TV MAGNETS

Abstract: A method and system of selectively filtering content for display includes initiating at least one TV magnet corresponding to a category of content, attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling content based on the TV magnet, and selectively displaying the filtered according to the attractings repelling or attracting and repelling step. The term "content" relates to any type of programming or information that can be broadcast, stored by a user, or otherwise transmitted to a user.

Description: TV MAGNETS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a nonprovisional application of U.S. provisional and parent application "TV MAGNETS," U.S. Serial No. 60/221,398, filed July 28, 2000 having George Marmaropoulos, Clive Van Heerden, and John Zimmerman as the inventors and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a user interaction paradigm related to the customization of the TV watching process. Digital television and digital information has changed and will continue to change home entertainment by offering a vast amount of digital content. The number of channels and variety of content available will become so large that it will be impossible for any viewer to browse the content using conventional channel surfing methods. Electronic program guides (EPGs), such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 4,706,121 and 5,353,121, herein incorporated by reference, provide schedule information processing systems which provide a viewer with a convenient way to select programs based on viewer supplied selection criteria. However, even EPGs, despite their current developments will be insufficient to provide a level of personalization for the copious information which will soon become available. Various devices and systems, such as personal TV recorders and agent technologies offer a certain level of personalization. These systems operate at the meta-data level using EPGs and user preferences. Such devices normally have a hard disk with the ability to store several hours of video content in order to facilitate the process of viewing the preferred programs. However, new paradigms that allow the users to intuitively search and find the content that they would like to watch are becoming necessary. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention, a method of selectively filtering content for display includes initiating at least one TV magnet corresponding to a category of content. The method also includes attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling content based on the TV magnet, and selectively displaying the content filtered according to the attracting, repelling or attracting and repelling step. The term "content" relates to any type of programming or information that can be broadcast, stored by a user, or otherwise transmitted to a user. In several embodiments of the invention, the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step at least partially prevents the display of repelled content by filtering, searching for, and permitting the display of attracted content. Filtering can be performed based on pixel color analysis in a sampled frame, dialogue analysis, object recognition techniques, content rating guides, or written program descriptions. In other embodiments, the initiating step also includes assigning TV magnets a general category of content, such as "celebrities". The general category of content is a searchable category from which the content can be filtered in the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step and displayed in the displaying step. In other embodiments the initiating step also includes assigning TV magnets at least one specific type of content, such as specific celebrities. The specific type of content includes searchable specific items within the general category of content and from which content can be filtered in the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step and displayed in the displaying step. In other embodiments, the initiating step further includes generating at least one TV magnet symbol that represents a type of content. TV magnet symbols and the type of content they represent can be automatically generated by a system, provided by a broadcaster, downloaded from the Internet, created by users, or exchanged among other users on a network. Users can also alter the name and shape of TV magnet symbols, or the content TV magnet symbols represent. In other embodiments, a user can adjust the strength of a TV magnet to attract or repel content more strongly or less strongly. This can be achieved by adjusting a strength indicator which directs a content search and display device to place greater emphasis on locating and displaying the content the user selected to attract and also decreases the influence of a filtration mechanism. The user can also adjust the repelling strength of a TV magnet by adjusting a strength indicator. The strength indicator directs a content search and display device to place less emphasis on locating and displaying the content the user selected to filter and increases the influence of a filtration mechanism. In another embodiment, a user places at least one TV magnet symbol within one or more genres on a user interface. The attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step selectively filters content according to the at least one TV magnet represented by the at least on TV magnet symbol during the initiating step. In other embodiments, the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step occurs over the course of a preset period of time. The content that the TV magnet collected during the preset period of time is displayed accordingly. The attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step can also occur continuously where filtered content is displayed according to the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step continuously while a user watches displayed content. In another aspect, the invention includes a system for selectively filtering content. The system includes a display means for displaying content, at least one source of content, and a microprocessor. The system also includes a content filter for selectively filtering content according to at least one TV magnet, a storage medium, and means for initiating, editing, and selecting the at least one TV magnet. In several embodiments, the display means can be a television or monitor, the content is a source of television programming, and the source of content is at least one source of television programming. The source of television programming can be a satellite-programming source, a land based programming source, or any other broadcast source. The microprocessor controls the content filter based on the TV magnet. The content filter receives content from the at least one source of content and filters the content the TV magnet repels and allows the content the TV magnet attracts to pass through. The microprocessor can receive content from the at least one source of content and enacts the content filter to filter the content based on the TV magnet. And, the microprocessor can direct the content filter to filter stored content in the storage medium based on the TV magnet. The microprocessor can also suggest or create at least one TV magnet automatically based on a user's individual viewing habits. In another aspect, a program segment stored on a processor- readable medium for selectively filtering content from display includes several portions. One portion initiates at least one TV magnet. One portion attracts, repels, or attracts and repels content based on the TV magnet. And one portion displays the filtered content according to the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step. The invention provides several advantages. For example purposes only, the system and method are capable of filtering content based on a user's individual input so that general and specific content may be transparently attracted or repelled. This will make television viewing easier and more personalized as the number of channels and volume of information continues to grow. Further, copious information can be organized and viewed quickly and simply, without requiring excess scanning. These and many other advantages are elucidated with reference to the embodiments below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Fig. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a user interface incorporating a TV magnet; Fig. 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a user interface on which a TV magnet operates; Fig. 3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a user interface that allows a user to browse through content that a TV magnet collected; Fig. 4 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a screen display with a carried magnet; Fig. 5 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a system on which a user interface incorporating a TV magnet can be displayed and utilized; Fig. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a program segment stored on a processor-readable medium for selectively filtering content from display. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIMARY EMBODIMENT The proposed method and system provides a television viewer with the ability to select virtual objects, hereinafter called "TV magnets", that have the special property of attracting or repelling certain types content, such as television programs. Fig. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the proposed user interface for selecting content using TV magnets. A user begins by selecting from menu 61 on user interface 102. Here the user can open a new magnet, download magnets, obtain suggested magnets from a memory, or open their personal magnet file. In Fig. 1, the user selects George's magnets. This reveals TV magnets 13,14,15,16,17, previously set up and personalized by a user named George. The user then selects from TV magnets 13,14,15,16,17 by moving a cursor 20 left, right, up, and down using a conventional input device, such as a remote control or a keyboard. Each TV magnet represents a different category of content. For example, TV magnet 15 is an "event magnet" which, like a conventional magnet, attracts or repels general and specific types of content relating to events. When TV magnet 15 is selected, a representative still or moving enlarged or otherwise altered image 150 is displayed on the user interface 102. Some textual information, such as the category of content represented by TV magnet 15, or the specific content TV magnet 15 attracts or repels, may also be included with enlarged or otherwise altered image 150. Attraction identifier 151 lists several types of content to which TV magnet 15 will be attracted, and can be edited to suit the user's personal tastes. In Fig. 1, TV magnet 15 will attract events, which include content pertaining to plane, crashes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and floods. Similarly, repulsion identifier 152 lists several types of content to which TV magnet 15 will repel. In Fig. 1, TV magnet 15 will repel events that contain content pertaining to advertisements (adverts.) and weather. TV magnet 13,14,15,16,17 symbols and the types of content they represent are either automatically generated by the system, provided by a broadcaster, downloaded from the Internet, created by users, or exchanged among other users on a network. Users can also manipulate and/or change the name of a magnet (i.e., "event magnet"), the shape of the magnet (i.e., a horseshoe magnet shape), or the content it represents (i.e., the definition of "event") by selecting the various feature they wish to alter and entering alternative or manipulated content. Users can also alter the specifically attracted and repelled content. To alter the specifically attracted and repelled content, users can type their own words or choose from pre-selected words by highlighting the ones they want with, for example, a remote control after selecting the desired TV magnet. In Fig. 1, the user selected to attract plane crashes and earthquakes (as indicated by the + sign adjacent to each word) and to repel advertisements and weather (as indicated by the " § sign adjacent to each word) . Users can further adjust the strength of a TV magnet to attract or repel specific content more strongly or less strongly. Strength indicator 60 allows for this type of adjustment. In Fig. 1, the user set the attractive strength by manipulating strength indicator 60 in a positive direction with a conventional input device. This means that the TV magnet will direct a content search and display device to place greater emphasis on locating and displaying the specific content they selected to attract (i.e., plane crashes and earthquakes) . This is achieved by decreasing the influence of a filtration mechanism. The user also set the repelling strength by manipulating indicator 60 in a negative direction with a conventional input device. This means that the TV magnet will direct a content search and display device to place less emphasis on locating and filtering the display of specific content they selected to repel (i.e., plane advertisements and weather) . Strength adjustments also reflect the balance between attracted and repelled specific content. Strength adjustments like the aforementioned indicate the level of filtration refinement (i.e., full strength on the repel property means that the user does not even wish to consider the content indicated) . As a more specific example of filtering, if the user wishes to completely bar the display of scenes containing sexual content several known methods are available. One method samples frames of the content and uses the sampled frames to analyze the colors of every pixel in a sampled frame to determine what the content is. For example, content can be determined to contain a nude scene if a given sampled frame of the content contains greater, than 40% of skin tone colored pixels. If the user increases the repel strength to a maximum (i.e., wants to see no sex scenes at all), then a filtration mechanism will bar content containing a sampled frame with a minimum percentage (i.e., greater than 5%) of the overall tones containing relative skin color from being shown. Decreasing the repel strength will cause filtration of content containing a sampled frame with a greater minimum percentage (i.e., greater than 30%). Additional methods are available for filtering and adjusting the strength of attraction and repelling. Content can also be filtered, for example, using dialogue analysis, object recognition techniques, content rating guides, and written program descriptions. Once a user initiates TV magnets, for example by selecting, downloading, or programming them, TV magnets can be used in several ways. Fig. 2 depicts one way TV magnets can affect programs or content selection. Fig. 2 depicts a user interface that displays a space divided into genres 21,22,23,24,25,26,27. Coming region 200 refers to content that is to be displayed in the future. Storage region 202 represents content that has already been broadcast, and has been stored by the user for future viewing by a set-top box recording and playback device or other content storage/playback device. A user can at any time place, remove, delete, or edit one or more magnets in any of the coming or stored regions of a genre using menu 205. Genre menu 205 can be manipulated using, for example, a remote control device. TV magnets can also be placed globally across all genres. In Fig. 2, for example, the user placed TV magnets 15 and 16 into the "news" genre column 22 in coming region 200. TV magnet 15 relates to certain events, and TV magnet 16 relates to certain celebrities. This is indicated by listing 204 which conveniently displays the category of its content as well as a sampling of the specific content it either attracts or repels. Therefore, coming content that fits into the news genre 22 will be screened and filtered, attracting and repelling the specific content of TV magnets 15 (events) and 16 (celebrities) . Fig. 3 displays a user interface that allows a user to browse through the content that event TV magnet 15 collected during one day. The content images 30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37 are contained in region bounded by brackets 300,301 that allow for scrolling if more content was collected than space provided. Content images 30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37 represent content that TV magnet 15 collected in a given day based on the specific content the user programmed it to attract and repel (i.e., via attraction menu 38) . Content images 30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37 can be either automatically generated by a user interface system or provided by the broadcaster for easy recognition upon retrieval. Content images 30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37 can be representative still or moving images. Some textual information may also be included with the still or moving images. In the case of live content (i.e., currently being broadcast) the live video can be displayed in content images 30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37. When a user selects a content image with curso 20, using, for example, a remote control device, an enlarged version appears in region 351. In Fig. 3, the user selects content image 35. Enlarged content image 350 appears in region 351. The enlarged version can be animated or still. Further, enlarged content image 350 can also include textual information, such as channel on which the content appeared. When the user selects enlarged content image 350, or any other content image, the entire content it represents, or simply the desired portion thereof can be recalled and displayed in full size. Another application for the use of TV magnets involves carrying one or more TV magnets while watching live or recorded content. As a user flips through the channels, the effect of carrying a magnet that repels sex and violence, for example, is that only content that does not contain these types of scenes (depending on the strength of the magnet as discussed above) will be shown. Another effect of carrying a TV magnet can be to avoid or delete specific scenes from within content containing, for example, sex or violence while the user is watching it. Additionally, according to what the TV magnet attracts, as the user flips through the channels, only specifically desired content will be displayed. In this application, the selection of desired content is advantageously provided in an intuitive and transparent way. An example of a screen display 41 with a carried magnet 40 is shown in Fig. 4. The display of magnet 40 indicates that this magnet is currently affecting the content and selection of what the user is watching as they flip through the various channels. Fig. 5 displays a system on which TV magnets may be displayed and utilized. Display screen 101 displays the user interface 102. TV magnets can be selected, edited, and otherwise manipulated using cursor 20. Cursor 20 can be moved left, right, up, and down using a conventional input device such as a remote control 50 or any other customary input device known in the art. Once a user selects a TV magnet and enters the specific content it attracts and repels, as well as the strength of attraction and repulsion, microprocessor 53 controls content filter 51 based on this information. For live content, content filter 51 receives content from tuner/receiver 54 and, based on the information entered by the user, filters out the content the selected TV magnet repels. Microprocessor 53 also controls content filter 51 to allow content the user wishes to attract to pass through with less filtering. For future content, microprocessor 53 receives information regarding future content from tuner/receiver 54 and enacts content filter 51 to pre- filter (i.e., filter content prior to viewing time) them based on initiated TV magnets. Finally, for stored content, Microprocessor 53 also directs content filter 51 to filter stored content in storage medium 52 based on initiated TV magnets. Microprocessor can also suggest or create magnets automatically based on the user's individual viewing habits. TV magnets can also relate more generally to all forms of streaming media, such as radio, and streaming feeds from the Internet. For example, a user can initiate TV magnets on a user interface for a radio device (such as a digital cable radio feed) . The TV magnets will then attract and repel radio content based on the at least one TV magnet. The block diagram of Fig. 6 depicts how a program segment stored on a processor-readable medium selectively filters content from display. The program segment displays existing TV magnets on display 101 in step 600. The program then queries whether the user's desired TV magnet is displayed in step 601. If not, the program directs microprocessor 53 to generate the desired TV magnet in step 602. Once generated, the program directs storage medium 52 to store the generated TV magnet in step 603. The program then directs microprocessor 53 to display the desired TV magnet on user interface 102 in step 604. Once the user has their desired TV magnets displayed before them, the program verifies if the attraction / repulsion / filtration settings of the TV magnet is acceptable in step 605. If the user finds the settings unacceptable, the program adjusts the attraction / repulsion / filtration settings according to the user's inputs in step 606. When the settings are considered acceptable, the program instructs microprocessor 53 to direct content filter 51 to attract / repel content based on the TV magnet. This occurs in step 607. In step 608, the program directs microprocessor 53 to display the content that passes through content filter 51 on display 101. The preceding expressions and examples are exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims that follow.

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A method of selectively filtering content from display comprising: initiating at least one TV magnet corresponding to a category of content; attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling content based on the at least one TV magnet; and displaying filtered content according to the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step. 2. The method of Claim 1, wherein the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step further comprises at least partially preventing the display of repelled content by filtering repelled content and searching for and permitting the display of attracted content . 3. The method of Claim 2, wherein the filtering further comprises filtration based on pixel color analysis in a sampled frame, dialogue analysis, object recognition techniques, content rating guides, written content descriptions, closed captioning, speech to text, MPEG 7, and audio analysis. 4. The method of Claim 1, wherein the initiating step further comprises assigning the at least one TV magnet a general category of content. 5. The method of Claim 4, wherein the general category of content comprises a searchable category of content from which the content can be filtered in the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step and displayed in the displaying step. 6. The method of Claim 5, wherein the initiating step further comprises assigning the at least one TV magnet at least one specific type of content. 7. The method of Claim 6, wherein the specific type of content comprises searchable specific items within the general category of content and from which the content can be filtered in the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step and displayed in the displaying step. 8. The method of Claim 1, wherein the initiating step further comprises generating at least one TV magnet symbol which represents a type of content . 9. The method of Claim 8 , wherein the at least one TV magnet symbol and the type of content it represents is either automatically generated by a system, provided by a broadcaster, downloaded from the Internet, created by users, or exchanged among other users on a network. 10. The method of Claim 8, wherein a user can alter the name of the at least one TV magnet symbol, the shape of the at least one TV magnet symbol, or the content the at least one TV magnet symbol represents . 11. The method of Claim 1, wherein a user ' can adjust the strength of the at least one TV magnet to attract or repel content more strongly or less strongly. 12. The method of Claim 11, wherein the user can adjust the attractive strength of the at least one TV magnet by adjusting a strength indicator which directs a content search and display device to place greater emphasis on locating and displaying the content they selected to attract decreases the influence of a filtration mechanism. 13. The method of Claim 11, wherein the user can adjust the repelling strength of a TV magnet by adjusting a strength indicator which directs a content search and display device to place less emphasis on locating and displaying the content they selected to filter and increases the influence of a filtration mechanism. 14. The method of Claim 1, wherein the initiating step further comprises placing at least one TV magnet symbol within one or more genres on a user interface, and the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step selectively filters the information in the one or more genres according to the at least one TV magnet represented by the at least on TV magnet symbol . 15. The method of Claim 1, wherein the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step occurs over the course of a preset period of time and the displaying step further comprises displaying all the information that the at least one TV magnet collected during the preset period of time. 16. The method of Claim 1, wherein the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step occurs continuously and the displaying step displays the filtered content according to the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step continuously while ' a user watches the displayed content. 17. A system for selectively filtering content comprising: a display means for displaying content; at least one source of content; a microprocessor; a content filter for selectively filtering content according to at least one TV magnet; a storage medium; and means for initiating, editing, and selecting the at least one TV magnet . 18. The system of Claim 17, wherein the display means comprises a television or monitor. 19. The system of Claim 17, wherein the content further comprises at least one source of television programming, or source of streaming media. 20. The system of Claim 19, wherein the at least one source of television programming is a satellite programming source, a land based programming source, or a broadcast source. 21. The system of Claim 17, wherein the microprocessor controls the content filter based on the at least one TV magnet. 22. The system of Claim 17, wherein the content filter receives content from the at least one source of content and filters content the at least one TV magnet repels and allows content the at least one TV magnet attracts to pass through. 23. The system of Claim 17, wherein the microprocessor receives content from the at least one source of content and enacts the content filter to filter the content based on the at least one TV magnet . 24. The system of Claim 17, wherein the microprocessor directs the content filter to filter stored content in the storage medium based on the at least one TV magnet. 25. The system of Claim 17, wherein the microprocessor suggests or creates at least one TV magnet automatically based on a user's individual viewing habits . 26. The system of Claim 17, wherein the means for initiating, editing, and selecting the at least one TV magnet further comprises a remote control device, a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch- screen. 27. A program segment stored on a processor-readable medium for selectively filtering content from display comprising: portions for initiating at least one TV magnet corresponding to a category of content; portions for attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling content based on the at least one TV magnet; and portions for displaying filtered content according to the attracting, repelling, or attracting and repelling step.

Inventors: MARMAROPOULOS GEORGE, VAN HEERDEN CLIVE, ZIMMERMAN JOHN, MARMAROPOULOS, GEORGE, VAN HEERDEN, CLIVE, ZIMMERMAN, JOHN
Applicants: HEERDEN CLIVE VAN, KONINKL PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV, MARMAROPOULOS GEORGE, ZIMMERMAN JOHN, KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V., MARMAROPOULOS, GEORGE, VAN HEERDEN, CLIVE, ZIMMERMAN, JOHN
Application year: 2001
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: H04N5