Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for collecting and providing viewer feedback to a broadcast

US6317881A · kind A · utility

262Cited by
9References
43Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 4, 1998
Grant dateNov 13, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 4, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04H2201/30
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus to collect and provide viewer feedback to broadcasts. According to one aspect of the present invention, a rating is generated for a broadcast by a server system. The rating is based at least in part on viewer feedback to the broadcast, and the rating indicates a likelihood of interest in the broadcast for potential subsequent viewers. Access to the rating is then provided so that predications can be made as to whether or not the broadcast will be of interest to potential subsequent viewers. According to another aspect of the present invention, the rating is provided from the server system to an entertainment system, and the broadcast can be selected for viewing at an entertainment system based on the rating generated by the server system. In one embodiment, the viewer feedback is received at the entertainment system in response to a feedback questionnaire.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.