System and methods to determine user interest in unresolved plot of a series and resolving it

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for resolving an unresolved plot or storyline of a series and resolving it. A user may not view all episodes in a series of episodes, particularly if the series runs over a long period of time, such as several years. The user may however be interested and curious to know how the series ends, with reference to a storyline that runs throughout the series. Therefore the disclosure provides methods and systems for determining if a user is interested in the resolution of an unresolved storyline and generating a resolution video for display.

1 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A method for generating a series storyline resolution video, the method comprising:
 maintaining a user-specific series viewing pattern data structure by monitoring a user's interaction with one or more media devices in relation to a given series;   receiving a series storyline data structure indicative of parts of episodes which are relevant to a series storyline;   comparing the user-specific viewing pattern data structure and the series storyline data structure to automatically generate a first resolution video edit decision list listing parts of episodes relevant to the storyline which have not been watched by the user;   generating the series storyline resolution video for display by concatenating some or all of the parts of episodes identified in the first automatically generated edit decision list.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising receiving an indication of a desired duration of a series storyline video from a user, and filtering the first automatically generated edit decision list to generate a second automatically-generated edit decision list listing a subset of the parts of episodes listed in the first automatically generated edit decision list, the total duration of the subset of the parts of episodes being less than or substantially equal to the desired duration. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the series storyline data structure comprises storyline impact data for each part of each episode relevant to the storyline, and the filtering of the first automatically-generated edit decision list is based on storyline impact data. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the series storyline data structure comprises timeframe data including timestamp data indicative of the start of each part of the episode relevant to the storyline. 
     
     
         45 . A system for generating a series storyline resolution video, the system comprising:
 control circuitry configured to:   maintain a user-specific series viewing pattern data structure by monitoring a user's interaction with one or more media devices in relation to a given series;   receive a series storyline data structure indicative of parts of episodes which are relevant to a series storyline;   compare the user-specific viewing pattern data structure and the series storyline data structure to automatically generate a first resolution video edit decision list listing parts of episodes relevant to the storyline which have not been watched by the user;   generate the series storyline resolution video for display by concatenating at least some of the parts of episodes identified in the first automatically generated edit decision list.   
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive an indication of a desired duration of a series storyline video from a user; and filter the automatically generated edit decision list to generate a second automatically-generated edit decision list listing a subset of the parts of episodes listed in the first automatically generated edit decision list, the total duration being less than or substantially equal to the desired duration. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the series storyline data structure comprises storyline impact data for each part of each episode relevant to the storyline, and the filtering of the first automatically-generated edit decision list is based on storyline impact data. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the series storyline data structure comprises timeframe data including timestamp data indicative of the start of each part of the episode relevant to the storyline.