Systems and methods for deducing user information from input device behavior

Abstract

User selections entered in the media application or any user input device behavior with user devices may be recorded as clickstream data. The clickstream data may be used to deduce information about the user or a media item being consumed. A user may be profiled based on his or her input device behavior using a plurality of time-stamped indicators. A degree of user interest may be determined based on a time period between the time-stamped indicators, the number of time-stamped indicators within a period of time, and/or a type of user action.

1 . A method for profiling a user of a media device comprising:
 receiving a plurality of time-stamped indicators based on user actions over a period of time with the media device while interacting with a media item, each of the time-stamped indicators being associated with a type of user action with the media device;   measuring at least one time period between the time-stamped indicators and the number of time-stamped indicators within the period of time; and   determining a degree of user interest in a portion of the media item based on the at least one time period between the time-stamped indicators, the number of the time-stamped indicators within the period of time, and at least one type of user action.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media item includes a media program. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a media program includes at least one of a movie, television program, video, song, audio program, game, broadcast program, and multimedia program. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media item includes an advertisement. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  comprising billing an advertiser associated with the advertisement based at least in part on the degree of user interest. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the type of user action includes at least one of a keyboard stroke, mouse click, joystick command, keypad depression, voice command, touchscreen touch, haptic interaction, gesture input, remote control key initiation, fast-forward command, rewind command, pause, stop, play, volume up, volume down and set-top box control command. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  comprising receiving user profile information from a database. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  comprising determining the degree of interest of the user based on the user profile information. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  comprising receiving one or more time-stamped indicators from a second media device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  comprising determining the degree of interest of the user based on the one or more time-stamped indicators from the second media device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  comprising determining the type of media content associated with a portion of the media item based on the user actions over the period of time. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  comprising determining at least one of personality attributes, language preferences, and physical attributes of the user based on the user actions over the period of time. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the physical attributes includes at least one of hearing impaired, visually impaired, vocally impaired, mobility impaired, movement impaired, and cognitively impaired. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 prior to interacting with the media item over the period of time, storing the media item by the user, and 
 correlating the time-stamped indicators over the period of time with identified portions of the media item based on metadata associated with the media item. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  comprising receiving the metadata associated with the media item from a media source. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the metadata is embedded in the media item. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interacts with the media item via a media application on the media device. 
     
     
         18 . A system for profiling a user of a media device comprising a processor configured to:
 receive a plurality of time-stamped indicators based on user actions over a period of time with a media device while interacting with a media item, each of the time-stamped indicators being associated with a type of user action with the media device;   measure at least one time period between the time-stamped indicators and the number of time-stamped indicators within the period of time; and   determine a degree of user interest in a portion of the media item based on the at least one time period between the time-stamped indicators, the number of the time-stamped indicators within the period of time, and at least one type of user action.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the media item includes a media program. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein a media program includes at least one of a movie, television program, video, song, audio program, game, broadcast program, and multimedia program. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the media item includes an advertisement. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is further configured to bill an advertiser associated with the advertisement based at least in part on the degree of user interest. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the type of user action includes at least one of a keyboard stroke, mouse click, joystick command, keypad depression, voice command, touchscreen touch, haptic interaction, gesture input, remote control key initiation, fast-forward command, rewind command, pause, stop, play, volume up, volume down and set-top box control command. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive user profile information from a database. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the degree of interest of the user based on the user profile information. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to receiving one or more time-stamped indicators from a second media device. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the degree of interest of the user based on the one or more time-stamped indicators from the second media device. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the type of media content associated with a portion of the media item based on the user actions over the period of time. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine at least one of personality attributes, language preferences, and physical attributes of the user based on the user actions over the period of time. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the physical attributes includes at least one of hearing impaired, visually impaired, vocally impaired, mobility impaired, movement impaired, and cognitively impaired. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 prior to interacting with the media item over the period of time, store the media item by the user, and   correlate the time-stamped indicators over the period of time with identified portions of the media item based on metadata associated with the media item.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive the metadata associated with the media item from a media source. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the metadata is embedded in the media item. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the user interacts with the media item via a media application on the media device. 
     
     
         35 . A system for profiling a user of a media device comprising:
 means for receiving a plurality of time-stamped indicators based on user actions over a period of time with a media device while interacting with a media item, each of the time-stamped indicators being associated with a type of user action with the media device;   means for measuring at least one time period between the time-stamped indicators and the number of time-stamped indicators within the period of time; and   means for determining a degree of user interest in a portion of the media item based on the at least one time period between the time-stamped indicators, the number of the time-stamped indicators within the period of time, and at least one type of user action.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the media item includes a media program. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein a media program includes at least one of a movie, television program, video, song, audio program, game, broadcast program, and multimedia program. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the media item includes an advertisement. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38  comprising means for billing an advertiser associated with the advertisement based at least in part on the degree of user interest. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the type of user action includes at least one of a keyboard stroke, mouse click, joystick command, keypad depression, voice command, touchscreen touch, haptic interaction, gesture input, remote control key initiation, fast-forward command, rewind command, pause, stop, play, volume up, volume down and set-top box control command. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 35  comprising means for receiving user profile information from a database. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41  comprising means for determining the degree of interest of the user based on the user profile information. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 35  comprising means for receiving one or more time-stamped indicators from a second media device. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43  comprising means for determining the degree of interest of the user based on the one or more time-stamped indicators from the second media device. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 35  comprising means for determining the type of media content associated with a portion of the media item based on the user actions over the period of time. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 35  comprising means for determining at least one of personality attributes, language preferences, and physical attributes of the user based on the user actions over the period of time. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the physical attributes includes at least one of hearing impaired, visually impaired, vocally impaired, mobility impaired, movement impaired, and cognitively impaired. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 35  comprising:
 means for storing the media item by the user prior to interacting with the media item over the period of time; and 
 means for correlating the time-stamped indicators over the period of time with identified portions of the media item based on metadata associated with the media item. 
 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48  comprising means for receiving the metadata associated with the media item from a media source. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the metadata is embedded in the media item. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the user interacts with the media item via a media application on the media device.