IP Library Granted Patent US 12,659,549
Granted Patent B2
US 12,659,549 · App. 18/541,963 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

User interface for improving user engagement on a media content item being presented

Inventors: Tao Chen (Palo Alto, CA); Ning Xu (Irvine, CA)
Assignee: Adeia Guides Inc.
H04N21/4725G06F9/451
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,659,549
App. No.
18/541,963
Granted
Jun 16, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for improving, by a device, user engagement on a media content item being presented. To do so, the device presents, to the user, a poll related to the media content item during the presentation of the media content item. The device generates the poll by e.g., analyzing the media content item to identify multiple events, categorizing the multiple events based on the analyzing, selecting an event category and selecting randomly at least one event outcome within the selected event category. The device is able to choose, upon a user input, an event outcome among the randomly-selected at least one event outcome.

Claims (77)

1 . A method comprising:

determining first metadata relating to a plurality of events in a media content item;

categorizing the plurality of events based on the first metadata to obtain a plurality of event categories;

selecting an event category of the plurality of event categories, wherein the selected event category is associated with a plurality of event outcomes;

selecting, randomly, at least one event outcome of the plurality of event outcomes within the selected event category;

accessing second metadata to determine a probability of occurrence of the at least one event outcome; and

generating for simultaneous display, on a user interface of a device, for each event outcome of the randomly-selected at least one event outcome:

at least one selectable element; and

an indication of the probability of occurrence.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying each event outcome of the randomly-selected at least one event outcome by a respective number; and

launching another user interface that randomly provides a result matching the respective number of one of the randomly-selected at least one event outcome.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the first metadata relating to the plurality of events further comprises:

analyzing the media content item to determine a count of event outcomes for a predetermined duration based on a first time of presentation of the media content item.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the categorizing the plurality of events based on the first metadata comprises:

accessing a list of event categories, wherein each event category comprises the at least one event outcome;

comparing each event outcome whose count was determined with the at least one event outcome of each event category; and

in response to the comparing, assigning each event outcome whose count was determined to at least one event category.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting, randomly, the at least one event outcome within the selected event category comprises:

determining a plurality of time windows in the media content item;

determining a plurality of persons in the media content item; and

determining a plurality of actions in the media content item, performed by a person of the plurality of persons during a time window of the plurality of time windows; and wherein:

a combination of the time window of the plurality of time windows, the person of the plurality of persons and an action of the plurality of actions corresponds to an event outcome of the randomly-selected at least one event outcome.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

launching another user interface that randomly provides the combination of the time window of the plurality of the time windows, the person of the plurality of persons and the action of the plurality of actions.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein:

progression points of the media content item corresponding to the time window of the randomly-provided combination and a supplemental content item are being presented upon a provision of the randomly-provided combination.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the time window of the randomly-provided combination is defined from an end point, wherein the end point comprises a progression point within the media content item;

the person of the randomly-provided combination is determined based on the first metadata; and

the action of the randomly-provided combination is determined based on the first metadata.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the time window of the randomly-provided combination is defined from a start point, wherein the start point comprises a progression point within the media content item;

the person of the randomly-provided combination is determined based on the first metadata; and

the action of the randomly-provided combination is determined based on the first metadata.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining the first metadata relating to the plurality of events in the media content item comprises identifying one or more persons shown in the media content item; and

accessing the second metadata to determine the probability of occurrence of the at least one event outcome comprises identifying one or more respective statistics for each of the one or more persons, wherein the one or more respective statistics indicate a likelihood of at least one of the one or more persons performing the at least one event outcome.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating for display, on the user interface of the device, each of the at least one event outcomes as a respective icon; and

providing an indication of a sequential order of each of the respective icons, wherein the sequential order is arranged circularly.

12 . A system comprising:

control circuitry configured to:

determine first metadata relating to a plurality of events in a media content item;

categorize the plurality of events based on the first metadata to obtain a plurality of event categories;

select an event category of the plurality of event categories, wherein the selected event category is associated with a plurality of event outcomes;

select, randomly, at least one event outcome of the plurality of event outcomes within the selected event category;

access second metadata to determine a probability of occurrence of the at least one event outcome; and

generate for simultaneous display, a user interface of a device, for each event outcome of the randomly-selected at least one event outcome:

at least one selectable element; and

an indication of the probability of occurrence.

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

identify each event outcome of the randomly-selected at least one event outcome by a respective number; and

launch another user interface that randomly provides a result matching the respective number of one of the randomly-selected at least one event outcome.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine the first metadata relating to the plurality of events by:

analyzing the media content item to determine a count of event outcomes for a predetermined duration based on a first time of presentation of the media content item.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to categorize the plurality of events based on the first metadata by:

accessing a list of event categories, wherein each event category comprises the at least one event outcome;

comparing each event outcome whose count was determined with the at least one event outcome of each event category; and

in response to the comparing, assigning each event outcome whose count was determined to at least one event category.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to select, randomly, the at least one event outcome within the selected event category by:

determining a plurality of time windows in the media content item;

determining a plurality of persons in the media content item; and

determining a plurality of actions in the media content item, performed by a person of the plurality of persons during a time window of the plurality of time windows; and wherein:

a combination of the time window of the plurality of time windows, the person of the plurality of persons and an action of the plurality of actions corresponds to an event outcome of the randomly-selected at least one event outcome.

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

launch another user interface that randomly provides the combination of the time window of the plurality of time windows, the person of the plurality of persons and the action of the plurality of actions.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein:

progression points of the media content item corresponding to the time window of the randomly-provided combination and a supplemental content item are being presented upon a provision of the randomly-provided combination.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein:

the time window of the randomly-provided combination is defined from an end point, wherein the end point comprises a progression point within the media content item;

the person of the randomly-provided combination is determined based on the first metadata; and

the action of the randomly-provided combination is determined based on the first metadata.

20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein:

the time window of the randomly-provided combination is defined from a start point, wherein the start point comprises a progression point within the media content item;

the person of the randomly-provided combination is determined based on the first metadata; and

the action of the randomly-provided combination is determined based on the first metadata.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2024
From: CHEN, TAO; XU, NING
To: ADEIA GUIDES INC.
Reel/Frame 067043/0934 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250203168A1 · Jun 19, 2025
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