to the user will be available for automatically recording the program content relevant to the user at the time the program content will be available for viewing; and

in response to determining that a timer assigned to the user will be available for automatically recording the program content, automatically set the timer, in advance of the time when the program content relevant to the user will be available for viewing, to record the program content relevant to the user at the time the program content relevant to the user becomes available for viewing.

10. The system of claim 9 , the one or more user web activity information databases including at least one of a user web search database and a user social media database.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the user web search database and the user social media database is stored in the receiving device.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the user web search database and the user social media database is stored on a server remote from the receiving device.

13. The system of claim 9 , the receiving device being further configured to:

transmit a message to a user computer device indicating that the timer has been automatically set to record the program content relevant to the user; and

receive a message from the user, via the user computer device, instructing the receiving device to record the program content relevant to the user at the time the program content becomes available for viewing.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the user profile information includes program content access restriction information associated with the user.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the receiving device includes an Internet television application.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the timer priority information stored in user profile information database includes user-provided timer priority information that indicates an order of priority between timers assigned to different users associated with the receiving device.

17. The system of claim 9 , the receiving device being further configured to:

receive user-provided information indicating a period of time for storing the automatically recorded program content; and

automatically delete the recorded program content after the recorded program content has been stored for the period of time.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive user web activity information associated with a user of a receiving device, the user web activity information including at least one of: web search information associated with web searches performed using the user computer device, and social media information associated with the user;

receive user profile information associated with the user stored in a user profile information database, the user profile information indicating an allotment of timers among a total number of timers available for recording content that are assigned to the user, the user profile information including timer priority information indicating an order of priority for manually set timers and automatically set timers;

receive content information associated with program content that will be available for viewing via the receiving device at a future time;

compare the received user web activity information and the received content information to determine program content relevant to the user;

determine, based on the allotment of timers assigned to the user and the timer priority information, whether a timer assigned to the user will be available for automatically recording the program content relevant to the user at the time the program content will be available for viewing; and

in response to determining that a timer assigned to the user will be available for automatically recording the program content, provide an instruction to automatically set the timer, in advance of the time when the program content relevant to the user will be available for viewing, to record the program content relevant to the user at the time the program content becomes available for viewing.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the processor is located remote from the receiving device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the timer priority information includes user-provided timer priority information that indicates an order of priority between timers assigned to different users associated with the receiving device, the instructions which, when executed by a processor, further cause the processor to:

determine whether the timer assigned to the user will be available for automatically recording the program content relevant to the user, based further on the user-provided timer priority information.