System and method for selection of content source upon device power-on

Abstract

Selection of audiovisual (multimedia) programming to display on a content display device (e.g., a TV) upon a power-on signal at the content display device is described. Content to display on content display device is determined at a power-on event. The content is determined to satisfy a set of rules governing the type of content that is appropriate to display on the content display device. Rules pertain to content appropriate for a content display device located in a specific room of a house or building. Other embodiments include rules pertaining to content appropriate for displaying on the content display device at various times of day.

1 . A method of determining content to display on a content display device at a power-on event, the method comprising:
 receiving content information associated with a plurality of programs that can be received;   receiving location information representative of the location of a content display device in a network;   presenting, to a user, a series of one or more content theme questions based on the received location information; and   receiving, in response to the one or more questions, user input indicative of one or more content theme selections.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content information is associated with a plurality of content sources. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of content sources comprise one or more of a cable network, a satellite network, an over the air network, and a recorded content source. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received location information represents a room within a home. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, before receiving a power-on signal, recording one of the programs determined to satisfy the content theme selections. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the recorded program is communicated over data communication network to the content display device after receiving the power-on signal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location information is input by a user. 
     
     
         8 . A method of automatically starting programming on a content display device after powering on the device, the method comprising:
 analyzing content information associated with a plurality of programs so as to determine whether one or more of the programs satisfies one or more content theme selections made by a user, wherein the content theme selections pertain to content appropriate for display at a specific location of the content display device;   receiving a power-on signal for the content display device;   in response to receiving the power-on signal, displaying one of the programs determined to satisfy the content theme selections to the content display device;   monitoring the content display device for detecting a change in the displayed program;   storing information relating to the change in the displayed program; and   refining content selection of appropriate content for displaying on the content display device.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication of a time of day; and   analyzing the content information so as to determine whether one or more of the programs satisfies a set of rules that pertains to content that is appropriate for display at the received time of day, wherein the program displayed at the content display device satisfies the set of rules.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 monitoring the display device after displaying one of the programs, in order to identify a change in the content being displayed; and   storing information related to the content being displayed after the change.   
     
     
         11 . A method of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more content theme selections made by the user are in response to one or more content theme questions based on received location information. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a program is selected for displaying on the content display device based on one or more of viewer content rating and program quality rating. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a program is selected for displaying on the content display device based on user priority settings comprising priorities of: pre-recorded programming, currently broadcast programming and pay per view programming. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining if the program displayed on the content display device is turned off within a predetermined time period.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 upon determining that the program displayed on the content display device is turned off:   storing the turn off information; and   communicating the information to content selector devices in a network.   
     
     
         16 . A method of determining content to display on a content display device at a power-on event, the method comprising:
 prior to receiving a power-on event by a content display-device:
 employing a content selector device for:
 receiving content information associated with a plurality of content available in a home network; 
 receiving location information representative of the location of a content display device in the home network; 
 presenting, to a user, a series of one or more content theme questions based on the received location information, wherein the series of one or more content theme questions are associated with priorities used to weight mathematical formula, wherein the priorities include a choice of pre-recorded content over broadcast content; 
 receiving, in response to the one or more questions, user input indicative of one or more content theme selections; and 
 analyzing the content information so as to determine whether one or more of the available content satisfies the content theme selections, wherein the content theme selections pertain to available content appropriate for display at the location of the content display device. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 16  further comprising:
 upon receiving a power-on signal for the content display device:
 the content display device displaying one of the content determined to satisfy the content theme selections.