Learning activity duration for providing content during activity

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for recognizing an activity and providing content for consumption during the activity. The methods and systems use an activity engine to learn a duration of an activity by receiving input with a start cue indicating a start of an activity and receiving input with a stop cue indicating an end of the activity. The activity engine determines an average or estimated duration for the activity based on the time difference between the start cue and the stop cue so that when the activity engine receives a third input and identifies the start cue, a content curation engine identifies one or more content items with a total runtime substantially similar to the average or estimated duration for the activity and provides the content for consumption.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising:
 receiving a first input including a variable-duration activity type corresponding to a first session of a variable-duration activity;   determining an estimated duration of the first session of the variable-duration activity based on a plurality of previous sessions of variable-duration activities having the same variable-duration activity type;   identifying one or more content items to provide during the first session of the variable-duration activity, the total runtime of the one or more content items being substantially the same as the estimated duration of the first session of the variable-duration activity;   receiving a second input including a start cue for the first session of the variable-duration activity; and   in response to receiving the input including the start cue, providing for consumption the one or more content items.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the estimated duration of the first session of the variable-duration activity comprises an average duration of the plurality of previous sessions of variable-duration activities having the same variable-duration activity type. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the second input including the start cue comprises an audio input. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one of the one or more content items has a variable runtime. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more content items comprises a plurality of videos in a playlist. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more content items are identified based on a user profile corresponding to the first input. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more content items are identified based on the variable-duration activity type. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 in response to determining that the total runtime of the one or more content items is greater than the estimated duration of the first session of the variable-duration activity, shortening a length of a content item of the one or more content items.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 in response to determining that the first session of the variable-duration activity has extended beyond the estimated duration:
 identifying one or more additional content items; and 
 providing for consumption the one or more additional content items. 
   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 receiving a third input including a stop cue for the first session of the variable-duration activity; and   updating an estimated duration associated with the variable-duration activity type corresponding to the first session based on a time different between the start cue and the stop cue.   
     
     
         41 . A system comprising:
 input/output circuitry configured to receive a first input including a variable-duration activity type corresponding to a first session of a variable-duration activity; and   processing circuitry configured to:
 determine an estimated duration of the first session of the variable-duration activity based on a plurality of previous sessions of variable-duration activities having the same variable-duration activity type; and 
 identify one or more content items to provide during the first session of the variable-duration activity, the total runtime of the one or more content items being substantially the same as the estimated duration of the first session of the variable-duration activity; 
   wherein the input/output circuitry is further configured to:
 receive a second input including a start cue for the first session of the variable-duration activity; and 
 in response to receiving the input including the start cue, provide for consumption the one or more content items. 
   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the estimated duration of the first session of the variable-duration activity comprises an average duration of the plurality of previous sessions of variable-duration activities having the same variable-duration activity type. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the second input including the start cue comprises an audio input. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the at least one of the one or more content items has a variable runtime. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the one or more content items comprises a plurality of videos in a playlist. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the one or more content items are identified based on a user profile corresponding to the first input. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the one or more content items are identified based on the variable-duration activity type. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 in response to determining that the total runtime of the one or more content items is greater than the estimated duration of the first session of the variable-duration activity, shorten a length of a content item of the one or more content items.   
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein:
 the processing circuitry is further configured to, in response to determining that the first session of the variable-duration activity has extended beyond the estimated duration, identify one or more additional content items; and   the input/output circuitry is further configured to provide for consumption the one or more additional content items.   
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein:
 the input/output circuitry is further configured to receive a third input including a stop cue for the first session of the variable-duration activity; and   the processing circuitry is further configured to update an estimated duration associated with the variable-duration activity type corresponding to the first session based on a time different between the start cue and the stop cue.