IP Library Granted Patent US 10,897,642
Granted Patent B2
US 10,897,642 · App. 16/366,387 · Granted Jan 19, 2021

Systems and methods for media content navigation and filtering

Inventor: George Grigore (Iasi, RO)
Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
H04N21/26603H04N21/23109H04N21/278H04N21/4828
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,897,642
App. No.
16/366,387
Granted
Jan 19, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The system generates a display providing storyline information. The display includes, for example, a plurality of storyline identifiers, a plurality of time period indicators, and a plurality of episode indicators. Episode indicators indicate an episode having a segment of the storyline corresponding to a storyline identifier. The system may receive a user input selecting a storyline, or further filtering an existing storyline to tailor the displayed information more closely to a storyline of interest. The system updates the display to each reflect segments within episodes corresponding to the selected storyline identifier. The display may include a grid, with the storyline identifiers arranged along one axis and the time period indicators arranged along a different axis. The system may process metadata to determine storylines, and filter what information is displayed based on user input, the metadata, or both. Storylines include, for example, characters, locations, plots, teams, players, or other attributes.

Claims (45)

1. A method for displaying storyline information of a program, the method comprising:

generating, using control circuitry, a plurality of storyline identifiers positioned along a first axis and a plurality of time period indicators positioned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis for display on a display device, wherein each storyline identifier corresponds to a storyline;

generating, using the control circuitry, for each storyline identifier a plurality of episode indicators positioned along an axis parallel to the second axis and aligned with the storyline identifier for display on the display device, wherein each episode indicator indicates an episode having a segment of the storyline corresponding to the storyline identifier with which it is aligned;

receiving a user input to a user interface selecting a storyline identifier of the plurality of storyline identifiers; and

updating the displayed time period indicators to each reflect a segment within an episode of an aligned episode identifier having the storyline corresponding to the selected storyline identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating for display a grid comprising the plurality of storyline identifiers, the plurality of time period indicators, and the plurality of episode indicators.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each time period indicator comprises at least one of a start time, an end time, and a duration of the segment.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each episode indicator comprises a season index and an episode index.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each storyline corresponds to a plurality of episodes of the program.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeating;

receiving a user input selecting a new storyline identifier of the plurality of storyline identifiers; and

updating the time period indicators to each reflect a time segment within an episode, of an aligned episode identifier, having the storyline corresponding to the new storyline identifier.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying metadata for the program;

identifying each storyline corresponding to the plurality of storyline identifiers; and

determining the plurality of time period indicators based at least in part on the metadata and at least in part on the plurality of storyline identifiers.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying the program based on user input; and

generating for display the plurality of storyline identifiers in response to the identifying the program, wherein the plurality of storyline identifiers each correspond to the program.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of storyline identifiers each correspond to at least one of a plot arc, a character, and a location depicted in the program.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising retrieving the plurality of storyline identifiers from a database based on the identifying the episodic program.

11. A system for displaying storyline information of a program, the system comprising:

a display device configured to provide a display to a user;

a user interface configured to receive a user input; and

control circuitry configured to:

generate a plurality of storyline identifiers positioned along a first axis and a plurality of time period indicators positioned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis for display on a display device, wherein each storyline identifier corresponds to a storyline;

generate, for each storyline identifier, a plurality of episode indicators positioned along an axis parallel to the second axis and aligned with the storyline identifier for display on the display device, wherein each episode indicator indicates an episode having a segment of the storyline corresponding to the storyline identifier with which it is aligned;

receive the user input to the user interface selecting a storyline identifier of the plurality of storyline identifiers; and

update the displayed time period indicators to each reflect a segment within an episode of an aligned episode identifier having the storyline corresponding to the selected storyline identifier.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display a grid comprising the plurality of storyline identifiers, the plurality of time period indicators, and the plurality of episode indicators.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein each time period indicator comprises at least one of a start time, an end time, and a duration of the segment.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein each episode indicator comprises a season index and an episode index.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein each storyline corresponds to a plurality of episodes of the program.

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

receive a new user input selecting a new storyline identifier of the plurality of storyline identifiers; and

update the time period indicators to each reflect a time segment within an episode, of an aligned episode identifier, having the storyline corresponding to the new storyline identifier.

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

identify metadata for the program;

identify each storyline corresponding to the plurality of storyline identifiers; and

determine the plurality of time period indicators based at least in part on the metadata and at least in part on the plurality of storyline identifiers.

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

identify the program based on user input; and

generate for display the plurality of storyline identifiers in response to the identifying the program, wherein the plurality of storyline identifiers each correspond to the program.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of storyline identifiers each correspond to at least one of a plot arc, a character, and a location depicted in the program.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to retrieve the plurality of storyline identifiers from a database based on the identifying the program.

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 Apr 8, 2019
From: GRIGORE, GEORGE
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 048816/0824 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200314477A1 · Oct 1, 2020
Cited By (2)
US 12,219,195 US 12,499,684