Rovi Guides, Inc.

Young A Tang

William L Thomas

Michael R Nichols

Robin M Ford

Helen Zhang

Paul T Stathacopoulos

Systems and methods for re-recording content associated with popularity that re-emerged are provided. A plurality of media assets is recorded. Responsive to determining that popularity of a given one of the plurality of media assets fell below a first threshold, the given media asset is selected for deletion and the given media asset is added to a list of a plurality of media assets that have been selected for deletion. Popularity for the given media asset in the list is retrieved after selecting the given media asset for deletion. The retrieved popularity of the given media asset, which previously fell below the first threshold, is compared to a second threshold. In response to determining that the retrieved popularity of the given media asset, which previously fell below the first threshold, is now above the second threshold, an action relating to re-recording the given media asset is performed.

Systems and methods for re-recording content associated with re-emerged popularity

Systems and methods for controlling media access based on crowd-sourced access control data and user attributes are provided. Crowd-sourced data is received from several sources in order to determine what media assets consumers are accessing, and catalog attributes of the media assets and attributes of the accessing consumers. A user-attribute-based access control function, such as a parental control feature of an interactive media guide, uses this data to control access to media assets provided by the system. When a user attempts to access a media asset, the access control function determines whether the media asset has an attribute similar to assets accessed by other users having one or more user-attributes similar to those of the accessing user. If the media asset is not sufficiently similar to assets accessed by other sufficiently-similar users, access to the media asset will be blocked unless an appropriate access code is entered.

Systems and methods for control of media access based on crowd-sourced access control data and user-attributes

Methods and systems are also provided herein for establishing a mode of communication between a first user and a second user when a media asset is in a lull. Control circuitry may determine that a first user perceives a segment of the media asset as a lull based on a first user profile. The control circuitry may retrieve a second user profile associated with a second user, and may determine that the second user also perceives the segment of the media asset to be a lull based on the second user profile. The control circuitry may responsively establish a mode of communication (e.g., a chat window) between the first user and the second user.

Methods and systems for establishing a mode of communication between particular users based on perceived lulls in media assets

Methods and systems are also provided herein for presenting an advertisement to a user who perceives a media asset to be in a lull, and refraining from presenting the advertisement to a different user who does not perceive the media asset to be in a lull. Control circuitry may determine that a first user perceives a segment of the media asset as a lull based on a first user profile. The control circuitry may determine whether or not the second user also perceives the segment of the media asset to be a lull based on a second user profile. In response to determining that the second user does not also perceive the segment of the media asset to be a lull, the control circuitry may cause the advertisement to be presented to the first user but not to the second user.

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Burbank, CA, United States of America

Young A Tang