Abstract: A recommendation system is disclosed that generates recommendations for one or more items based on the combined preferences of a number of individuals. The disclosed recommender initially identifies the individuals that are present, and thereafter generates a recommendation score based on the combined preferences of each user. In one implementation, a recommendation score is first computed for each individual, before a combined recommendation score is computed for the entire group. The combined recommendation score, C, can be computed, for example, using an average or a weighted average.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and systems for bookmarking an area of interest of stored video content is provided. As a viewer is watching a video and finds an area of interest, they can bookmark the particular segment of the video and then return to that segment with relative simplicity. This can be accomplished by pressing a button, clicking with a mouse or otherwise sending a signal to a device for marking a particular location of the video that is of interest. Frame identifiers can also be used to select a desired video from an index and to then retrieve the video from a medium containing multiple videos.

Abstract: Entertainment recommendations are made to a user of receivers responsive to broadcast signals. The receivers include an automotive vehicle radio receiver, a residential television receiver, a residential radio receiver, a residential or automotive CD player, and a receiver of Internet content, that is, a personal computer having a modem connection to the Internet. A storage device associated with at least two of the receivers stores compiled information about the user's program type preferences for the associated receivers. A signal combiner associated with at least one of the receivers combines the user's program type preferences for the receivers. A display coupled with the signal combiner makes the recommendations in response to the combined user's program type preferences for the receivers.

Abstract: A video signal is processed to identify segments that are likely to be associated with a commercial or other particular type of video content. A signature is extracted from each of the segments so identified, and the extracted signatures are used, possibly in conjunction with additional temporal and contextual information, to determine which of the identified segments are in fact associated with the particular video content. One or more of the extracted signatures may be, e.g., a visual frame signature based at least in part on a visual characteristic of a frame of the video segment, as determined using information based on DC and motion coefficients of the frame, or DC and AC coefficients of the frame. A given extracted signature may alternatively be an audio signature based at least in part on a characteristic of an audio signal associated with a portion of the video segment. Other types of signatures can also be used.

Abstract: An entertainment receiver is tuned in response to at least one signal indicative of preferred program content type for a user of the receiver. In response to received and detected program content type, program content type of plural program sources received by the receiver is determined. The program content type of the plural received program sources is compared with the stored signal indicative of preferred program content type for a user of the receiver. The receiver is activated so a received program source with the preferred program content type is presented to the user.

Abstract: A recommendation system is disclosed that generates recommendations for one or more items based on user preferences and one or more environmental factors. The user's preferences are learned under various environmental conditions using an environmental data collection system. The observed environmental conditions may include, for example, location, characteristics of the location, weather or characteristics of the user's motion, such as a rate of movement. For each positive and negative behavioral example, a number of attributes of the selected item are classified in the user profile together with the prevailing environmental conditions. When recommending an item, the disclosed recommender retrieves the user preferences and evaluates the current environmental conditions. A recommendation score can be generated for each available item based on the user's demonstrated preferences under similar environmental conditions, such as in the same or a similar geographic area or under similar weather conditions.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved method for using key objects obtained from Internet sites to search for and locate television programs. An advantageous embodiment of the improved method of the present invention comprises the steps of: 1) identifying key objects in Internet documents, 2) sending the key objects to a search capable video recorder, 3) conducting a key object search with the search capable video recorder to locate television programs that contain the key objects, 4) providing to a viewer the search results of the key object search that identify television programs that contain the key objects, 5) selecting television programs that contain the key objects in response to a viewer instruction, and 6) recording the television programs that are selected by the viewer from the search results.

Abstract: For use in a video display system capable of displaying a video program, there is disclosed a system and method for accessing a multimedia summary of a video program. The system is capable of displaying information on a display page that identifies the topics and the subtopics of the video program and an entry point for each of the topics and subtopics. In response to a viewer selection of an entry point the system displays the corresponding portion of the video program. The system also comprises a speaker visualization display unit that is capable of displaying information on a speaker visualization display page that identifies each speaker in a video program and a plurality of time segments that show when each speaker in the video program is speaking. In response to a viewer selection of a time segment the system displays the corresponding portion of the video program. The system also locates additional information of interest to the viewer and notifies the viewer when the additional information is located.

Abstract: For use in a video recorder, there is disclosed a system and method for determining whether an incoming video program has been previously recorded by the video recorder. The system comprises a transcript processor that is capable of obtaining a transcript of the incoming video program from a number of different sources of text. The transcript processor is capable of assembling the transcript from closed caption text of the video program. The transcript processor compares the transcript of the incoming video program with transcripts of video programs that have been previously recorded by the video recorder in order to determine whether the incoming video program has been previously recorded by the video recorder. The incoming video program is not recorded a second time if it has been previously recorded.

Abstract: For use in a video display system capable of displaying a video program, there is disclosed a system and method for creating a multimedia summary of the video program using transcript data and audio-video segments of the video program. The system comprises a multimedia summary generator that is capable of obtaining a transcript of the text of the video program and audio-video segments of the video program. The multimedia summary generator identifies topic cues and subtopic cues in the transcript of the video program. The multimedia summary generator also identifies audio-video segments that are associated with the topic cues and subtopic cues. The multimedia summary generator creates the multimedia summary by assembling the topic cues and the subtopic cues and their associated audio-video segments. Entry points are provided in the multimedia summary for each topic and subtopic so that a viewer of the multimedia summary can directly access each topic and subtopic.