IP Library Granted Patent US 9,654,839
Granted Patent B2
US 9,654,839 · App. 15/295,916 · Granted May 16, 2017

Cross-platform interface for a television device

Inventors: Ronald Jacoby (Saratoga, CA); Scott Lincke (San Carlos, CA)
Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
H04N21/6547H04N5/44543H04N21/2393H04N21/251H04N21/25825H04N21/25891H04N21/2665H04N21/2668H04N21/44204H04N21/458H04N21/4532H04N21/4622H04N21/4782H04N21/4821H04N21/4826H04N2005/44556
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,654,839
App. No.
15/295,916
Granted
May 16, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for providing an interface for a television device is provided, including the following method operations: identifying available services for consumption on a television device, wherein the available services include two or more of a broadcast television service, an on-demand video service, and an internet content service; determining a current date and time; determining content items available for consumption from each of the available services at the current date and time; determining an allocation of display locations in a cross-platform interface for content items from each of the available services, the allocation defining a relative amount of display locations for each of the available services based on a device profile associated with the television device; assigning content items to the display locations in accordance with the determined allocation.

Claims (41)

1. A method for providing an interface for a television device, comprising:

receiving, over a network by a server computer, a request from the television device;

responsive to receiving the request, identifying, by the server computer, available services for consumption on the television device, wherein the available services include two or more of a broadcast television service, an on-demand video service, and an internet content service;

determining, by the server computer, content items available for consumption from each of the available services, by accessing listings data over a network from at least one listings source;

determining, by the server computer, based on a device profile associated with the television device, a relative recommendation amount for each of the available services, that determines an allotted number of display locations in the interface for each of the available services;

assigning, by the server computer, content items to the display locations, wherein content items of a given available service are assigned until the allotted number of display locations for the given available service are filled; and

transmitting, by the server computer over the network to the television device, data identifying the assignment of the content items, to effect rendering of the interface on the television device, the rendered interface providing access to the assigned content items.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device profile defines time-dependent viewing preferences associated with the television device, the relative recommendation amount for each of the available services being determined for a current time according to the time-dependent viewing preferences.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the time-dependent viewing preferences define a recurring schedule of variable preference settings.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the device profile is defined from analysis of a viewing history of the television device to identify recurring patterns of content viewing from each of the available services, the identified recurring patterns of content viewing being processed to define the recurring schedule of variable preference settings for the device profile, wherein the recurring schedule of variable preference settings identifies time-dependent preferences for content from each of the available services.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the relative amount of display locations for each of the available services is determined from referencing a current time to the recurring schedule of variable preference settings to identify preferences for content from the available services at the current time.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising,

monitoring content consumption through the television device;

updating the device profile based on the monitored content consumption.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein updating the device profile based on the monitored content consumption is configured to change the allocation of display locations in the interface for content items from each of the available services.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising,

determining a ranked order for the content items for each available service;

wherein assigning content items to the display locations is based on the ranked order.

9. The method of claim 8 ,

wherein an arrangement of the display locations defines a prioritized layout;

wherein assigning content items to the display locations is based on the prioritized layout.

10. A method for providing an interface for a television device, comprising:

receiving, over a network by a server computer, a request from the television device;

responsive to receiving the request, identifying, by the server computer, available content items for consumption on the television device, by accessing listings data over a network from at least one listings source, the content items being classified by a plurality of genres;

determining, by the server computer, based on a device profile associated with the television device, a relative recommendation amount for each of the genres, that determines an allotted number of display locations in the interface for each of the genres;

assigning, by the server computer, content items to the display locations, wherein content items of a given genre are assigned until the allotted number of display locations for the given genre are filled; and

transmitting, by the server computer over the network to the television device, data identifying the assignment of the content items, to effect rendering of the interface on the television device, the rendered interface providing access to the assigned content items.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the device profile defines time-dependent viewing preferences associated with the television device, the relative recommendation amount for each of the genres being determined for a current time according to the time-dependent viewing preferences.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the time-dependent viewing preferences define a recurring schedule of variable preference settings.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the device profile is defined from analysis of a viewing history of the television device to identify recurring patterns of content viewing from each of the genres, the identified recurring patterns of content viewing being processed to define the recurring schedule of variable preference settings for the device profile, wherein the recurring schedule of variable preference settings identifies time-dependent preferences for content from each of the genres.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the relative amount of display locations for each of the genres is determined from referencing a current time to the recurring schedule of variable preference settings to identify preferences for content from the genres at the current time.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising,

monitoring content consumption through the television device;

updating the device profile based on the monitored content consumption.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein updating the device profile based on the monitored content consumption is configured to change the allocation of display locations in the interface for content items from each of the genres.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising,

determining a ranked order for the content items for each genre;

wherein assigning content items to the display locations is based on the ranked order.

18. The method of claim 17 ,

wherein an arrangement of the display locations defines a prioritized layout;

wherein assigning content items to the display locations is based on the prioritized layout.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE ASSIGNOR NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 052853 FRAME: 0153. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 29, 2021
From: R2 SOLUTIONS LLC
To: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056832/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2021
From: EXCALIBUR IP, LLC
To: R2 SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 055283/0483 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053654 FRAME 0254. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST GRANTED PURSUANT TO THE PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED. Recorded Dec 30, 2020
From: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP
To: R2 SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 054981/0377 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jul 8, 2020
From: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP
To: ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC; AMERICAN VEHICULAR SCIENCES LLC; BONUTTI SKELETAL INNOVATIONS LLC; CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT LLC; INNOVATIVE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; LIFEPORT SCIENCES LLC; LIMESTONE MEMORY SYSTEMS LLC; MOBILE ENHANCEMENT SOLUTIONS LLC; MONARCH NETWORKING SOLUTIONS LLC; NEXUS DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; PARTHENON UNIFIED MEMORY ARCHITECTURE LLC; R2 SOLUTIONS LLC; SAINT LAWRENCE COMMUNICATIONS LLC; STINGRAY IP SOLUTIONS LLC; SUPER INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGIES LLC; TELECONFERENCE SYSTEMS LLC; UNIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 053654/0254 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC; AMERICAN VEHICULAR SCIENCES LLC; BONUTTI SKELETAL INNOVATIONS LLC; CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT LLC; INNOVATIVE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; LIFEPORT SCIENCES LLC; LIMESTONE MEMORY SYSTEMS LLC; MERTON ACQUISITION HOLDCO LLC; MOBILE ENHANCEMENT SOLUTIONS LLC; MONARCH NETWORKING SOLUTIONS LLC; NEXUS DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; PARTHENON UNIFIED MEMORY ARCHITECTURE LLC; R2 SOLUTIONS LLC; SAINT LAWRENCE COMMUNICATIONS LLC; STINGRAY IP SOLUTIONS LLC; SUPER INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGIES LLC; TELECONFERENCE SYSTEMS LLC; UNIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052853/0153 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14069277 · Oct 31, 2013
Related Publication 20170034590A1 · Feb 2, 2017