BRPI0720348A2 - systems and methods for acquiring, categorizing and distributing media in interactive media guidance applications - Google Patents

Abstract

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACQUIRING, CATEGORIZING AND DISTRIBUTING MEDIA IN INTERACTIVE MEDIA ORIENTATION APPLICATIONS The present invention relates to systems and methods are discussed for providing guidance for media distributed over the Internet. In some modalities, information about media available on the Internet is gathered. The information is associated with the existing media orientation data. Associations allow a media guidance application to identify relevant online media and present listings in a user-friendly manner. A user interface for an online media orientation application is also provided. The user interface allows a user to reduce the large amount of media distributed on the Internet in a systematic way according to criteria that interest a user.

Description

Invention Patent Descriptive Report for "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACQUIRING, CATEGORIZING AND DISTRIBUTING MEDIA IN INTERACTIVE MEDIA ORIENTATION APPLICATIONS". This order claims the benefit of Provisional Order of the 5 United States No. 60 / 849,988, filed on October 6, 2006, the description of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety by reference.

Background of the Invention The present invention generally relates to media orientation applications, and in particular, to providing guidance for media obtained from the Internet.

The Internet is an increasingly popular resource for obtaining media and entertainment information.

There are an unbelievable number of sources on the Internet that provide various types of media, such as television episodes and downloadable films, or streams of television previews and movie trailers.

In addition, almost all media and related information on the Internet are available on demand.

Consequently, users can be confident that the media of interest are always available.

The abundance of online media and media providers, however, also creates difficulties in terms of locating media of interest.

To locate particular online media content without guidance, a user may need to know a significant amount of information about the media.

For example, if a user wants to find media related to a particular episode of a television program, the user may need to go directly to the media provider, which in this case is the television network's website.

Then, the user may need to know the original episode air date or the episode title in order to effectively find the media on the network's website.

Not only is this process inconvenient for the user, it does not provide any help to those who are not looking for particular media.

Thus, guidance for the content of media distributed over the Internet is necessary to allow or assist a user to easily and effectively find the media of interest.

Some forms of guidance for media content provided on the internet are already available.

Many online media orientation apps are limited to keyword search and providing 5 featured media listings.

None of these techniques provide effective or systematic means to severely restrict the large amount of media that is available on the internet.

Thus, users of existing guidance applications are often bombarded with an overabundance of listings, many of which may be uninteresting or irrelevant.

Consequently, there is a need for an orientation application that not only provides keyword search and indicates featured media online, but also provides a systematic method for restricting the media accessible online to a reasonably small group of media that are of interest. the user.

Media listings generated by existing guidance apps are often not useful for browsing.

Video searches can produce results that are tumultuous, disorganized, difficult to navigate, or unfocused.

The different types of videos can be presented in similar formats, making them virtually indistinguishable.

For example, professionally generated media content can be displayed in a similar format as user generated media content, and high quality media content can be presented in a similar format as low quality media content.

Consequently, users may need to spend a significant amount of time going through each media listing.

Thus, there is a need for an online media guidance application that allows users to quickly consult through a group of online media listings.

In addition, many existing guidance applications provide guidance only for a limited group of videos on the Internet.

The limited group may therefore not include media available online that a user is interested in.

Some guidance apps are limited because they only provide guidance for the media content they host.

Other applications that obtain media from third party websites rely on partnerships with media providers, which again leads to a very limited media data series.

Consequently, there is a need for a guidance application that provides guidance to a comprehensive group of online media content.

Summary of the invention In this way, systems and methods are provided to identify and obtain information for a group of media provided on the Internet, and to present a subset of media identified in a list.

Systems and methods are also provided that they systematically restrict a group of online media listings provided to a user based on criteria that interest the user.

According to a principle of the invention, an online media guidance application provides selectable criteria elements (eg, action / adventure, comedy, ABC, Comedy Center, etc.) in a user interface.

By receiving one or more selections of selectable criteria elements, a group of videos available online can systematically be restricted to a reasonably measured group of videos that interest the user.

Selectable criteria elements can be organized into categories (eg, genre, channels, shows). The categories can also be displayed in the user interface, and the corresponding selectable criteria elements can be displayed in a window near or below the corresponding category.

To preserve the user interface from being in turmoil, the criteria elements of a category can be visible at any given time.

When a user selects a different category, the currently displayed window of criterion elements can be closed, and a new window of selectable criterion elements that correspond to the selected category is presented.

When a user selection of a criterion element is received by the media guidance application, a group of videos is identified based on the selected criterion element and on all previously selected criterion elements.

In some modalities, the identified media group may include available media that meet all selected criteria elements.

In other modalities, the identified media group may include available media that meet one or more of the selected criteria elements.

The media group can be presented in a list, such as a video mosaic or a textual listing.

In some modalities, each listing is presented within a selectable frame, and upon receiving the user's selection of a frame, the guidance application directs the user to the website of the corresponding media supplier.

In some embodiments of the present invention, after restricting the number of listings, the specified criteria elements may also change to reflect the new group of identified videos.

For example, when a new window of selectable criteria elements is presented, the criteria elements can be displayed in the window only if the selection of the criterion element produces at least one video in the redefined group.

In some cases, a criterion element can be displayed in the window if there are videos in the identified group of videos that meet the criterion element and all the criteria elements previously selected.

According to another principle of the present invention, the group of online media that the guidance application provides guidance is determined by browsing through a plurality of internet sites and obtaining information from the media provided by each internet site.

The information obtained can include metadata (for example, title, runtime, description, etc.) corresponding to each video.

For each video obtained from the Internet, the video guidance application associates the video metadata with the data from the media guidance application from, for example, a database of the media guidance application.

Associations can be determined by comparing the video's metadata with the guidance data in the guidance application database.

A subgroup of videos available online can be selected based on the scope restricting the mechanism

described above, keyword searches, user customization data, or publisher preference designations.

Videos selected online can be presented in a media listing, such as a video mosaic or a textual listing.

Included in the listing for each video 5 is the associated guidance application data from the guidance application database.

Brief Description of the Figures The above and other objectives and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, as the reference characters refer to similar parts of the beginning to end, and where: Figure 1 shows an illustrative presentation screen using a grid format that can be used to provide guidance for online video and other types of media; Figure 2 shows an illustrative presentation screen using a mosaic that can be used to provide guidance for online video; Figure 3 shows a more detailed view of a listing in the mosaic in Figure 2; Figures 4-5 are two modalities illustrating a portion of the display screen in figure 2; Figure 6 shows an illustrative presentation screen for viewing and updating user favorites and preferences; Figure 7 shows a Venn diagram of the videos available online used by Figures 8A-AC, 9A, and 9B.

Figures 8A-8C are illustrative stages of a portion of the presentation screen in figure 2 in a typical usage scenario; Figures 9A and 9B are stages illustrating a portion of the presentation screen in figure 2 in a typical usage scenario; Figure 10 shows an illustrative user equipment device according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 11 shows an illustrative user equipment device according to an embodiment of the invention; Figures 12-13 show detailed views of an illustrative media source; 5 Figure 14 shows an illustrative flow diagram for obtaining, selecting, and presenting listings; Figure 15 shows an illustrative flow diagram to direct a user to the supplier of online media content; Figure 16 shows an illustrative flow diagram to obtain, select, and present the listings based on criteria elements selected by the user; Figure 17 shows an illustrative flow diagram to present criteria elements and identify online media; e Figure 18 shows an illustrative flow diagram for choosing criteria elements based on the search terms entered by the user.

Detailed description The amount of media available to users in any given media distribution system can be substantial.

Consequently, many users want a form of media orientation through an interface that allows users to efficiently browse media and easily identify the media they may want.

An application that provides such guidance is referred to here as an interactive media guidance application or, sometimes, a media guidance application or guidance application.

Similarly, a media guidance application that provides guidance for internet content, and possibly other types of content, is referred to here as an online media guidance application or online guidance application.

The various forms of interactive media guidance applications can provide guidance for media content on the Internet (for example, media streaming, downloadable media, internet broadcasts, etc.). A typical type of media orientation application that provides guidance for online media is an interactive television program guide.

Interactive television program guides (sometimes referred to as electronic program guides) are well-known guidance applications that, among other things, allow users to navigate between and find many types of media content.

With the exception of online media, such content may include conventional television programming (provided via traditional broadcast, cable, satellite, or other means), as well as pay-per-view programs, on demand programs (such as video-on-demand (VOD) systems, and other types of media or video content.

Guidance apps also allow users to browse between and find content related to video content including, for example, video clips, articles, advertisements, chat sessions, games, etc.

With the advent of the Internet, mobile computing, and high-speed wireless networks, users are accessing media on personal computers (PCs) and other devices that they traditionally did not, such as laptop computers, assistants personal digital devices (PDAs), mobile phones, or other mobile devices.

In these devices, users can navigate between and locate the same media available via a television.

Consequently, media orientation is needed on these devices, too.

The guidance provided can be for media content available only through a television, for media content available only through one or more of these devices, or for available media content or through a television or one or more of these devices.

Media orientation apps can be delivered as online apps (ie, provided on a website), or as unique apps or clients on laptops, PDAs, mobile phones, or other mobile devices.

The various devices and platforms that can run media orientation applications are described in more detail below.

One of the functions of the media guidance application is to provide media listings and media information to users.

Figures 1-2 show illustrative presentation screens that can be used to provide

provide media orientation, and in particular media listings.

The presentation screens shown in figures 1-2 can be performed on any suitable device or platform.

While the presentations in figures 1-2 and are illustrated as full presentation screens, they can also be partially or completely covered over the media content being presented.

A user can indicate a desire to access media information by selecting a selectable option provided on a presentation screen (for example, a menu option, a list option, an icon, a link, etc.) or by pressing a dedicated button (for example, a GUIDE button) on a remote control or other user interface or receiving device.

In response to the user's indication, the media guidance application can provide a presentation screen with media information organized in one of several ways, such as by time and channel in a grid, by time, by channel, by media type, by category (for example, movies, sports, news, children, or other programming categories), or other predefined, user-defined, or other organization criteria.

Figure 1 shows illustrative listings of the presentation of program grid 100 arranged by time and channel, which also allows access to different types of media content (for example, online video) in a single presentation.

Presentation 100 can include grid 102 with: (1) a column with channel / media type identifiers 104, where each channel / media type identifier (which is a cell in the column) identifies a different channel or media type available; and (2) a row of time identifiers 106, where each time the time identifier (which is a cell in the row) identifies a block of time in the schedule.

Grid 102 also includes program listing cells, such as program listing 108, where each listing provides the program title provided in the listing associated with the channel and time.

With a user input device, a user can select program listings by moving the highlighted region 110. Information regarding the program list selected by the highlighted region 110 can be provided in the program information region 112 Region 112 may include, for example, the program title, the program description, the time the program is provided (if applicable), the channel where the program is (if applicable), the program rating, and the other desired information. 5 In addition to providing access to the linear schedule provided according to a schedule, the media guidance application also provides access to non-linear programming that is not provided according to a schedule.

Non-linear programming can include content from different media sources including Internet content (for example, media streaming, downloadable media, etc.) from various online sources, content from on-demand media (for example , VOD), locally stored media content (for example, video content stored on a digital video recorder (DVR), digital video disc (DVD), VCR, compact disc (CD), etc.), or other content of media insensitive to time.

Content on demand may include both films and original media content provided by a particular media provider (for example, HBO on demand providing THE SOPRANOS “The Sopranos” and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM “Curb Your Enthusiasm”). HBO ON DEMAND, THE SOPRA- NOS, and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM are registered trademarks owned by Home Box Office, Inc.

Internet content can include web events, such as a chat session or a webcast (transmission over the Internet), or content available on demand such as the flow of media or downloadable media through an internet site or other Internet access (for example, FTP). Grid 102 can provide listings for non-linear programming including on-demand listing 114, recorded media listings 116, and internet content listing 118. A presentation combining listings by content from different types of media sources is sometimes referred to as a "mixed media" presentation. The various permutations of the types of listings that can be displayed that are different than the presentation 100 can be based on the user's selection or the definition of the guidance application (for example, a presentation

listing of only recorded and transmitted listings, only on demand and transmitted listings, etc.). As illustrated, listings 114, 116, and 118 are shown as a measure of the full-time block indicated in grid 102 to indicate that selecting these listings can provide access to a presentation dedicated to on demand listings, listings saved, or Internet listings, respectively. As shown in figure 1, information region 112 can indicate information in the type of presentation that can be provided when reaching such a listing. In other modalities, the listings for these types of media can be included directly in grid 102. Additional listings can be presented in response to the user who selects one of the navigation icons 120. (Press an arrow key on an input device of the user can affect the presentation in a similar way as selecting navigation icons 120.) Presentation screen 100 can also include video region 122, advertisement 124, and options region 126. Video region 122 can allow the user to view and / or inspect programs that are currently available, will be available, or were available to the user. The content of the video region 122 can correspond to, or be independent of, one of the listings indicated in grid 102. The grid presentations including a video region are sometimes referred to as guide-image presentations ( PIG). PIG presentations and their features are described in more detail in U.S. Patent No.

6,564,378 to Satterfield et al., Issued on May 13, 2003, and U.S. Patent No. 6,239,794 to Yuen et al., Issued on May 29, 2001, which are hereby incorporated by reference here in its totalities. PIG presentations can be included in other presentation screens of the media orientation application of the present invention. Advertisement 124 can provide an advertisement for media content that, depending on the viewer's access rights (for example, for program subscription), are currently available for viewing, will be available to view in the future, or they may never become available to the view, and they may correspond to or be unrelated to one or more of the media listings in grid 102. Advertising 124 may also be for maintenance products or services related or unrelated to the content of media indicated in grid 102. Advertising 5 124 can be selectable and provide additional information about media content, provides information about a product or service, allows you to buy media content, a product, or a service, provides content media related to advertising, etc.

Advertising 124 can be targeted based on a user's profile / preferences, monitored user activity, the type of presentation provided, or on other advertising bases taken as appropriate targets.

While advertisement 124 is shown as rectangular or flag-shaped, advertisements can be provided in any appropriate size, shape, and location in a presentation of the guidance application.

For example, advertisement 124 may be provided as a rectangular shape that is horizontally adjacent to grid 102. This is sometimes referred to as a panel advertisement.

In addition, advertisements can be covered over the content of the media or a presentation of the guidance application or be embedded within a presentation.

Advertisements may also include text, images, rotational images, video clips, or other types of media content.

Advertisements can be stored on the user's equipment with the guidance application, in a database connected to the user's equipment, in a remote location (including media streaming servers), or in other media. storage or in a combination of these locations.

The provision of advertisements in a media orientation application is discussed in more detail in, for example, Knudson et al., U.S. patent application No. 10 / 347,673, filed on January 17, 2003, Ward, III et al.

United States Patent No. 6,756,997, issued on June 29, 2004, and United States Patent No. 6,388,714 by Schein et al., Issued on May 14, 2002, which are hereby incorporated by reference here in their totalities.

It will be appreciated that

gandas can be included in other presentation screens of the media orientation application of the present invention.

Option region 126 can allow the user to access different types of media content (for example, Internet content), presentations of the media guidance application, and / or features of the media guidance application .

Option region 126 can be part of presentation 100 (and other presentation screens of the present invention), or can be invoked by a user by selecting an option on the screen or by pressing a dedicated or flagable button on an input device of user.

The selectable options within option region 126 may refer to the characteristics relating to the program listings in grid 102 or may include the options available from a presentation of the main menu.

Features related to program listings may include searching for other air times or ways to receive a program, record a program, allow a program series to be recorded, adjust the program and / or the channel as a favorite, buy a program, or other features.

The options available for a main menu presentation can include search options, VOD options, parental control options, access to various types of list presentations, subscribe to a bonus service, edit a profile access a consultation coverage, or other options.

Another presentation screen arrangement to provide guidance is shown in figure 2. Presentation screen 200 provides guidance for videos distributed over the Internet, and can be provided as a presentation in an online media guidance application, or as a presentation on a client server (for example, based on top-fit box) or in a standalone guidance application.

In some instances here, television programs distributed over the Internet are provided, although the modalities described may provide guidance for films, user-generated content, or any other types of media content.

In some modalities, presentation 200 is presented as a result of the user's selection from listing 118 within the presentation screen 100 (figure 1). For clarity and organization, the presentation screen 200 can be separated into three columns.

The central column 204 contains the media listings arranged in mosaic 208. The left column 202 allows a user to define the criteria (for example, a genre, show, etc., particular) for the videos provided in the mosaic 208. The right column 206 provides recommendations to the user.

Each of these columns will be discussed in more detail below with reference to figures 2-7, 8A-8C, and 9A-9B.

The left column 202 allows a user to select videos based on criteria of interest.

The left column 202 provides a list of selectable categories 210. The categories can include genre, channels, shows, favorite lists, type (eg, television episode, movies, etc.), or any other of that category.

One of the categories can be in a selected state.

The category can be selected based on the user's indication or can choose to be selected.

In the selected state, there may be a window 214 of selectable criterion elements 212 that correspond to the selected category.

The window can be located under the category name to indicate which category is selected.

With a user input device, a user can select a criterion element 212 in window 214 (for example, by moving highlighted region 216 to a desired criterion element and pressing a key or directly clicking the element of desired criterion). Once selected, in addition to being displayed within window 214, the selected criterion element may appear in 218. That is, it may appear below its corresponding category 210 and above window 214. This indicates to the user that the criterion was successfully selected.

When multiple criteria elements are selected within the same category, each criterion element can be listed below the category in some order (for example, in the order that the criterion elements were selected, in alphabetical order, etc.). A selected criterion element can be listed below its corresponding category even when the category is not selected, as indicated by the selected criterion element 222. Selectable buttons 220 can be provided next to each selected criterion element 218 and 222. The selection button 220 can deselect the corresponding selected criterion element.

An alternative way for a user to select criteria elements is to manually enter search terms / keywords.

A user can enter one or more keywords in the search bar 224 using a user input device.

The selectable button 226 can be selected to start a search using the built-in keywords.

The search bar 224 can be used in conjunction with the left column 202, if desired (for example, a user can define the criteria elements based on criteria elements selected in column 202 and the keywords incorporated in the search bar 224). The central column 204 can have a group of mosaic videos 208, where the group of videos is determined based on receiving user input in the search bar 224 and / or in the left column 202. Unlike the listings in figure 1, the listings in presentation 200 are not limited to plain text (for example, the program title) and icons to describe the media.

Preferably, in presentation 200 the lists can provide graphic images that include cover art, still images from media content, video clip trailers, live video from media content, or other types of media that indicate to a user the media content being described by the listing.

Each of the graphic listings can also be accompanied by text to provide additional information about the media content associated with the listing.

To avoid complicating the figure too much, a more detailed view of a mosaic listing 228 is shown in figure 3. Figure 3 illustrates a media listing modality 228 in mosaic 208 (figure 2). A video can be represented by the graphic identifier 302 (for example, a thumbnail / snapshot of the video, a video trailer, the video itself, etc.). A 304 rating for the video can be covered in the graphic identifier part 302. The rating may reflect rating assignments for all users who rated the video from their respective media guidance apps or a related / affiliate program . The visual indicator can also be accompanied by the text / cover box 306 to provide additional information about the content of the media. For example, textual description 308 may include the media title, the date the video became available, and the length of the video. Also, the text box can include simple icons 310 and / or

312. Icon 310, a simple dollar sign, may be present if the media costs some amount of money to download or stream from the media provider. If the 310 icon is not present, then the video is free. Similarly, an icon such as check mark 312 can be present if the video is a video recommended by an editor (for example, film or television critic). Otherwise, signal 310 may not be present. Returning to figure 2, the number of total identified videos after applying the selected or embedded criteria is shown in the region

230. Region 230 is shown as being in the left column 202, but can be displayed anywhere in the user interface 200. If more videos are identified than are currently visible in mosque 208, selectable arrows 234 and 236 can be used to see more videos available. The selectable arrow 234 allows a user to view a new subset of identified videos, and the selectable arrow 236 returns the user to the previously identified subset of identified videos. The user can change the order in which the videos are presented by selecting one of the class 238 links. The identified videos can be classified according to the date the video became available (for example, first the most recent or first oldest), popularity of the video (for example, based on the total number of times the video has been selected by other users), in a random order, or using any other mechanism to rate a group of videos. User interface 200 also allows users to indicate a desired maximum video length and a desired refresh using indicators 240 and 242. Indicator 240 sets a maximum video length.

When indicator 240 is on the far right, there is no restriction on the length of the video.

When the indicator is moved to the left, only shorter and shorter videos can be included in the results.

For example, if indicator 240 is at the midpoint of the scale, only video clips that are less than thirty minutes are included in the results.

If the indicator is on the far left, only video clips that are less than five minutes long are included in the results.

Similarly, indicator 242 adjusts the maximum date scale.

When indicator 242 is on the far right, there is no restriction on how old the video can be.

When the indicator is moved to the left, only the most recent videos can be included in the resulting presentation.

Mosaic 208 is a two-by-two grid from listings 228. However, any other arrangement can be used, such as a three by three grid or two by three grid.

In addition, although each listing 228 is shown to be the same size, they can also be of different sizes.

The listings can be of different sizes or graphically accentuated to indicate degrees of interest to the user, the relevance of each video identified following a search, or to emphasize certain content, as desired by the media provider or based on user preferences .

Various systems and methods for graphically accentuating media listings are discussed in, for example, Yates, U.S. Patent Application No. 11 / 324,202, filed on December 29, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference here in its entirety.

Each listing 228 can be a selectable frame.

In an embodiment of the invention, on the user's selection of a selectable frame, the user is directed to the website where the corresponding video can be downloaded or downloaded.

The website can be presented on a cover or on a new screen.

In another embodiment of the invention, about the user's selection from list 228, additional information about the video, such as the program description, can be presented to the user in a cover or in the right column 206. Based on the additional information, the user can choose to be directed to the website where the video is provided, can add the video to the list of My Favorite Videos, or can add the video to the watch queue 244. 5 The watch queue 244 presents a list of videos that a user chose to see it at a later time.

Each video can be represented by a graphic identifier, such as a minimized snapshot / photo, video trailer, or the video itself.

In an invention modality, each video identifier 246 is selectable, which provides the user with easy access to the videos the user intends to watch.

When a video from the viewing queue is selected, the user can be directed to the website where the video is provided.

The video can be removed from the watch queue automatically when the video is selected, or the user can manually remove the video from the watch queue.

In another embodiment of the invention, the display queue 244 acts as a "playlist". When the user is ready to watch a video in the watch queue, the user is directed to the website of the first video in the watch queue.

The right column 206 can indicate two types of information.

It can (1) present the recommended videos to the user, or (2) present additional information about a selected video.

Figures 2 and 4 show the rightmost column 206 that performs the training function of presenting the recommendations to the user.

The last function will be described in detail below in relation to figure 5. Heading 250 of column 206 reads "TODAY'S MOST SELECTED VIDEOS", indicating that recommendations are chosen based on the most popular videos for the day.

Other ways of providing recommendations to the user will be discussed in detail below in relation to figure 4. The recommended videos can be presented to the user by providing a format similar to Listing 228, discussed above and in relation to figure 3. Alternatively , a recommended video can be displayed by listing the video title 252, a graphic identifier for video 254 with coverage ratings 256, and a brief program description 258 of the video.

Other information can be provided for each video in column 202. When a user initially incorporates the guidance application, the top selections can be based on the most popular videos of all the videos available in any category.

As the user defines the video types of interest by searching for keywords or selecting criteria elements in the left column 202, the recommended videos in the right column 206 may change to reflect the user's actions.

For example, if the user chooses the criterion element "Action / Adventure" in window 214, the videos under "MOST SELECTED VIDEOS FOR TODAY" can be changed to include the one or more of the top most popular action / adventure videos of the day.

The recommendations provided in the right column 206 may be based on criteria other than popularity.

For example, recommendations can be based on a publisher's recommendation, as shown in column 400 of figure 4. Header 402 reads "EDITOR'S SELECTIONS" to reflect the way in which recommended videos are chosen.

The editor can be a famous film or television critic or any other personality that a user can identify with.

Consistent with one embodiment of the present invention, column 400 can provide more information about each recommended video than the listings in mosaic 208 (figure 2). For example, for each recommended video, title 404, graphic identifier (for example, thumbnail / snapshot, etc.) 406 with coverage ratings 408, and brief description 410 are presented.

The 406 rating for each video can be based on embedded user ratings.

Other information about the video may include the symbol of the network 412 (for example, FOX) from the network that the video was originally transmitted, of the genre (for example, action / adventure, drama, etc.) or of the type 414 ( for example, television episode, film, etc.), video extension 416, and cost 418 to download or stream the video.

FOX is a registered trademark owned by the FOX Broadcast Company.

Column 400 is merely illustrative, and therefore more or less information about

a video of the above mentioned can be presented.

Techniques can be used by choosing recommendations for a user other than based on a publisher's popularity or selections.

Recommendations may be based on the user's interest.

The user's interest can be obtained by monitoring the user's behavior in the media guidance application, by express designations of the user, or from a user profile.

For example, if the user does not like action / adventure videos, the recommended videos may be the two or three most popular videos, excluding action / adventure videos.

If the user typically watches the videos featured by Roger Ebert, the recommended videos can be two or three videos that have recently been featured by Roger Ebert.

When a user selects a video or mosaic 208 or recommended videos, the right column 206 (figure 2) can indicate options to the user for the selected video, as shown in figure 5. In addition, more information about the video can be displayed.

Figure 5 shows the result of the selection of the first video in figure 4 or one of the videos in mosaic 208. In addition to the informative content about the selected video, the selectable options 504, 506, 508, 510, 516, and 518 are presented to the user.

The selectable button 504 opens a new presentation or cover and directs the user to the website where the video is provided.

The selectable button 506 adds the present video to the viewing queue 244 (figure 2), and the selectable button 508 adds the video to a user's list of favorites.

Options 510 provide the connections for the currently displayed video.

Thus, if the user enjoys the video, the user can be directed to the related videos.

Related videos are presented to the user as keywords 512. Keywords 512 can be actors or other celebrities associated with the video, the network the program is on, related networks, or any other keywords associated with the video.

Next to each keyword in the list is a number 514 that corresponds to the number of videos available for that keyword.

For example, in Figure 5, Kiefer Sutherland is an actor in the selected show, and there are 392 videos available with that actor.

If the user chooses the selectable connection 520, mosaic 208 (figure 2) is reflected to include the 392 videos.

The rightmost column 206 can then revert to providing recommendations to the user based on the selected keyword (figure 4). Column 500 can display other options related to the selected video, including the features "Send to a Friend" 516 and "Blog about this Video" 518. Feature 516 allows a user to notify a friend about the current video.

In an embodiment of the invention, the URL of the website providing the video can be sent to a friend's email address or can be sent to a friend using any other appropriate means.

In another embodiment of the invention, the video can be added to a recommended list in the user's friend profile, which the friend can access when he or she accesses their account in the media guidance application.

An email, or any other method for distributing the information, can also be sent to the friend to notify the friend that a new recommendation has been added.

Feature 518 can direct the user to a new presentation screen (not pictured). The introductory screen can allow the user to incorporate their thoughts or comments about a video after viewing the video.

These thoughts can be saved on a blog associated with the user.

The blog can contain several entries, where each entry corresponds to a particular video or related media information about the video (for example, a particular genre, show, channel, actor, etc.). In some modalities, by selecting option 518, an entry about the video can be automatically started.

The blog can be stored in a user profile.

The blog can be saved on the user's device and can only be accessible to the user.

Alternatively, the blog can be saved remotely, and the blog can be accessible to users designated as a friend or it can be open for the public to read.

Other features that can be provided to a user by column 500, but are not shown to avoid disturbing the figure, are options to evaluate the video, to visit a forum about the video, or to go to a page capable of “wiki” about the video.

If desired, the user can be directed to a forum to discuss the video or a topic related to the video (for example, television program, network providing the video, actors in the video, etc.). The user can also go to a page capable of “wiki” about the video or a topic related to the video to share information with other users of the guidance application.

A media orientation application, such as an application that provides the presentation screen 200 of figure 2, can be customized based on user preferences.

A personalized media orientation application allows a user to personalize presentations and features to create a personalized "experience" with the media guidance application.

This personalized experience can be created by allowing a user to incorporate these customizations and / or by monitoring the user activity of the media guidance application to determine various user preferences.

Users can access their personalized guidance application by logging in or otherwise logging in to the guidance application.

The customization of the media guidance application can be done according to a user profile.

Customizations can include presentation variation schemes (for example, presentation color scheme, text font size, etc.), aspects of the media content listings presented (for example, recommended media content , etc.), aspects of the criteria elements displayed (for example, ordering the categories or criteria elements, etc.), parental control settings, and other desired customizations.

The media guidance application can allow a user to provide the user's profile information or it can automatically compile the user's profile information.

The media guidance application can, for example, monitor the media that the user accesses and / or other interactions that the user may have with the guidance application.

In addition, the media guidance application can obtain all or part of other user profiles that are related to a particular user (for example,

example, from other internet sites that the user accesses, such as www.tvguide.com, from other media orientation applications that the user accesses, from other interactive applications that the user accesses, the from a user's portable device, etc.), and / or obtain information about the user from other sources that the media guidance application can access.

As a result, a user can be provided with a unified guidance application experience across the user's different devices.

This type of user experience is described in more detail below in relation to figure 11. Additional personalized features of the media guidance application are described in more detail in Ellis et al., US patent application No. 11 / 179,410 , filed on July 11, 2005, Boyer et al., North American patent application No. 09 / 437,304, filed on November 9, 1999, and Ellis et al., North American patent application No. 10 / 105,128, deposited on February 21, 2002, which are hereby incorporated by reference here in their entirety.

A user can incorporate preferences to customize the presentation provided by a guidance application, such as through presentation 600 in figure 6. User preferences can be saved in a user profile associated with the user.

The 600 user interface can indicate the user's favorite videos, the user's presentation preferences, and can allow the user to add or remove preferences.

The My Favorite Videos 602 list is a list of videos, where each video has been marked as a favorite by the user, for example, by selecting the selectable button “Add to My Favorites” 508 (figure 5). Each entry in the list can be identified by a graphic identifier 604 (for example, snapshot / minimized photo) and textual information 606. Textual information 606 can include the title of the video, the length of the video, the date on which the video became available, and any other relevant information.

The "close" indicator 608 next to each video in list 602 allows the user to remove any individual video from the list.

The My Favorite Videos 602 list can be different from the viewing queue 246 for at least the reason that the favorites list is saved more permanently (for example, in a user profile). The user can consequently leave the guidance application and return to the application at a later time without losing the information saved in presentation 600. Below the favorites list 602 is "Send to a Friend" call 610. The 610 call allows the user to send the videos in the user's favorites list to a friend.

The list of favorites 602 can be sent to a friend who uses some of the techniques described in connection with connection 516 in figure 5. A user can incorporate viewing preferences in the My Preferences 612 list. The My Preferences 612 list can include one or more of the user's favorite editors 614. The My Preferences 612 list can include one or more favorite types of videos 616. Any of the selectable criteria elements available in the left column 202 (figure 2) (for example, an element criteria between genre, channels, shows, “favorite lists”, video type, etc.) of the user interface 200 can be included in the My Preferences list.

Any of the preferences incorporated by the user can be removed by selecting the button 618 corresponding to the preference, and the preferences can be added by selecting the 620 link. The 620 link can bring the user to a new screen (not pictured) or coverage where the user is allowed to choose additional options to include in My Preferences The 622 call can be used to configure alerts when new videos of interest to the user are available.

The user can be notified when a new video becomes available that it finds one or more criteria elements in the My Preferences 612 list. The user can configure the alerts so that any or all of the criteria elements are used to trigger an alert.

The alerts can be in the e-mail, in a text message, or in another appropriate way to distribute the news that these new videos of interest to the user have become available.

User interface 200 (figure 2) can be customized based on preferences incorporated in lists 624 and 626. List 624 excludes any videos from being presented that do not have a property of at least one of the criteria elements in the list.

For example, on the illustrative user interface 600, the user has designated that he or she only wants to see results that are in the action / adventure genre.

The filtering effect of list 624 can only occur if at least one criterion element is selected.

List 626 can exclude videos that satisfy any of the criteria elements in the list to be presented to the user.

Consequently, if list 620 is empty, then list 620 has no effect on the videos that are presented to the user.

Using either list 624 or list 626, the user has significant control over what types of videos can and cannot be returned in any searches.

The 600 presentation can also include other options to customize the user interface 200. In some modalities, a user can change the format or the options in the left column 202. The user can include or exclude categories from being presented.

The user can choose the order in which the categories or criteria elements are presented.

Figure 7 shows the illustrative Venn diagram 700 of videos available in the News category.

As shown in the Venn 700 diagram, 2000 videos are available for presentation to the user in the news genre 702. Of the 2000 news videos, 139 videos are related to the channel, Comedy Central 704. Also, 518 of the 2000 news videos are related to the channel, C-SPAN 706. There are more videos related to the two channels than those shown in the Venn diagram, but these are not in the news genre.

This is indicated by the dotted lines 710 extending outside news box 702. Finally, 30 videos in the news genre, as indicated by box 708, are related to both the Central Comedy and C-SPAN channels.

The example presentation screens shown in figures 8A-8C and 9A-9B illustrate typical usage scenarios for user interface 200 and, in particular, the left column 202 (figure 2). The scenarios are described with reference to the Venn 700 diagram in figure 7. In several stages, column 202 (figure 2) can take the form of columns 800A-800C in figures 8A-8C. In this scenario, column 202 (figure 2) is used as a mechanism restriction scope, where the number of identified videos decreases with each selected criterion element. Initially, column 202 can include categories for the genre, channels, shows, and favorite lists. The gender category can choose to be selected, and the criteria elements of the gender category are indicated. (See figure 2) Regarding the user selection of the criterion element, "News" 802, in the genre category, the criterion element is listed below the genre category title and above the selectable elements window. Next to the selected criterion element 804 is the "close" button 806, which can be used to select the criterion element, and remove the criterion element from its position above the 812 window. After user selection of the news genre, videos available online in the news genre are identified. The number of identified videos, or 2000, is indicated at 708, which is consistent with the number of new news videos available on the Venn diagram

700. If a user selection from the category, channels 810, is received, the window 812 of selectable elements corresponding to the category of the genre is closed. Window 814, corresponding to the channels in the category, is displayed below the title of the channel category. The criteria elements in window 814 each have videos in the news genre. Channels that do not have videos in the news genre are not included in window 814. When a user selection of criterion element 816 (Comedy Center) is received, as before, criterion element 818 is moved below the title of the category, and the "close" button 820 is provided close to the criterion element. Following the user's selection of the channel criteria element of the Comedy Central, the videos available online are identified which are both in the news genre and related to the Comedy Central. The number of identified videos, or 139, is shown in 822. Thus, of the 2000 videos in the news genre, only 139 of them are related to the Comedy Center, and the scope of the video group is restricted accordingly.

you.

This is consistent with 704 in the Venn 700 diagram. After a selection of C-SPAN in the channel category, the remaining number of videos, or 30, is shown in 824 of figure 8C.

Thus, of the 139 videos that meet both the news and Central 5 Comedy criteria, only 30 of the videos are also related to C-SPAN.

This number is consistent with 708 in the Venn 700 diagram. If the show category is selected, window 814 is closed and a new window corresponding to the television shows, window 826, is displayed below the title of the show category. shows.

Note that only one show, The Daily Show, is listed in the window.

This indicates that all 30 of the videos that are news-based, relative to the Comedy Center, and relative to the C-SPAN are on, or at least related to, The Daily Show.

If a user indication is received to remove the Comedy Central criterion element (for example, if the user selection of the 820 button is received), the identified videos need only meet the news and C-SPAN criteria, the which, according to the Venn 700 diagram, would lead to 818 videos.

This can then be reflected in the user interface (not pictured). The criteria elements would change accordingly, and would include shows that have videos available that meet both the news and C-SPAN criteria.

Column 202 (figure 2) can also take the form of 900A and 900B in figures 9A and 9B.

In this usage scenario, the scope restricting the mechanism can sometimes increase the group of videos identified with subsequent selections of criteria elements.

The steps involved in reaching the configuration shown in figure 9A can be achieved by the steps discussed above in relation to figures 8A and 8B.

Thus, for convenience, figure 8B is reproduced as figure 9A.

In figure 9A, the news criterion element of the genre category and the Central Comedy criterion element of the channel category have been selected, and the criterion elements of the channel category are presented.

This results in 139 videos, as is consistent with the Venn 700 diagram. After a selection of C-SPAN in the channel category, the identified videos are expanded to include videos related to the news or in the Comedy Center or C -SPAN.

Accordingly, the number of identified videos, shown in 904, is increased from 139 to 627 videos.

As can be seen from a 906 window view of the 5 selectable criteria elements in the show category (for example, selecting the show category), the shows related to the news from Central Comedy and C- SPAN are listed.

Note that in window 906, the videos for each channel are separate (shows 908 are from Central Comedy and shows 910 are from C-SPAN) to show that they meet different criteria elements in another category.

In some modalities, the criteria elements are presented together (for example, alphabetically) without regard to the criteria elements selected in other categories.

If a user indication is received to remove the Comedy Central criterion element (for example, if the user selection of the 914 button is received), the group of videos can be restricted.

In this case, the identified videos would need to meet the news and C-SPAN criteria, which, according to the Venn 700 diagram, would reduce the group of videos from 627 to 518. This can then be reflected in the user interface (not pictured) ). The criteria elements would change accordingly, and would include shows that have videos available that meet both the news and C-SPAN criteria.

Users can access media content and the media guidance application (and its presentation screens described above) from one or more of their user equipment devices.

Figure 10 shows a generalized modality of the illustrative user equipment device 1000. More specific implementations of user equipment devices are discussed below in relation to figure 11. The user equipment device 1000 can receive media content and data via the input / output path (hereinafter "I / O") 1002. The I / O path 1002 can provide media content (for example, broadcast programming, on demand programming, content from Inter -

net, and other video or audio) and data for circuit set control 1004, which include circuit set processing 1006 and storage 1008. Circuit set control 1004 can be used to send and receive commands, orders, and other appropriate data 5 using I / O path 1002. I / O path 1002 can connect circuitry control 1004 (and specifically processing circuitry 1006) to one or more paths communications (described below). I / O functions can be provided by one or more of these communications paths, but are shown as a single path in figure 10 to avoid overly complicating the design.

Circuitry control 1004 can be based on any appropriate circuitry processing 1006 such as circuitry processing based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, etc. .

In some embodiments, circuit set control 1004 executes instructions for a media orientation application stored in memory (ie, storage 1008). In client-server-based modes, circuitry control 1004 may include communications circuitry appropriate for communication with an orientation application server or other networks or servers.

Communications circuitry may include a cable modem, an integrated digital network services (ISDN) modem, a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, a telephone modem, or a wireless modem for communications with other equipment .

Such communications involve the Internet to at least obtain content from online media and may additionally involve any other communications networks or appropriate routes (which is described in more detail in relation to figure 11). In addition, communications circuitry may include circuitry that allows equal communication of user equipment devices, or communication of user equipment devices at remote locations on each other (described in more detail) below).

Memory (for example, random access memory, read-only memory, or some other appropriate memory), hard drives, optical discs, or any other appropriate fixed or removable storage devices (for example, DVD burner, CD recorder, 5 VCR recorder, or other appropriate recording device) can be provided as storage 1008 which is part of circuitry control 1004. Storage 1008 can include one or more of the above types of storage devices.

For example, the user equipment device 1000 may include a hard drive for a DVR (sometimes called a personal video recorder, or PVR) and a DVD recorder as a secondary storage device.

Storage 1008 can be used to store various types of media described here and guidance application data, including program information, guidance application settings, user preferences or profile information, or other data used in operating the guidance application.

Permanent memory can also be used (for example, to launch a routine operating system load and other instructions). Control of circuitry 1004 may include video generation circuitry and tuning circuitry, such as one or more analog tuners, one or more MPEG-2 decoders or other digital decoding circuitry, tuners high definition, or any other appropriate tuner or sets of video circuits or combinations of such sets of circuits.

Encoding circuitry (for example, to convert over air, analog, or digital signals to MPEG signals for storage) can also be provided.

Control of circuitry 1004 may also include stepper circuitry for conversion on the upper link and conversion on the lower link of media in the preferred output format of user equipment 1000. Circuitry 1004 may also include circuitry digital-to-analog converters and circuitry analog-to-converters

digital to convert between digital and analog signals. The tuning and encoding circuit sets can be used by the user's equipment to receive and present, to perform, or to record media content. The tuning and coding circuitry 5 can also be used to receive guidance data. The circuit sets described here, including, for example, tuning, video generation, encoding, decoding, scaling, and analog / digital circuit sets, can be performed using software that works for one or more purposes or specialized processors. Multiple tuners can be provided to handle simultaneous tuning functions (for example, watch and record functions, picture-in-picture (PIP) functions, multiple tuning recording, etc.). If storage 1008 is provided as a separate device from user equipment 1000, tuning and encoding circuitry (which includes multiple tuners) can be associated with the storage

1008. A user can control control of circuitry 1004 using the 1010 user input interface. The 1010 user input interface can be any appropriate user interface, such as a remote control, mouse, trackball, portable keyboard, keyboard, touch screen, portable touch screen, type input, joystick, speech recognition interface, or other user input interfaces. Presentation 1012 can be provided as a standalone device or integrated with other elements of the user equipment device 1000. Presentation 1012 can be one or more of a monitor, a television, a liquid crystal display (LCD) for a mobile device , or any other appropriate equipment to display visual images. In some embodiments, the 1012 presentation may be capable of HDTV. The 1014 loudspeakers can be supplied as integrated with other elements of the user's equipment device 1000 or can be stand-alone units. The audio component of the videos and other media content indicated in presentation 1012 can be played through the 1014 speakers. In some modalities, the audio can be distributed to a receiver (not shown), which processes and exits audio through speakers 1014. The user equipment device 1000 of figure 10 can be run on system 1100 of figure 11 as the television equipment of user 1102, the computer equipment of user 1104, available wireless communication device of user 1106, or some other appropriate user equipment to access media, such as a non-portable game machine.

For simplicity, these devices can be referred to here collectively as user equipment devices or user equipment.

User equipment devices, on which a media orientation application runs, can function as a standalone device or can be part of a network of devices.

Various network configurations of the devices can be performed and are discussed in more detail below.

User 1102 television equipment may include a top adjustment box, an integrated receiver decoder (IRD) for handling television satellite, a television set, a digital storage device, a DVD recorder, a VCR recorder (VCR), a local media server, or other user television equipment.

One or more of these devices can be integrated to be a single device, if desired.

User computer equipment 1104 can include a PC, a laptop, a graphics tablet, a WebTV box, a personal computer television (PC / TV), a PC media server, a PC media center , or other user computer equipment.

WEBTV is a registered trademark owned by Microsoft Corp.

The user's wireless communications device 1106 may include PDAs, a mobile phone, a portable video player, a portable music player, a portable game machine, or other wireless devices.

It should be noted that with the advent of television tuning cards for PCs, WebTV, and the integration of video into other user equipment devices, the lines have become blurry when trying to classify a device as one of the devices above.

In fact, each of the user's television equipment 1102, the user's computer equipment 1104, and the user's wireless communications device 1106 can use at least some of the system features described above in relation to figure 10 and, as a result , include flexibility in 5 with respect to the type of media content available on the device.

For example, user television equipment 1102 can be enabled for the Internet allowing access to Internet content, while user computer equipment 1104 can include a tuner allowing access to television programming.

The media orientation application can also have the same layout on several different types of user equipment or it can be tailored to the presentation capabilities of the user's equipment.

For example, on the user's computer equipment, the guidance application can be provided as a website accessed by an internet browser.

In another example, the guidance application can be scaled down for wireless user devices.

In the 1100 system, there is typically more than one of each type of user equipment device, but only one of each is shown in figure 11 to avoid overly complicating the design.

In addition, each user can use more than one type of user equipment device (for example, a user can have a television set and a computer) and also more than one of each type of user equipment device. user (for example, a user can have a PDA and a mobile phone and / or multiple television sets). The user can also adjust various settings to keep the settings of the media guidance application consistent across devices at home and remote devices.

The settings include those described here, as well as favorite channels and programs, programming the preferences that the guidance application uses to make programming recommendations, presenting preferences, and other desirable guidance settings.

For example, if a user sets a channel as a favorite on, for example, the website www.tvguide.com on his computer

personal painter in his office, the same channel would appear as a favorite on devices in the user's home (for example, user television equipment and user computer equipment) as well as user mobile devices, if desired.

Therefore, changes made to a user equipment device can change the orientation experience on another user equipment device, regardless of whether they are the same or a different type of user equipment device.

In addition, the changes made can be based on the adjustments incorporated by a user, as well as the user activity monitored by the guidance application.

User equipment devices can be attached to the 1114 communications network. Namely, user television equipment 1102, user computer equipment 1104, and wireless user device 1106 are coupled to the network. of communications 1114 through communication paths 1108, 1110, and 1112, respectively.

Communications network 1114 includes the Internet and can additionally be one or more other networks including, a mobile phone network, mobile device network (eg Blackberry), cable network, public bypassed telephone network, or others types of communications network or combinations of communications networks.

BLACKBERRY is a registered trademark owned by Research In Motion Limited Corp.

Routes 1108, 1110, and 1112 may include separately or together one or more communication paths, such as a satellite path, a fiber optic path, a cable path, a path that supports Internet communications (for example, example, IPTV), free space connections (for example, for transmission or other wireless signals), or some other appropriate wired or wireless communications path or combination of such paths.

Path 1112 is drawn with dotted lines to indicate that in the exemplary mode shown in figure 11 it is a wireless path and paths 1108 and 1110 are drawn as solid lines to indicate that they are wired paths (although these paths can be wireless routes, if desired). Communications with user equipment devices can be provided

by one or more of these communications paths, but are shown as a single path in figure 11 to avoid complicating the design too much.

Although the communication paths are not extracted between 5 devices of user equipment, these devices can communicate directly with each other through the communication paths, such as those described above in relation to paths 1108, 1110, and 1112 , as well as other short-range point-to-point communication paths, such as USB cables, IEEE 1394 cables, wireless routes (for example, Bluetooth, infrared, IEEE 802-11x, etc.), or other short-range communication through wired or wireless paths.

BLUETOOTH is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, INC.

User equipment devices can also communicate with each other directly via an indirect path via the 1114 communications network. The 1100 system includes the 1116 internet server and the 1118 coupled media guidance data source communications network 1114 through communication paths 1120 and 1122, respectively.

Routes 1120 and 1122 can include any of the communication paths described above in relation to routes 1108, 1110, and 1112. Communications with the internet server 1116 and the media guidance data source 1118 can be exchanged over one or more communication paths, but are shown as a single path in figure 11 to avoid overly complicating the drawing.

In addition, there may be more than one of each internet server 1116 and media guidance data source 1118, but only one of each is shown in figure 11 to avoid overcomplicating the design. (The different types of each of these sources are discussed below.) If desired, the 1116 internet server and the 1118 media orientation data source can be integrated as a source device.

Although communications between sources 1116 and 1118 with user equipment devices 1102, 1104, and 1106 are shown as via communications network 1114, in some embodiments, sources 1116 and 1118 can communicate directly

with user equipment devices 1102, 1104, and 1106 via communication paths (not shown) such as those described above in relation to routes 1108, 1110, and 1112. Online media can be provided by the internet server 5 1116. The 1116 web server can provide an internet media provider's website (for example, the television network website, entertainment website, movie website, or a website that aggregates content from multiple sources). The online media provider can host a variety of content (for example, full-length movies / television episodes, movie / episode segments, trailers / previews, interviews with actors / directors / producers, music videos, original content only online, promotions for a network or a program, etc.). The online media provider can host media of various types (for example, streaming, downloadable, generated by user, generated by professional, etc.). The media provided online can be stored locally on the 1116 internet server or on a remote media server.

In addition to the media content, the 1116 internet server can store metadata (for example, title, description, URL, etc.) for each media provided.

One or more of the other media sources (not shown) may also supply the media content to the user's equipment, and be connected to the communications network by one or more routes that may include any of the communication paths described above in relation to routes 1108, 1110, and 1112. Other media sources may include one or more types of media distribution equipment that includes a television distribution device, cable system reception center, satellite distribution device, programming sources (for example, television broadcasters, such as NBC, ABC, HBO, etc.), apparatus and / or distribution intermediaries, on-demand media servers, and other media content providers.

NBC is a registered trademark owned by the National Broadcasting Company, Inc., ABC is a registered trademark owned by ABC, INC., And HBO is a registered trademark owned by Home.

Box Office, Inc.

Other media sources may be the author of the media content (for example, a television broadcaster, an internet transfer provider, etc.) or may not be the author of the media content (for example, a content provider on-demand media, etc.). Other media sources may include cable sources, satellite providers, on demand providers, or other media content providers.

Other media sources may also include a remote media server used to store different types of media content (including video content selected by a user), in a remote location from any of the user's device devices.

The systems and methods for the remote storage of media content, and the provision of remotely stored media content to the user's equipment are discussed in more detail with respect to Ellis et al., U.S. patent application No. 09 / 332,244, filed on June 11, 1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference here in its entirety.

The media guidance data source 1118 can provide media guidance data for a media guidance application.

The media guidance data source 1118 includes data storage 1124 and 1126, and can provide guidance data from either data store.

Guidance data can include program information such as a program title, an episode title, an episode summary, an editorial comment, etc., typically found in, for example, TV Guide Magazine or in www.tvguide.com.

Data stores 1124 and 1126 can be one or more related databases or other appropriate storage mechanisms.

Data stores 1124 and 1126 can be local (as shown on the 1100 system) or at remote locations.

1126 data stores store media guidance data that may or may not be available online.

Stored media guidance data can include media listings, media-related information (e.g., transmission times,

broadcast channels, media titles, media descriptions, rating information (eg, parental control ratings, critic reviews, etc.), gender or category information, actor information, logo data for broadcasters' logos or suppliers, etc.), media format (for example, MPEG), advertising information (for example, text, images, media clips, etc.), and any other type of guidance data that is useful for a user to navigate between and find the desired media selections.

The 1126 data stores can also store identifiers within the 1124 data store related to that reference medium.

The media orientation data source 1118 may also include the data storage 1124. The data storage 1124 stores information relating to the videos available on the 1116 internet servers. The data storage 1124 can store the metadata (eg example, title, description, URL, etc.) associated with each video from the 1116 internet servers, or you can store the information derived from the metadata.

The 1124 data store can also store the metadata not supplied from the 1116 internet servers (for example, the date incorporated in the 1124 data store, popularity, user-generated tags / keywords, etc.). The data storage 1124 can store identifiers within the data storage 1126 to indicate the orientation data of additional media related to the videos found from the 1116 internet servers. In some modalities, the data storage 1124 stores the online media provided by 1116 internet servers along with information about the media.

Data from the media guidance application can be provided to user equipment devices using any appropriate approach.

In some embodiments, the guidance application may be a standalone interactive television program guide that receives data from the program guide through a data feed (for example, a continuous feed, feed gradually, or data in the blank vertical range of a channel). Program schedule data and other guidance data can be provided to user equipment on a side strip of the television channel, within the blank vertical range of a television channel, using a digital band signal, u- 5 using an out-of-band digital signal, or by any other appropriate data transmission technique.

Program schedule data and other guidance data can be provided to user equipment on multiple analog or digital television channels.

Program schedule data and other guidance data can be provided to the user's equipment at any appropriate frequency (for example, continuously, daily, a user-specified time period, a system-specified time period, in response to a request for user equipment, etc.). In some approaches, guidance data from the 1118 media guidance data source and / or other media sources can be provided to the user's equipment using a client-server approach.

For example, a customer of the guidance application residing on the user's equipment can initiate sessions with source 1118 to obtain guidance data when needed.

The media guidance data source 1118 can provide user equipment devices 1102, 1104, and 1106 the media guidance application itself or software updates for the media guidance application.

Media orientation applications can be, for example, standalone applications that run on user equipment devices.

In other modalities, media orientation applications can be client-server applications where only the client resides on the user's device device.

For example, media orientation applications can run partly as a client application in the control of 1011 circuits from the user equipment device 1000 and partly on a remote server as a server application (for example, data source 1118 media orientation). Guidance application presentations can be generated by the 1118 media guidance data source and be transmitted to the user's device devices.

The media guidance data source 1118 can also transmit data to storage on the user's equipment, which then generates the guidance application presentations based on the instructions processed by the circuitry control.

The 1100 media guidance system is intended to illustrate a number of approaches, or network configurations, by which user equipment devices and media content and guidance data sources can communicate with one another. the other for the purpose of accessing the media, including content distributed over the Internet, and providing media guidance.

The present invention can be applied to any one or a subset of these approaches, or a system that employs other approaches to distribute media and provide media guidance.

The following three approaches provide specific illustrations of the generalized example in figure 11. In one approach, user equipment devices can communicate with one another within a home network.

User equipment devices can communicate with each other directly via the short-range point-to-point communication schemes described above, via indirect routes through a hub or other similar device provided on a home network , or via the 1114 communications network. Each of the multiple individuals in a single home can operate different user equipment devices on the home network.

As a result, it may be desirable for various media orientation information, including media orientation information for content distributed over the Internet, or settings to be communicated between the user's different equipment devices.

For example, it may be desirable for users to keep the media orientation application settings consistent across different user equipment devices within a home network, as described in more detail in Ellis et al. -american No. 11 / 179,410, filed on July 11, 2005. The different types of user equipment devices on a home network can also communicate with each other to transmit media content.

For example, a user can stream media content online from the user's computer equipment to a portable video or portable music player. 5 In a second approach, users can have multiple types of user equipment through which they access media content, including media content distributed over the Internet, and obtain media guidance.

For example, some users may have networks at home that are accessed by home and mobile devices.

Users can control devices at home using a media guidance application that runs on a remote device.

For example, users can access an online media guidance application on a website via a personal computer in their office, or a mobile device such as a PDA or an internet-enabled mobile phone.

The user can adjust various settings (for example, recordings, reminders, or other settings) in the online guidance application to control the user's equipment at home.

The online guide can control the user's equipment directly, or by communicating with a media guidance application on the user's equipment at home.

Various systems and methods for communicating user equipment devices, where user equipment devices are in remote locations from each other, are discussed in, for example, Ellis et al., US patent application No. 10 / 927,814, filed on August 26, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference here in its entirety.

In a third approach, users of user equipment devices inside and outside a home can use their media guidance application to communicate directly with 1116 internet servers or other media content sources to access con- media content distributed over the internet and others.

Specifically, within a home, users of user 1104 television equipment and user 1106 computer equipment can access the media guidance application to navigate between and locate desirable media content. Users can also access the media guidance application outside the home using the 1106 user's wireless communications devices to navigate between and locate desirable media content. It will be appreciated that, while the discussion of media content is focused on video content, the principles of media orientation can be applied to other types of media content, such as music, images, etc. A more detailed view of a modality of the media orientation data source 1118 is shown in figure 12. In addition to the data stores 1124 and 1126, the media orientation data source 1118 can contain an internet browsing device 1202 and an internet server 1204. The internet browsing device 1202 and internet server 1204 can each include one or more of 1214 and 1208 circuit pack processors, and storage 1216 and 1210. They can include any of the features and components of a user equipment device, described above in relation to the figure

10. They may additionally include any stored circuitry or software (for example, database drivers, internet browsing device applications, internet server applications, etc.). Internet browsing device 1202 and internet server 1204 interact with data stores 1124 and 1126 via I / O paths 1210, 1218, 1220, and 1222. Internet browsing device 1202 and server Internet connections 1204 communicate with the communications network 1114 through I / O paths 1206 and 1212, which are referred to collectively as connection 1122 in figure 11. I / O paths 1206, 1210, 1212, 1218, 1220, and 1222 can be any of the appropriate communication paths described above in relation to 1108, 1116, and 1112. Although internet browsing device 1202 and internet server 1204 are shown as separate entities, their functions can be performed by a single unit. In a typical scenario, the internet browsing device 1202 obtains information from online media (for example, metadata) and, in some modalities, online media content originally provided from 1116 internet servers. That is, the internet browsing device - net 1202 captures information on online media available on the internet. In figure 12, a dotted line is shown between connection 1206 and internet server 5 1116 to indicate that internet browsing device 1202 directly requests media and media information from internet server 1116. The internet navigation device internet 1202 can then store the information on the media available online in the data storage 1124. To do so, the internet browsing device 1202 can access, retrieve, add, update, or remove data from the data storage 1124. internet browsing 1202 can store information on internet servers 1116 in storage 1210. Thus, internet browsing device 1202 can store information captured directly in data storage 1124 or it can first process the captured information using related data in data storage 1126 and / or in storage 1210. In a typical scenario, the internet server 1 204 can access or retrieve data from data stores 1124 and 1126. Internet server 1204 can use data retrieved from either or both data stores to provide media guidance application data to a guidance application of media. The internet server 1204 can store user personalization data (for example, user profiles) in storage 1216 and any other appropriate information to prepare a presentation and / or data. The internet server 1204 can provide data via I / O 1212 using any of the approaches described above in relation to the figure

11. For example, the 1204 internet server can send raw data, processed data, or can prepare a presentation, depending on the type of user equipment and / or the guidance application. The 1300 system in figure 13 is another illustrative modality of the 1118 media orientation data source. Figure 13 includes the components

components of figure 12, but also includes user data management equipment 1302, publisher user equipment 1310, and data storage selected by editor 1308. User data management equipment 1302 can include 5 include 1304 circuit processing and storage

1306. User data management equipment can be one of the user equipment devices 1102, 1104, or 1106. User data management equipment 302 can include any or all of the device equipment components of the user. In figure 13, user data management equipment 1302 is local to data storage 1124, and can communicate with data storage 1124 via any path described in relation to I / O paths 1108, 1116, and 1112. In some embodiments, user data management equipment is standard user equipment (eg laptop, mobile device, etc.) remote from the 1300 system, and data management can subscribe to win access via internet browsing device 1202 or internet server 1204. Typically, there is more than one user data management device in the 1300 system, but only one is shown to avoid overly complicating the design. In a typical usage scenario, a data manager can use user data management equipment to access, retrieve, add, remove, or update entries in the 1124 data store. Data managers can correct incorrect information about online videos, removing videos that have become unavailable, adding information from online media and / or online media content, adding tags relating to entries in the 1126 data store, or adding any information that can be used by the device Internet browsing1202 and internet server 1204. For example, data managers can tag certain 1116 internet servers so that any listing of these tagged internet servers is accentuated in the listing.

The data storage of editor selections 1308 can be one or more related databases or other appropriate storage mechanisms.

The database of editor selections 1308 can contain separate storage space for each editor.

The database of publisher selections 1308 may contain publisher's preferred designations for individual online media.

In addition, the publisher selections database 1304 can contain lists of favorites for each editor, where a list of favorites is a list of the publisher's favorite or preferred media.

For each publisher preference designation in editor selection database 1308, editor selection database 1308 can store links within data stores 1124 and 1126. The links can be used by internet server 1204 to generate presentations or collect data for media guidance applications.

In some embodiments, the data storage of editor selections 1308 is part of storage 1216 on internet server 1204. User publisher equipment 1310 may include processing circuitry 1312 and storage 1314. The equipment - User editor equipment 1310 may include the features and / or components discussed in relation to user data management equipment 1302. User editor equipment can communicate, remotely or locally, with the data storage of editor selections 1308 via any path described in relation to I / O routes 1108, 1116, and 1112. In some embodiments, the user's publisher equipment may have access to a portion of storage 1216 on internet server 1214, and the publisher's preferred designations can be stored in 1216 storage. In a typical usage scenario, a publisher can incorporate preference designations in a similar way to the way that users embed media in the My Favorites list (see figure 5). Typically, there is more than one user editor device in the 1300 system, but only one is shown to avoid overly complicating the design.

In the present invention, an online media orientation application

online can choose a group of videos, and information about the chosen videos can be presented to the user. Flow diagram 1400 of the illustrative steps involved in obtaining and providing media guidance data is shown in figure 14. Online videos from one or more 5 online media providers (for example, 1116 internet servers) are identified and accessed in step 1402. The information for each identified video can be obtained from the online media provider. In some modalities, a plurality of web pages are browsed and the metadata corresponding to the available videos are removed from the web pages. Internet pages may include websites of online media providers. Video metadata may include the video title, description, video URL, source name, source URL, genre, type of program (eg, clip, full length episode, online only, movie trailers), minimized screenshots / photo, actors on video, runtime, character names, video format (eg REAL, WMV, Flash, QuickTime, etc.), activation / expiration date, download / transfer, DRM, price , and resolution (for example, full screen, 320x240, etc.). The metadata collected for each identified video can be stored (for example, in data store 1124) in step

1404. In addition, other metadata not obtained from the media provider (for example, keywords or tags added by a data manager (for example, from 1310 user data management equipment), assessments user, popularity, date the video was found on the internet, publisher's preferred designations, data content capable of “wiki”, etc.) can be stored in addition to the metadata collected. Stored metadata can be updated continuously, at fixed or variable time intervals, or cannot be updated at all. In some modalities, the online video identified by itself (for example, file / clip / actual video resource) is also stored. In step 1406, the metadata for each of the videos can be associated with the media orientation data, where the media orientation data can be stored in a media orientation database.

The association can be determined based on the comparison of the video metadata with the metadata in the media orientation database (for example, data store 1126), or the association can be added by a data manager.

In some modalities, some of the metadata collected is used to make associations with media guidance data and not actually stored in step 1404. In still other modalities, a degree of relevance can be stored instead of just an association .

For example, metadata can be compared, and a higher degree of relevance can be given to online videos that combine a higher percentage of metadata.

In step 1406, each video can be associated with one or more entries in the media orientation database.

For example, the metadata for a video from a television episode can be associated with the orientation data in the television program, in the television episode, in the actors on the program, on the television network, or any publishers who comment. in the episode or show.

An association can be made by storing the video's metadata with a tag from the media orientation database.

Alternatively, associations or links between stored metadata and media orientation data can be saved remotely.

A subset of videos can be selected in step 1408. The subset can be chosen automatically based on an editor's preferred designations (for example, from the editor's selection database 1308) or based on the customization data of the user.

User personalization data can be obtained from monitoring user behavior, from a user profile, or from express designations made by the user (see figure 6). A group of videos can also be chosen automatically based on criteria such as the popularity or renewal of the videos (see column

206 of figure 2). A subset of the videos can be selected in step 1408 in response to receiving a command from the user.

The user can incorporate one or more search terms or keywords (for example, in the search bar 224), and the subset of the videos can be determined based on a comparison of the keywords with the stored metadata associated with each video.

The user can select the particular criteria elements (for example, genre, show, channel, clip length, etc.) of interest (for example, using column 202 of figure 2). The subset of the videos, which may be those that meet the criteria, are determined based on an examination of the stored metadata.

There is metadata associated with both media guidance data and online video.

Consequently, the subset of videos can be determined by comparing search terms or other criteria to one or another metadata source.

In one modality, the search terms and / or other criteria elements are compared to the metadata of the media guidance application.

The comparison returns guidance data from relevant media.

As long as there are associations linking media guidance data to the related online video, a subset of videos can be determined.

In another embodiment of the invention, the subset of videos is determined based on a comparison of search keywords and / or other criteria to the video metadata.

Depending on how the collected metadata is stored, the amount of metadata for each video collected, and how the associations are made, both techniques may or may not return the same group of videos.

In some embodiments, the media guidance database includes more than media guidance data.

The media guidance database also includes media, such as video media.

In this case, the subset of videos identified in step 1408 may include the videos identified from the internet and / or the videos stored in the media guidance database.

A presentation indicating each video in the subset of videos is generated in step 1410. The presentation for each video in the subset includes guidance application data from the guidance application database. The data in the guidance application is determined based on the associations created in step 1406. The presentation can also include some or all of the video metadata collected and / or generated (for example, in text box 308 in figure 3, in column 400 of figure 4, as keywords 512 in figure 5, etc.). In some modalities, the presentation is a mosaic, where each video in the subset is represented by at least one graphic identifier (for example, still image from the video). In other modalities, the presentation can be text only. Also, the media listings indicated can indicate the relevance of each listing, where relevance can be determined based on the data manager's indication (see figure 13) or a degree of relevance assessed when the listing was associated with the data. media guidance data in step 1406. In some modalities, an online media guidance application can direct a user to media content of interest to the user. Flow diagram 1500 in figure 15 shows illustrative steps to provide such a feature. Online media information can be obtained and processed based on the strategies discussed in steps 1404 to 1406 in figure 14. A subset of videos can be identified in step 1502 using any of the techniques discussed in step 1408, including choosing videos based on the user's personalization data, publisher's preferred designations, search terms entered by the user (for example, in the search bar 224 in figure 2), or criteria elements selected by the user (for example, example, in the left column 202 in figure 2). In step 1504, a presentation is generated using a frame from each of the identified videos. The presentation can be similar to the presentation screen 200 shown in figure 2. A user selection of a frame is received by the online media guidance application in step

1506. Based on the selection, in step 1508, the direct guidance application

links the user to the website that provides the selected media content.

The website can be provided in a cover, in a frame within the guidance application, or can be shown on the full screen. 5 According to a principle of the present invention, a group of videos can be identified, and further refined, based on the user's selection of selectable criteria elements.

Flow diagram 1600 of figure 16 illustrates such a process.

Information from online media can be obtained and processed based on the strategies discussed in steps 1404 to 1406. Criteria elements (eg, action / adventure, news, ABC, Comedy Center, etc.) can be presented to a user, as in window 214 of figure 2, in step 1602. In some embodiments, the selectable criteria elements can be a predefined group of criteria elements that are always displayed.

In other modalities, selectable criteria elements can include only the criteria elements that the media identified from the internet in step 1402. In step 1604, the media guidance application receives an indication from the user of one of the selectable criteria elements.

Based on the selected criterion element, a subset of identified media is selected in step 1606. As long as the selected criterion element is the first criterion chosen by the user, the subset is chosen based only on this element of criteria. selected criterion.

However, if other selected criteria elements had already been received, the subset of videos can be chosen based on one or more of all the selected criteria elements.

The subset of identified videos can be chosen based on some of the strategies discussed above in relation to step 1408 in figure 14. After a subset of videos is chosen, a presentation can be generated indicating each video in the subset in step 1410, such as as in mosaic 208 in figure 2. This step can proceed using any of the techniques discussed in relation to figure 14. The media orientation application can then receive a user selection from another selectable criterion element in 1604 This would refine the subset of videos chosen in step 1606, and the changed subset would be reflected in the presentation generated in step 1410. In some embodiments, a guidance application can present the selectable criteria elements grouped into categories. Based on the user's selection, videos of interest to the user can be identified and the specified criteria elements can be updated accordingly. The identified videos can therefore depend not only on which criteria elements are selected, but also in which categories have selected criteria elements. The flow chart 1700 of figure 17 is an illustrative flow chart according to a principle of the present invention. As discussed in greater detail below, the 1700 flow chart can be taken in many modalities. In a 1700 flow chart modality, a group of identified videos depends only on the most recently selected criteria element. When the user first incorporates the guidance application, a plurality of categories are presented to the user in the step

1702. For example, categories can be genre, channels, shows, and favorite lists (see column 202 of figure 2). In addition, one of the categories can opt for a selected stage, where a window of criteria elements within the category is presented. In some modalities, a criterion element for a selected category is indicated only if at least one video in the database meets the criterion element. With regard to receiving a user selection in step 1704, if the selection is a criterion element within a selected category (for example, criterion element 212 in figure 2), the videos that meet the selected criterion are identified in step 1706. The videos can be identified based on some of the strategies discussed in relation to figure 14. The identified videos can be presented in a mosaic, as in the presentation screen 200 in figure 2. The media guidance application can then receive a user selection of another criterion in the current category or receive a selection from a different category

current (step 1704). With respect to receiving a user selection in step 1704, if the selection is a category except for the category currently selected, the window of selectable criteria elements that correspond to the category currently selected is closed in step 1708. A new window is presented in step 1710, and the selectable criteria elements that correspond to the recently selected category are displayed within the new window.

The window can be located directly below the category to indicate that the window corresponds to that category.

The user interface can then receive a user selection from a criterion element in the recently selected category or receive a selection from a different category (step 1704). In another mode of the 1700 flow chart, the media guidance application can keep track of the selected criteria elements, and uses each selected criterion element to restrict the scope of the identified videos.

When the user first incorporates the guidance application, a plurality of categories are presented to the user in step 1702. For example, the categories can be genre, channels, shows, and favorite lists (see column 202 in figure 2) . In addition, one of the categories can choose a selected stage, where a window of criteria elements within the category is presented.

Regarding the reception of a user selection in step 1704, if selection is a criterion element within the selected category, the videos that meet the selected criterion and all previously selected criteria are identified (step 1706). Once the selection of the criterion element adds a condition that all identified videos must comply, selecting the criterion element that restricts the group of videos and decreases the number of identified videos.

For an example, see the discussion of columns 800B and 800C in figures 8B and 8C, where a group of identified videos is reduced from 139 (822 in figure 8B) to 30 (824 in figure 8C). When multiple criteria elements are selected from one or more categories, the identified videos are in accordance with the Boolean expression: (SC1 AND SC2 E ... And recently selected criterion), where "SCX" represents "selected criterion X." Alternatively, other appropriate multiple criteria selection schemes can be used, such as an inclusive selection of all identified videos that fall within any of a plurality of criteria selection; the identified videos can be in accordance with the Boolean expression: (SC1 OR SC2 OR… OR recently selected criterion), where "SCX" represents "selected criterion X." With respect to receiving a user selection in step 1704, if the selection is an indication to "close" a previously selected criterion element (for example, by selecting button 220 from the 200 presentation screen), the criterion that corresponds to the indication closing is deselected (step 1712). Thus, the group of identified videos expands to include all videos that conform to the remaining selected criteria elements, but not the criterion element deselected in step 1714. Regarding the reception of a user selection in step 1704 , if the selection is a category except for the category currently selected, the window corresponding to the category currently selected may be closed in step 1708 (for example, window 814 in figure 8B). A new window is displayed (for example, window 826 in figure 8C), and the selectable criteria elements corresponding to the recently selected category are indicated within the new window (step 1710). Selectable criteria elements can include criteria elements that, if selected, would result in at least one identified video.

That is, a selectable criterion element in the recently selected category can be displayed if there are videos available that meet criterion element and all previously selected criterion elements.

Similarly, with respect to user selection of a criterion element in 1704, the selectable criterion elements remaining in the category can also be reduced together with the restriction of the videos identified in step 1706. That is, after having restricted the group of identified videos , a selectable criterion element can be removed from the list if there is no video in the restricted group that is also in accordance with the selectable criterion element.

In another modality of the flow chart 1700, the selection of 5 multiple criteria elements can expand the group of identified videos.

When the user first incorporates the guidance application, the media guidance application can indicate a plurality of categories in step 1702. For example, the categories can be genre, channels, shows, and favorite lists.

In addition, one of the categories can choose a selected stage, where a window of criteria elements within the category is presented.

Regarding the reception of a user selection in step 1704, if the selection is a criterion element within the selected category, a group of videos is identified, where each video is in accordance with (1) the selected criterion element or any of the previously selected criteria elements of the same category, and (2) at least one criterion element selected in each of the other categories that had at least one criterion element selected (step 1706). The video group can be expanded to include videos that match only the newly selected criteria element and none of the previously selected criteria elements in the category.

For an example, see the discussion of columns 900A and 900B of figures 9A and 9C, where a group of identified videos is expanded from 139 (902 in figure 9A) to 627 (904 in figure 9B). Thus, when multiple criteria elements are selected from one or more categories, the identified videos are in accordance with the Boolean expression: (SC1cat1 OU… OR SCNcat1) AND (SC1cat2 OU… OR SCNcat2)…, where "SCXcatY "represents the" selected criterion X in category Y. " Regarding the receipt of a user selection in step 1704, if the selection is an indication to "close" a previously selected criterion element (for example, selecting button 220 on the presentation screen 200), the criterion corresponding to close indication is deselected (step 1712). Since a subset of identified videos may only have found the criterion deselected in the category and in none of the remaining selected criterion elements, the videos in that subset are no longer identified and presented to the user (step 1714). Consequently, deselecting a criterion element can restrict the video group and reduce the number of identified videos.

Regarding the receipt of a user selection in step 1704, if the selection is a category except for the category currently selected, the window corresponding to the category currently selected is closed in 1708. A new window is presented below the category re - selected, such as window 906 in figure 9B, and selectable criteria elements corresponding to the recently selected category (for example, 908 or 910 in figure 9B) can be entered within the new window (step 1710). The list of selectable criteria elements can include the criteria elements that, if selected, would return at least one video.

That is, a selectable criterion element in the recently selected category can be displayed if there are videos in the database that is in accordance with (1) the selectable criterion element or any other criterion element previously selected in the same category, and (2) at least one criterion element selected in each of the remaining categories with at least one element selected.

In another modality of the 1700 flow chart, the effect of selecting a criterion element may depend on which category the criterion element is in.

For example, selecting multiple criteria elements in some categories (for example, gender) can cause the guidance application in step 1706 to identify videos that meet all selected criteria elements.

Selecting multiple criteria elements in another category (for example, channels and shows) can cause the guidance application to identify videos that match any of the selected criteria elements.

Essentially, this modality is a combination of the two modalities discussed

the mind.

Thus, when multiple criteria elements are selected from one or more categories, the identified videos can be in accordance with the Boolean expression: (SC1cat1 OU… OR SCNcat1) AND (SC1cat2 E… AND SCN-cat2)…, where "SCXcatY" represents "selected criterion X in category Y." 5 A media orientation application can also use the keywords embedded by a user to define a group of videos.

Figure 18 shows the illustrative flow diagram 1800 for providing videos and criteria elements after receiving one or more keywords.

In step 1802, one or more keywords are received by the media guidance application.

A group of videos is identified in step 1804 based on one or more keywords.

The group can be selected based on any of the strategies described above in relation to figure 14. A group of criteria elements from a category (for example, the category selected from step 1710 in figure 17) can be indicated in step 1806. The criteria elements indicated can include only those that match the group of videos identified in step 1804. The user can then continue to change the group of videos based on the strategies described in relation to the 1700 flowchart. systems and methods for acquiring, categorizing, and distributing online media content using an interactive media guidance application.

The modalities of the present invention described above are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation.

Claims (52)

1. Method for providing guidance for videos on the Internet, comprising: accessing a plurality of Internet sites to identify videos provided by Internet sites; store Internet site metadata for each of the identified videos; associate data from the guidance application from a database of the guidance application to the metadata for each of the identified videos; select a subset of the videos; and generate a presentation indicating each video in the subset of the videos identified for a user, where the presentation includes the data from the guidance application associated with each indicated video. 2. Method according to claim 1, where the Internet sites comprise Web sites. 3. Method according to claim 1, where accessing the plurality of Internet sites comprises browsing Internet sites and collecting metadata. 4. Method according to claim 1, where storing the metadata comprises storing a URL for each of the videos. 5. Method according to claim 1, where the indicated videos of the presentation are arranged in a video mosaic. 6. Method according to claim 1, where: the presentation indicates each video using a frame from each video; and in response to the user's selection of a frame, redirects the user to the website that provides the video of the selected frame. 7. Method according to claim 1, where the presentation comprises the stored metadata for the identified videos. 8. Method according to claim 1, where the subset of videos is selected according to the user's personalization data. 9. Method according to claim 8, where the user's personalization data is derived from expressed user preference designations. 10. Method according to claim 8, where user personalization data is derived from the behavior of the monitored user. 11. Method according to claim 1, where the subset of videos is selected according to a publisher's preferred designations. 12. Method according to claim 11, still comprising receiving the designations of preference from the editor. 13. Method according to claim 1, where data from the presentation guidance application comprises program descriptions, editorial comments, media content related to videos, or links to Internet sites providing related media content to the indicated videos. 14. Method according to claim 1, still comprising storing the identified videos. 15. Method according to claim 1, where the presentation is provided by an interactive program guide. 16. System to provide guidance for videos on the Internet, comprising: set of communication circuits; storage; and set of processing circuits configured to: access a plurality of Internet sites using the set of communication circuits to identify videos provided by the Internet sites; store metadata from Internet sites in storage for each of the identified videos; associate the data of the guidance application of a database of the guidance application to the metadata for each of the identified videos; select a subset of the videos; and generate a presentation indicating each video in the subset of the identified videos, where the presentation includes the data from the guidance application 5 associated with each indicated video. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the Internet sites comprise Web sites. 18. The system according to claim 16, where the processing of the circuit set is configured to browse Internet sites and to collect metadata. 19. System according to claim 16, where the stored metadata comprises the URL for each of the videos. 20. System according to claim 16, where the indicated videos of the presentation are arranged in a video mosaic. 21. System according to claim 16, where: the presentation indicates each video using a frame from each video; and the set of processing circuits is further configured to redirect a user to the website that provides video of a frame in response to the user's selection of the frame. 22. The system according to claim 16, where the presentation comprises the metadata stored for the identified videos. 23. System according to claim 16, where the subset of videos is selected according to user personalization data. 24. System according to claim 23, where the user's personalization data is derived from express designations of the user's preference. 25. System according to claim 23, where user personalization data is derived from the behavior of the monitored user. 26. System according to claim 16, where the subconscious along with videos is selected according to a publisher’s preferred designations. 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the set of processing circuits is further configured to receive designations preferably from a publisher. 28. The system according to claim 16, where the presentation guidance application data comprises program descriptions, editorial comments, video-related media content, or links to Internet sites that provide related media content to the indicated videos. 29. The system of claim 16, wherein the set of processing circuits is further configured to store the videos identified in the storage. 30. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry is configured by instructions in an interactive program guide. 31. Method for providing guidance for videos on the Internet, comprising: accessing a plurality of Internet sites to identify videos provided by Internet sites; store Internet site metadata for each of the identified videos; associate the data of the guidance application of a database of the guidance application to the metadata for each of the identified videos; and generate a presentation indicating each video of a subset of the videos identified for a user, where the presentation includes the guidance application data associated with each indicated video, and where the subset of the videos is selected according to the criteria elements selected by the user in a scope restriction mechanism where: in response to the user's selection of a first category from a plurality of scope restriction criteria categories with the scope restriction mechanism, a first window is presented in which selectable criteria elements from the first category are presented; and 5 in response to the selection by the user selecting from a second category from a plurality of categories of scope restriction criteria with the scope restriction mechanism, a second window is presented in which the selectable criteria elements of the second category are presented. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the Internet sites comprise Web sites. 33. The method of claim 31, wherein the scope restriction mechanism further comprises closing the first window of selectable criteria elements in response to the user's selection of the second category from a plurality of scope restriction criteria categories. . 34. Method according to claim 31, where: the method further comprises receiving the selection by a user of one or more elements of selectable criteria from the first category of criteria; and limit the criteria elements of the second window to criteria elements served by videos that also meet the criteria elements of the first category selected by the user. 35. The method of claim 31, wherein the indicated videos are arranged in a video mosaic. 36. Method according to claim 35, where the indicated videos of the mosaic change as the user selects criteria elements. 37. Method according to claim 35, where: the presentation indicates each video using a frame from each video; and the method also comprises redirecting the user to the website that provides the video of the selected frame in response to the user's selection of a frame. 38. Method according to claim 31, where the scope restriction mechanism presents the number of videos that meet the 5 elements of selected criteria. 39. Method according to claim 31, where the categories of criteria comprise genre, channel and video title. 40. Method according to claim 31, where data from the presentation guidance application comprises program descriptions, editorial comments, media content related to videos, or links to Internet sites that provide related media content. the indicated videos. 41. The method of claim 31, wherein the presentation is provided by an interactive program guide. 42. System to provide guidance for videos on the Internet, comprising: set of communication circuits; storage; and set of processing circuits configured to: access a plurality of Internet sites using the set of communication circuits to identify videos provided by the Internet sites; store metadata from Internet sites in storage for each of the identified videos; associate guidance application data from a guidance application database to metadata for each of the identified videos; and generate a presentation indicating each video in a subset of the identified videos, where the presentation includes the data from the guidance application associated with each indicated video, and where the subset of the videos is selected according to criteria elements selected by a user in a scope restriction mechanism where: in response to the user's selection of a first category from a plurality of scope restriction criteria categories with the scope restriction mechanism, a first window is presented in which the selectable criteria elements of the first category are presented; and in response to the user's selection of a second category from a plurality of scope restriction criteria categories with the scope restriction mechanism, a second window is presented in which the selectable criteria elements of the second category are presented . 43. The system of claim 42, wherein the Internet sites comprise Web sites. 44. The system of claim 42, wherein the scope restriction mechanism still comprises closing the first window of selectable criteria elements in response to the user's selection of the second category from a plurality of scope restriction criteria categories. . 45. The system according to claim 42, where the set of processing circuits is further configured to: receive a user's selection of one or more selectable criteria elements of the first category of criteria; and limit the criteria elements of the second window to the criteria elements served by the videos that also meet the criteria elements of the first category selected by the user. 46. The system of claim 42, wherein the indicated videos are arranged in a video mosaic. 47. System according to claim 46, where the indicated videos of the mosaic change as the user selects the criteria elements. 48. System according to claim 46, where: the presentation indicates each video using a frame from each video; and the set of processing circuits is further configured to redirect the user to the Internet site that provides the video of a frame in response to the user's selection of the frame. 49. System according to claim 42, where the scope restriction mechanism presents the number of videos that meet the elements of selected criteria. 50. System according to claim 42, where the categories of criteria comprise genre, channel and video title. 51. System according to claim 42, where the presentation guidance application data comprises program descriptions, editorial comments, video-related media content, or links to Internet sites that provide related media content to the indicated videos. 52. The system of claim 42, wherein the processing circuitry is configured by instructions in an interactive program guide.