Cox Communications, Inc.

Catherine Elizabeth Thompson

Anant Pralhad Patil

Katy Kozee

Yousef Wasef Nijim

John Kelly King

Jay Paul Langa

Lisa Ann Pickelsimer

James Alan Strothmann

Thomas G Holzman

A last viewed zone comprising video streams of a predetermined number of last viewed channels is provided. Channels selected by a user are identified and added to a channel list, which is maintained and stored in a temporary repository. When a selection of the last viewed zone is received, a last viewed zone user interface comprising a predetermined number of channels from the channel list is generated for display on the user's display device in a mosaic fashion such that the video streams of each of the channels may be viewed simultaneously. Additional functionalities like audio may be provided for the video stream of user's choice. The channels within the channel list may include the last channels tuned-to on the viewing device and user selected channels.

Enabling a last viewed zone

Aspects of the present disclosure provide systems, methods, computer readable media, and/or other subject matter that enable use of sensor data to provide content recommendations, but are not so limited. A disclosed system operates to receive attributes of at least one human subject from one or more sensors as part of identifying recommended content items for display. A disclosed method operates to use one or more sensor data mapping parameters as part of identifying recommended content items for display.

Viewing recommendations based on sensor data

Automatic identification and creation of user profiles is provided. Interaction data for various users within a subscriber account is collected. Unique user profiles are automatically identified and created based on the interaction data. The identified user profiles are then matched against a plurality of available pre-categorized profiles. A unique set of settings and preferences may be applied to the user profile based on the matched pre-categorized profile and the collected interaction data. Personalization may be provided to the user upon establishment of the user profile. After creation of the user profile, additional user actions taken and the user's viewer history may be collected for further use. According to some aspects, when a user accesses a content item, notification is sent to the user to confirm a matched profile as an active profile. Once confirmation is received, associated settings and preferences are set according to the active profile.

Automatic identification and creation of user profiles

Systems and methods enable the use of biometric information to access personalized services provided by a service provider, but are not so limited. A disclosed system operates to receive biometric information in the form of fingerprint detection data from a fingerprint detection sensor and use fingerprint mapping parameters to provide personalizations to an associated user. A disclosed method operates to use fingerprint detection data associated with a detection of a user fingerprint by a fingerprint detection sensor and provide personalizations based on the fingerprint detection data.

Biometric access to personalized services

Automatic population of a programming guide mosaic screen is provided. Attributes relating to a user or group of users may be collected and utilized to identify one or more recommended content items relevant to the user. A visual display of the recommended content may comprise a combination of content currently airing on a channel selected by the user as a favorite channel, content rated highly by the user and/or by other users, content matching a commonly watched genre by the user, content associated with keyword searches, etc. Factors utilized to determine the type of content to automatically include in the programming guide mosaic screen may be dynamically updated according to changes in video viewing activity, received feedback, content purchases, or changes made to the user's preference data.

Automatic population of a programming guide mosaic screen

Generating and dynamically updating a personalized programming guide is provided. Personalized information associated with a user's viewing activity and interaction with a programming guide may be collected and communicated with a server. The server may share the personalized information with a database, which may process the information to identify one or more most watched channels and to determine recommendations for the user. Additional personalized settings may be collected, processed, and utilized to filter recommendations and relevant content. Recommendations and content tied to the user's favorite channels, most watched channels, and user-specified or automatically recognized genres and themes may be provided to the user via a client device or application. The user may access the personalized programming guide via a variety of client devices via various communication mechanisms.

Generating and dynamically updating a personalized programming guide

A customized programming guide mosaic screen is provided. A user may selectively customize a mosaic display of video content items provided in a programming guide screen. One or more options may be provided for customizing the programming guide mosaic screen. The one or more options may include an option for populating the programming guide mosaic screen with recommended video content, an option for populating the programming guide mosaic screen with video content items with metadata that is similarly matched with a selected video content item or with a video content item currently being viewed by the user, or an option for populating the programming guide mosaic screen with one or more video content items associated with a specific mood. Upon selection of an option, currently airing content matching the selected option may populate one or more video panes in the mosaic display of the programming guide screen.

Customized mosaic screen

Integration of a personalized mosaic screen within a programming guide is provided. The programming guide may be displayed in one of various formats including a mosaic format. The programming guide may be personalized to the user. For example, the user may select to view a display of currently airing content recommended to the user, a display of currently airing content similar to a selected or currently viewed program, a display of currently airing content fitting a specific mood, a display of currently airing content from the user's favorite channel(s), or a display of currently airing content fitting one or more user-selected or automatically-selected themes. The content personalized to the user may be displayed in any of the programming guide formats. The user may selectively switch to a different format, wherein the personalized content may be seamlessly provided in the selected format.

Personalized mosaic integrated with the guide

Content recommendations may be provided. First, in response to a received input and concurrent with a shrunken programming content, a media guide may be displayed. The media guide may comprise a first card, a second card, and a third card. The first card may comprise a plurality of recommendation types. The second card may comprise a plurality of subcategories corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of recommendation types. The third card may comprise a plurality of content program names corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of subcategories. The plurality of content program names may be in an order. Next, in response to a selection of a one of the plurality of content program names, an action card maybe displayed. Then a selected one of the plurality of actions may be executed.

Content recommendations

A user interface may be provided including a media guide. The media guide may comprise at least two display elements. One of the displayed at least two display elements may comprise an action card. The action card may be configured to display a plurality of actions that can be taken with respect to the one of the plurality of programs. The plurality of actions may include a parental information action.

Growing community of inventors

Roswell, GA, United States of America

Catherine Elizabeth Thompson