Method and apparatus for detecting and viewing similar programs within a video system

Abstract

A device that detects and displays similar programs within a video system includes a memory, a display and a receiver that receives an input stream of television program content and electronic program guide data, wherein the program guide data includes a plurality of attributes characterizing television programs within the television program content. The receiver separates electronic program guide data from the input stream while the memory stores the electronic program guide data separated from the input stream. Upon receiving a first user request, a controller compares a first set of attributes relating to at least one television program within the television content with second sets of attributes relating to further television programs within the television program content to determine a correlation between the first television program and each of the further television programs. In this manner, the controller identifies the television programs that have attributes that are similar to the attributes of the first television program based on the correlation and displays indications of the television programs found to be similar.

1 .- 26 . (canceled)  
   
   
       27 . A system comprising: 
 a processor; and    a memory coupled to the processor; and    instructions stored on the memory and adapted to be executed by the processor to cause the processor to: 
 receive program guide data including first attribute information for a first television program and second attribute information for each of a plurality of second television programs;  
 determine a similarity score for each of the plurality of second television programs based on a comparison of the first and second attribute information, wherein each of the similarity scores is based on a weighted combination of attributes associated with the second attribute information that match attributes associated with the first attribute information; and  
 display an indication of at least one of the second television programs based on the similarity scores.  
   
   
   
       28 . A system as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the instructions stored on the memory are adapted to be executed by the processor to cause the processor to display the indication by displaying an explanation of a correlation between the first television program and the at least the one of the second television programs.  
   
   
       29 . A system as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the instructions stored on the memory are adapted to be executed by the processor to cause the processor to determine the similarity score by comparing a first plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the first attribute information to a second plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the second attribute information.  
   
   
       30 . A system as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the instructions stored on the memory are adapted to be executed by the processor to cause the processor to determine the similarity score by assigning at least one weighted value to the first and second attribute information.  
   
   
       31 . A system as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the instructions stored on the memory are adapted to be executed by the processor to cause the processor to determine the similarity score by: 
 determining a count value associated with matches between a first plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the first attribute information and a second plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the second attribute information; and    multiplying the count value by a weighted value.    
   
   
       32 . A system as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the instructions stored on the memory are adapted to be executed by the processor to cause the processor to select a television program from the plurality of second television programs based on the similarity scores.  
   
   
       33 . A system as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the first attribute information includes at least one of category information, keywords, phrases, or series information.  
   
   
       34 . A machine accessible medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to: 
 receive program guide data including first attribute information for a first television program and second attribute information for each of a plurality of second television programs;    determine a similarity score for each of the plurality of second television programs based on a comparison of the first and second attribute information, wherein each of the similarity scores is based on a weighted combination of attributes associated with the second attribute information that match attributes associated with the first attribute information; and    display an indication of at least one of the second television programs based on the similarity scores.    
   
   
       35 . A machine accessible medium as defined in  claim 34  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to display the indication by displaying an explanation of a correlation between the first television program and the at least the one of the second television programs.  
   
   
       36 . A machine accessible medium as defined in  claim 34  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to determine the similarity score by comparing a first plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the first attribute information to a second plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the second attribute information.  
   
   
       37 . A machine accessible medium as defined in  claim 34  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to determine the similarity score by assigning at least one weighted value to the first and second attribute information.  
   
   
       38 . A machine accessible medium as defined in  claim 34  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to determine the similarity score by: 
 determining a count value associated with matches between a first plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the first attribute information and a second plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the second attribute information; and    multiplying the count value by a weighted value.    
   
   
       39 . A machine accessible medium as defined in  claim 34  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to select a television program from the plurality of second television programs based on the similarity scores.  
   
   
       40 . A machine accessible medium as defined in  claim 34 , wherein the first attribute information includes at least one of category information, keywords, phrases, or series information.  
   
   
       41 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a receiver to receive program guide data including first attribute information for a first television program and second attribute information for each of a plurality of second television programs;    a memory coupled to the receiver to store the program guide data; and    a controller coupled to the memory to: 
 determine a similarity score for each of the plurality of second television programs based on a comparison of the first and second attribute information, wherein each of the similarity scores is based on a weighted combination of attributes associated with the second attribute information that match attributes associated with the first attribute information; and  
 display an indication of at least one of the second television programs based on the similarity scores.  
   
   
   
       42 . An apparatus as defined  claim 41 , wherein the controller is to display the indication by displaying an explanation of a correlation between the first television program and the at least the one of the second television programs.  
   
   
       43 . An apparatus as defined  claim 41 , wherein the controller is to determine the similarity score by comparing a first plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the first attribute information to a second plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the second attribute information.  
   
   
       44 . An apparatus as defined  claim 41 , wherein the controller is to determine the similarity score by assigning at least one weighted value to the first and second attribute information.  
   
   
       45 . An apparatus as defined  claim 41 , wherein the controller is to determine the similarity score by: 
 determining a count value associated with matches between a first plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the first attribute information and a second plurality of attribute descriptors associated with the second attribute information; and    multiplying the count value by a weighted value.    
   
   
       46 . An apparatus as defined  claim 41 , wherein the controller is to select a television program from the plurality of second television programs based on the similarity scores.