Method of operating a channel recommendation system

Abstract

A method of operating a channel recommendation system with a system for providing channel recommendations over a network, the system including a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory containing programming code to: provide a channel recommendation bid interface at a service provider server of a television service; receive a channel recommendation bid request on the channel recommendation bid interface; determine at the service provider server of the television service at least a first subscriber; determine at the service provider server at least one channel based on the channel recommendation bid request and based on real time viewership information of the television service; associate at the service provider server the determined channel with the determined first subscriber; and provide from the service provider server to a subscriber display device of the first subscriber a recommendation link to the determined channel.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for providing channel recommendations over a network, the system comprising: a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory containing programming code to:
 provide a channel recommendation bid interface at a service provider server of a television service;   receive a channel recommendation bid request on the channel recommendation bid interface;   determine at the service provider server of the television service at least a first subscriber;   determine at the service provider server at least one channel based on the channel recommendation bid request and based on real time viewership information of the television service, the real time viewership information comprising real time interaction information from at least a second subscriber distinct from the first subscriber, the second subscriber having a relationship with the first subscriber in a social network comprising relationships between user accounts stored on a social network server, the relationships being established in response to a request from a first user account to connect to a second user account;   associate at the service provider server the determined channel with the determined first subscriber; and   provide from the service provider server to a subscriber display device of the first subscriber a recommendation link to the determined channel.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the recommendation link to the determined channel is one of a plurality of channel links on the subscriber display device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the channel recommendation bid request includes a bid amount and the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the bid amount. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the channel recommendation bid request includes a transaction specification and the channel links are ordered based on the transaction specification. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising programming code to determine a second set of viewership information, wherein the second set of viewership information comprises real time interaction information from at least a third subscriber distinct from the first subscriber and the second subscriber, the third subscriber does not have a relationship with the first subscriber in the social network, and the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the real time viewership information and the second set of viewership information. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of links is ordered based on the real time viewership information. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising programming code to determine a second set of viewership information, wherein the second set of viewership information comprises real time interaction information from at least a third subscriber distinct from the first and second subscribers, the third subscriber does not have a relationship with the first subscriber in the social network, and the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the second set of viewership information. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising programming code to determine for the first subscriber a related group profile or individual profile, wherein the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the related group profile or individual profile. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising programming code to determine for the first subscriber a related group profile or individual profile, wherein the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the related group profile or individual profile. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising programming code to determine a second set of viewership information, wherein the second set of viewership information comprises real time interaction information from at least a third subscriber distinct from the first and second subscribers, the third subscriber does not have a relationship with the first subscriber in the social network, and the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the second set of viewership information. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising programming code to determine for the first subscriber a related group profile or individual profile, wherein the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the related group profile or individual profile. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the real time viewership information. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising programming code to determine a second set of viewership information, wherein the second set of viewership information comprises real time interaction information from at least a third subscriber distinct from the first and second subscribers, the third subscriber does not have a relationship with the first subscriber in the social network, and the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the second set of viewership information. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising programming code to determine for the first subscriber a related group profile or individual profile, wherein the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the related group profile or individual profile. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the bid request includes a transaction specification and the channel links are ordered based on the transaction specification. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the bid request includes a transaction specification and the channel links are ordered based on the transaction specification. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising programming code to provide at least a portion of the real time viewership information to the first subscriber. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the real time viewership information includes information identifying the second subscriber. 
     
     
         19 . A computer implemented method of operating a channel recommendation system, the method comprising:
 providing a channel recommendation bid interface at a service provider server of a television service;   receiving a channel recommendation bid request on the channel recommendation bid interface;   determining at the service provider server of the television service at least a first subscriber;   determining at the service provider server at least one channel based on the bid request and based on real time viewership information of the television service, wherein the real time viewership information comprises real time interaction information from at least a second subscriber distinct from the first subscriber, the second subscriber having a relationship with the first subscriber in a social network comprising relationships between user accounts stored on a social network server, the relationships being established in response to a request from a first user account to connect to a second user account;   associating at the service provider server the determined channel with the determined first subscriber; and   providing from the service provider server to a subscriber display device of the first subscriber a recommendation link to the determined channel.   
     
     
         20 . A computer program product for providing channel recommendations over a network, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing computer program code for:
 providing a channel recommendation bid interface at a service provider server of a television service;   receiving a channel recommendation bid request on the channel recommendation bid interface;   determining at the service provider server of the television service at least a first subscriber;   determining at the service provider server at least one channel based on the bid request and based on real time viewership information of the television service, wherein the real time viewership information comprises real time interaction information from at least a second subscriber distinct from the first subscriber, the second subscriber having a relationship with the first subscriber in a social network comprising relationships between user accounts stored on a social network server, the relationships being established in response to a request from a first user account to connect to a second user account;   associating at the service provider server the determined channel with the determined first subscriber; and   providing from the service provider server to a subscriber display device of the first subscriber a recommendation link to the determined channel.