IP Library Granted Patent US 10,887,652
Granted Patent B2
US 10,887,652 · App. 16/296,967 · Granted Jan 5, 2021

Systems and methods for providing media content for continuous watching

Inventor: Daniel Robideaux (Morgan Hill, CA)
Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
H04N21/44008G06K9/00718G06K9/00744H04N21/4825H04N21/6587
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,887,652
App. No.
16/296,967
Granted
Jan 5, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems are described for providing media content for continuous watching. A command to play a series in a continuous watching mode is received. In response, and without detecting a further command to skip a portion of an episode, a first episode of the series is generated. Then, in response to conclusion of the first episode, end credits of the first episode and title credits of a next episode of the series are automatically skipped; and the next episode of the series is automatically generated for display.

Claims (55)

1. A method for providing media content for continuous watching, the method comprising:

receiving a command to play a series in a continuous watching mode, wherein the series comprises a plurality of sequential episodes; and

in response to receiving the command to play the series in a continuous watching mode, and without detecting a further command to skip a portion of an episode:

generating for display a first episode of the series; and

in response to conclusion of the first episode:

automatically skipping end credits of the first episode and title credits of a next episode of the series; and

automatically generating for display the next episode of the series,

wherein automatically generating for display the next episode of the series comprises:

generating for display the next episode of the series immediately after the conclusion of the first episode;

generating for display a first frame of the next episode immediately after generating for display the last frame of the first episode; and

buffering frames of the next episode before the conclusion of the first episode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the command to play the series in the continuous watching mode comprises:

receiving a selection of the series; and

receiving a selection of an option to play the series in the continuous watching mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically skipping the end credits of the first episode comprises:

identifying frames of the first episode that are a part of the end credits; and

preventing generation for display of the identified frames.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically skipping the title credits of the next episode comprises:

identifying frames of the next episode that are a part of the title credits; and

preventing generation for display of the identified frames.

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

detecting that the first episode will finish playing after a predetermined time period, and

wherein the buffering of the frames of the content portion of the next episode is performed in response to the detecting.

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

identifying the end credits and the title credits by examining metadata of the episodes of the series.

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

identifying the end credits and the title credits by comparing the first episode and the next episode to each other to identify similar portions of the episodes.

8. A system for providing media content for continuous watching, the system comprising:

input/output circuitry configured to receive a command to play a series in a continuous watching mode, wherein the series comprises a plurality of sequential episodes; and

control circuitry configured to:

in response to receiving the command to play the series in a continuous watching mode, and without detecting a further command to skip a portion of an episode:

generate for display a first episode of the series; and

in response to conclusion of the first episode:

automatically skip end credits of the first episode and title credits of a next episode of the series; and

automatically generate for display the next episode of the series,

wherein the control circuitry is configured to automatically generate for display the next episode of the series by:

generating for display the next episode of the series immediately after the conclusion of the first episode;

generating for display a first frame of the next episode immediately after generating for display the last frame of the first episode; and

buffering frames of the next episode before the conclusion of the first episode.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the input/output circuitry is configured to receive the command to play the series in the continuous watching mode by:

receiving a selection of the series; and

receiving a selection of an option to play the series in the continuous watching mode.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to automatically skip the end credits of the first episode by:

identifying frames of the first episode that are a part of the end credits; and

preventing generation for display of the identified frames.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to automatically skip the title credits of the next episode by:

identifying frames of the next episode that are a part of the title credits; and

preventing generation for display of the identified frames.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:

detect that the first episode will finish playing after a predetermined time period, and

wherein the control circuitry is configured to buffer the frames of the content portion of the next episode in response to the detecting.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:

identify the end credits and the title credits by examining metadata of the episodes of the series.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:

identify the end credits and the title credits by comparing the first episode and the next episode to each other to identify similar portions of the episodes.

Assignments (7)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 3, 2024
From: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
To: ADEIA GUIDES INC.
Reel/Frame 069106/0178 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053481/0790 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053458/0749 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2020
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS INC.; VEVEO, INC.; INVENSAS CORPORATION; INVENSAS BONDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; TESSERA, INC.; TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DTS, INC.; PHORUS, INC.; IBIQUITY DIGITAL CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053468/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051110/0006 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051143/0468 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 8, 2019
From: ROBIDEAUX, DANIEL
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 048551/0700 →
Continuity (1)
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