WO2004034703A1

WO2004034703A1 - Building up an interest profile on a media system with stored agents for media recommendation

Info

Publication number: WO2004034703A1
Application number: PCT/IB2003/004169
Authority: WO
Inventors: Petrus G. Meuleman
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Priority date: 2002-10-09
Filing date: 2003-09-18
Publication date: 2004-04-22
Also published as: AU2003260913A1

Abstract

A method and a system for or of building up an interest profile (401) on a media system with stored agents for media recommendation. The media system can be a VCR, a TV, a set-top box, a personal computer, a server, a radio or a DVD player. The method includes the steps of transferring a first agent to the media system based on a first selection criterion from a service provider of agents; and building a second interest profile on the media system based on the first agent and a first interest profile wherein the first agent comprises information about media content in at least two dimensions, a first dimension comprising information about at least one of program, channel and Web-site, and a second dimension comprising information about at least one of genre, type, topic, style, start, duration, language and title. The method further includes the step of presenting at least one of the second interest profile and the first agent on the media system. The second interest profile or the first agent can subsequently be used to recommend media content on the media system.

Description

Building up an interest profile on a media system with stored agents for media recommendation

This invention relates to a method of building up an interest profile on a media system with stored agents for media recommendation.

The present invention also relates to a computer system for performing the method. The present invention further relates to a computer program product for performing the method.

US 5,880,768 discloses interactive guide systems and processes that can automatically tune a television, or program a NCR. The tuning or the programming is based on program selections made from program schedule information, which can be displayed to a viewer. The interactive guide system and processes are implemented in a set-top box coupled to the viewer's television set. The viewer can in a display mode be allowed to apply a restrictive and a non-restrictive search selection criterion sorting attribute to the program schedule information in order to locate programs of the viewer's interest.

However, the above prior art involves the problem that when the system is used to show media content, i.e. a media system at cold-start, i.e. the very first time it is not able to suggest media content that reflects the media interest(s) of a specific user, which is a problem to the user especially the first time(s) the media system is used. When the media system is used for the first time or when the user has a new interest in a certain type of media - the user has to surf (in order to find where his new interest can be satisfied) through many available channels if the media system is a TN, or surf through many Web sites if his system is an Internet PC or accessed via a server from a client PC. Surfing is a time -consuming and inconvenient way of finding media content that reflects a user's specific interest in that area. However, it is known to use a so called agent, which can be used to recommend media content, but in the use of such an agent it is very difficult for the user to readily build up his own profile of interests. Different users may have various needs the first time, one user may prefer to have his media system (via agents) to recommend a broad selection of channels, whereas another user may prefer to make his media system recommend a more narrow selection of programs with in very specific genre, while another user may wish to combine the two said selections.

A general object of the present invention is therefore to provide a user of the media system with an easy and user- selectable way of selecting agents to ease the process of establishing a dedicated interest profile, i.e. a set of various agents, for the user, which can then subsequently be used to recommend media.

Another object of the invention is therefore to provide a user of the media system with the option of and combining agents of various kinds for various purposes in various ways.

Still another object of the invention is therefore to provide a user of the media system with the option of selecting agents with a broad coverage of media content.

Still another object of the invention is therefore to provide a user with agents with a narrow coverage of media content.

Still another object of the invention is therefore to provide a user with the option of combining agents with already installed agent(s), i.e. combining a new agent with the interest profile of the user in order to obtain an updated interest profile to recommend another type of media content. The cold-start problem is solved by a method of building an interest profile on a media system with stored agents for media recommendation, the method comprising the steps of:

- transferring a first agent to the media system based on a first selection criterion from a service provider of agents; - building a second interest profile on the media system based on the first agent and a first interest profile; and

- presenting at least one of the second interest profile and the first agent on the media system.

In the first step the agent is transferred to the media system and then - in the second step - used to combine a new interest profile as the composition of the old interest , profile and the transferred agent.

In the third step, one or more of the second interest profile and the first agent may be presented on the media system. The user is hereby assisted in the decision - by the presentation - whether to subsequently store said first agent to the second interest profile on the media system or not. With said information presented, the user will at this step know what the subsequent consequence will be when either the second interest profile or the first agent is used in a subsequent recommendation of media content in the next step. Information may be presented by means known icons for TN channels, a sheet of music may represent a genre of music, a ghost may represent horror, etc.

Hereby, the user of the media system is provided with an easy way of selecting agents and interest profiles since said presentation gives an overview (graphically, icons, text, etc) of what is contained in agents and interest profiles before they are eventually used for media recommendation. It is an advantage of the invention that - at this point, by means of said presentation — the user can determine if the interest profile fits his taste or contradicts it. Further, it is an advantage that said presentation gives a quick characterization of the agents and the interest profile to the user as a selection criterion, i.e. use it / them subsequently or not. Further, the object of providing the user with the option of combining agents with already installed agent(s), i.e. combining a new agent with the interest profile of the user, in order to get an updated interest profile to recommend another type of media content is hereby achieved.

In a preferred embodiment of the method the first agent comprises information about media content in at least two dimensions, a first dimension comprising information about at least one of program, channel and Web-site, and a second dimension comprising information about at least one of genre, type, topic, style, start, duration, language and title, wherein the information about media content is specified as a combination of one or more selections on the first dimension and one or more selections on the second dimension. Hereby the object of providing the user of the media system with the option of selecting agents of various kinds, for various purposes is achieved in that the agent may be selected, presented and composed in said dimensions.

In another preferred embodiment of the method, the method further comprises the step of: - storing the first agent on the media system to incorporate the first agent in the second interest profile.

In another preferred embodiment of the method, the method further comprises the step of: - recommending media content on the media system based on the second interest profile or based on the first agent.

Hereby the object of providing the user with the option of combining agents with already installed agent(s), i.e. combining a new agent with the interest profile of the user, in order to obtain an updated interest profile, is achieved in the said step of storing, and the object of recommending media content is subsequently achieved in the above mentioned- step of recommendation.

As a consequence, the (second) interest profile may comprise at least one agent. In another preferred embodiment of the method, the step of building a second interest profile comprises the sub-steps of:

- determining the second interest profile as an intersection of the first agent and the first interest profile; or

- determining the second interest profile as a union of the first agent and the first interest profile; or

- determining the second interest profile as a removal of a first part of the first agent from the first interest profile; or

- determining the second interest profile as a removal of a second part of the first interest profile from the first agent. Hereby the object of providing the user of the media system with the option of selecting and - in particular combining agents of various kinds - for various purposes in various ways is achieved in the above-mentioned four alternative sub-steps.

In another preferred embodiment of the method, the agent maybe composed such as the following four alternatives: 1. The agent may comprise information about media content specified as a combination of few selections on the first dimension and more, optionally grouped, selections on the second dimension.

2. The agent may comprise information about media content specified as a combination of many, optionally grouped, selections on the first dimension and fewer selections on the second dimension.

3. The agent may comprise information about media content specified as a combination of a first number of, optionally grouped, selections on the first dimension, and a second number of, optionally grouped, selections on the second dimension. 4. The agent may comprise information about media content specified as a combination of few selections on the first dimension and few selections on the second dimension.

Hereby, the objects of selecting and combining agents of various kinds for various purposes in various ways are achieved by said four alternatives. Further, the object of proving the user of the media system with the option of selecting agents with a broad coverage of media content is achieved by the first alternative, and the corresponding object to provide an agent with a narrow coverage of media content is achieved by the fourth alternative.

In a preferred embodiment of the method, the media system is one from the group comprising NCR, TN, set-top box, personal computer, server, radio and DVD player. In still another preferred embodiment of the method, the media content is one from the group comprising TN, video, a radio broadcasting, Internet TV and Internet sites.

The invention will be explained more fully below in connection with preferred embodiments and with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a two-dimensional concept range of an agent; Fig. 2 shows a specialist agent composition with respect primarily to genre in the two-dimensional concept range; Fig. 3 shows a generalist agent composition with respect to genre and programs and or channels in the two-dimensional concept range;

Fig. 4 shows the result of a combined specialist and generalist agent in the two-dimensional concept range;

Fig. 5 shows the result of the combination of the specialist agent and the generalist agent from figure 4;

Fig. 6 shows a media system with a user, a media provider, external agents and an external storage medium; and

Fig. 7 shows a method of building an interest profile on a media system with stored agents for media recommendation.

Fig. 1 shows a two-dimensional concept range of an agent. The agent has two axes, an X and a Y-axis. The X-axis may represent, by means of XI through X7, various genres. The genre may be soap, sport, news, movie, etc. Other genres may be information with sub-genres such as business, educational, nature, news, etc. Generally the genres illustrated by the X'es on the X-axis may comprise any genre known from magazines informing about media content such as TV programs and or TV channels, when the programs and or channels are put in various genre categories. The Y-axis may represent, by means of Yl through Y5, various TV programs and or TV channels that may provide media content to a user. The information contained in the two- dimensional concept range may - as indicated in the figure - be given a '+' sign or a '-' sign. The '+' sign may indicate that the agent or the user has a positive appreciation for media content on this position. Correspondingly, the '-' sign may indicate that the user dislikes the media content on this position or that the agent, when subsequently used to recommend media; will not recommend said media content. In other words any sign indicates a combination of a genre from a channel and or a genre from a program. The positive appreciation may indicate that the user would prefer to have the media content presented to him or her in a subsequent recommendation based on the agent, and vice versa. The recommendation, i.e. when the agent is used to recommend media, will be discussed later.

The mapping of the '+' and the '-' signs in the two-dimensional concept range indicates how a user would have filled out the map if he had had the time for doing so. The mapping of the signs may also be performed in order to create an agent for a particular purpose, hi a real world application, it is most likely not possible for a user to have the precise knowledge, the time and / or the desire to fill out such a map. Further, in a world with a huge number of programs and or channels and genres as well, it may be a very time consuming task for a user to maintain such a map with '+' and '-' signs.

Generally - which also applies to the figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 - the '+' and the '-' signs in the two-dimensional concept range indicates which combination(s) (+) is/are contained in the agent, the plus signs indicate that the agent may subsequently be used to recommend these combination, whereas the minus sign(s) indicate that the agent should not recommend such combination(s).

In figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 the X-axis with XI through X7, and the Y-axis with Yl through Y5, and the plus and minus signs as well have the same meaning. Fig. 2 shows a specialist agent composition with respect primarily to genre in the two-dimensional concept range. The specialist agent is here introduced in order to cover one or more specified genres on the X-axis from the programs and or channels providing such media content of the genre(s). When a particular specialist agent is created or composed, the selection for the coverage for the particular specialist agent may here be started by a preliminary choice of possible genres on the X-axis, and then some particular genres among these may be selected. In this way the specialist agent may - by way of an example - comprise exact (specialised) information about which programs and or channels that provide media content with a particular genre - as an example - soccer from the European league as shown in reference numeral 201. In a similar way the specialist agent indicated by reference numeral 202 may comprise exact information about a music genre on the X-axis - as another example - hip-hop provided from the programs and or channels referred to in the side of the rectangle of reference numeral 202 on the Y-axis.

Further, as will be explained later, one or multiple specialist agents may be used to fill gaps, i.e. missing information, in a resulting composed interest profile. Fig. 3 shows a generalist agent composition with respect to genre and programs and or channels in the two-dimensional concept range. The generalist agent is here introduced in order to cover a broad range of selected programs and or channels on the Y- axis with a (broad) range of genres on the X-axis. As opposed to the specialist agent, the selection for the coverage of a particular generalist agent may here firstly be started by a very broad choice of the programs and or channels on the Y-axis, and then some particular programs and or channels may be removed, leaving a broad selection of programs and or channels; a similar way may be applied to the selection on the X-axis. By way of an example, in the rectangle of reference numeral 301, this generalist agent may cover primarily English language programs (e.g. BBCl, BBC2, CNN etc) and or channels on the Y-axis (and thereby be used to recommend the same), and on the other side of the rectangle, the X-axis may comprise genres covered by these programs and channels. Even when the genres in the generalist agent comprise very different genres, such as classical music and heavy metal music, these genres can not be said to be a self-contradiction; it merely indicates that this particular generalist agent very broadly covers - as the generalist agent indicated in reference numeral 301 - a wide variety of programs and or channels in English primarily in may genres. Correspondingly, as shown in reference numeral 302, another generalist agent may contain an overlapping broad combination of programs and or channels on the Y-axis with genres on the X-axis, hereby another broad coverage of a generalist agent may be given, by way of another example this agent may cover German language programs and or channels. As an example, when reference numerals 301 and 302 are combined, the sum of these two generalist agents, which may be another new generalist agent, may cover both English and German language spoken programs and or channels. Generally, one or more generalist agents may thereby be used (in a composition of a so-called interest profile, which will be discussed later) in order to obtain a fast but shallow coverage of almost all the media preferences of a user using such an agent or such agents in combination, when these, subsequently are used in a recommendation of media content.

Fig. 4 shows the result of a combined specialist and generalist agent in the two-dimensional concept range. Reference numeral 401 shows a combined coverage of genres and programs and or channels, when the coverage as indicated in reference numerals 201, 202 and the coverage in reference numerals 301, 302 both are combined. The overlapping sections thereby show what are in common from the specialist agent(s) and the generalist agent(s). This combination of two agents may also be understood as a composition to build an interest profile. As will be revealed later, the combination will actually be of one agent with an (old) interest profile in order to compose a new interest profile.

Fig. 5 shows the result of the combination of the specialist agent and the generalist agent from figure 4. Reference numerals 501 through 504 show the combined coverage of genres and programs and or channels, when the coverage from the figures 2 and 3, i.e. specialist agent and generalist agent, are combined. The intersection shows, what is in common from the specialist agent(s) and the generalist agent(s). From the figure it can be seen that a careful, clever combination may quickly map different areas of the two- dimensional concept range.

The term of genre on the X-axis may be extended by other selection parameters such as type, topic, style, start, duration, language and title, which also are ways of describing media content. Correspondingly, the term of the program on the Y-axis may be extended by a channel or a Web-site. Generally, the term on the X-axis may characterize the media content seen from a user selection point of interest, i.e. genre, type, topic, style, start, duration, language and title; whereas the term on the Y-axis may characterize the media content seen from the media provider side, i.e. media content from a TV is a program or a channel, media content from the Internet may be a Web site, etc. From the discussion above, it can be seen that the agent may comprise information about media content in two dimensions, i.e. said two axes. The first dimension may comprise information about a program, a channel or a Web-site, i.e. the information on the Y axis, and the second dimension may comprise information about a genre, a type, a topic, a style, a start, a duration, a language or a title, i.e. the information on the X axis. The information about media content contained in the agent may, in general, be specified as a combination of one or more selections on the first dimension and one or more selections on the second dimension designed by minuses and plusses.

However, in the spirit of the invention, the agent and a corresponding interest profile (comprised of one or more agents) may comprise more than said two dimensions, i.e. one of said information items on the first dimension or (one of said information items on) the second dimension may instead be applied on a third dimension, etc.

Alternatively, one of said information items on the first dimension may instead be applied on the second dimension and vice versa. For the sake of conciseness, the present invention is described primary using two dimensions only.

Accordingly when agents are transferred, built, presented, combined, stored, etc, said actions may take place in the dimensions currently used in said agents. As an example, a two dimensional agent or interest profile may be presented in 2-D, correspondingly a three dimensional agent or interest profile may be presented in 3-D, etc. From this general description of the agent, four different types may be possible:

The specialist agent - as previously discussed - may comprise information about media content specified as a combination of many, optionally grouped, selections on the first dimension, i.e. either many programs, channels or Web-sites and with fewer selections on the second dimension (in order to specialise), i.e. fewer genres, types, topics, styles, starts, durations, languages or titles.

The generalist agent may comprise information about media content specified with a combination of few selections on the first dimension and more, optionally grouped, selections on the second dimension. The term generalist agent may be misleading, however seen from the point of many selections on the second dimension (i.e. selection of types, topics, styles, etc.) from a user's point of view, this particular agent contains the general interest of the user in terms of the second dimension.

As a special case - covering the most - a broad agent with a very broad selection can be defined as an agent that may comprise information about media content specified as a combination of a first number of, optionally grouped, selections on the first dimension, and a second number of, optionally grouped, selections on the second dimension. This agent has the broadest coverage, as it has many selections on both dimensions. Finally, as a last special case - covering the least - a tiny agent with a very specific and narrow selection can be defined as an agent comprising information about media content specified as a combination of few selections on the first dimension and also with few selections on the second dimension. Thereby, this agent has the narrowest coverage, as it has the fewest selections on both dimensions.

However, apart from the general description of an agent and the other four various types, an agent may further be constructed by a particular combination or more combinations of any of two values one from each of the said dimensions. This means that an agent may comprise any combination of plus and minus signs as previously shown in the foregoing figures.

The term "optionally grouped" is used in the selection for both dimensions. It may be so that - in the use of a graphical user interface or in the user's mind - it is appropriate to group similar or like items (on each of the dimensions) before a selection is performed to speed up or to ease the process of selection and composition. In the following description, the term agent will generally be used, when a specialist agent, a generalist agent or an agent with broader or narrower or any other content is discussed.

Fig. 6 shows a media system with a user, a media provider, external agents and an external storage medium. Reference numeral 602 may be a media provider providing media content available. Reference numeral 602 may comprise more than one media provider. Reference numeral 602 may also contain information about media content embedded in the signal from 602.

Media content may be a live media content like a TV program, a video available to be seen on demand, an interactive live broadcasted TV on the Internet, Internet TV, an Internet web-site only available when e.g. a certain event happens, a movie, a downloadable video, a radio broadcasting, or any other media which may be watched during the broadcast, or it may be a media content that may be presented on a corresponding media system. The media content may further be stored for later playback and presentation on a media system. The information about media content may be embedded in reference numeral

602, the signal from the media provider. The information about media content may be retrieved and derived from the meta-data in the media provider information. The media provider generally provides media content to the media system. The meta-data may contain textual and codified information about media content. In the television world the standardised DVB-Service Information contains information on electronic programme guides, which may also be information about media content. The information about media content may also be derived from text TV information sent during the broadcasting of TV programs. The information about media content may contain information about genre, type, duration, topic, title, begin and / or end, etc. of available media content, i.e. like the information of the said second dimension (the information on the X axis), and it may further comprise information about channel, program and Web-site, i.e. like the information of the said first dimension (the information on the Y axis).

Reference numeral 601 is the media system. The media system may be an intelligent set-top box, a TV, an intelligent VCR, a Personal Computer, a radio and a DVD player or any other electronic device that can present media content. The media system may also be accessed from a client PC in the home, where the media system is remote-run on a server. Generally, reference numeral 601 may be a system that can present the media content from the media provider either live or from a recording of media content. The media system may further have a CPU or another processing power in that the CPU may be used with help of other operating means to retrieve and combine agents to modify an interest profile, reference numeral 605.

The interest profile may - like the agent - comprise information about media content in two or more dimensions. Typically, the interest profile may be composed of various agents of various types and for different purposes, which will be discussed in the steps 1500 and steps 2001 through 2004 of figure 7.

The first dimension of the interest profile may comprise information about a program, a channel or a Web-site, and the second dimension of the interest profile may comprise information about a genre, a type, a topic, a style, a start, a duration, a language or a title. The interest profile may, in general, be specified or composed or build as a combination of one or more selections on the first dimension and one or more selections on the second dimension, a third, etc. by means of an agent transferred to the media system.

The interest profile may comprise a set of agents, i.e. at least one agent. These agents may have been selected by the user on the basis of some kind of criterion, which by way of example may be a textual description or a visual presentation of the dimensions of the agent on the Web site of the service provider or the agent may have been recommended by a friend.

The user, reference numeral 609, or users may watch or listen to the presented and or selected media content on 101. The user may interact with the media system in various ways, i.e. transfer and combine agents in various ways to modify the interest profile. This can be done by means of a feedback system. Reference numeral 607 is the feedback system integrated in reference numeral 601. The user(s) may also interact with the media system 601 in the form of zapping, adjusting volume, changing the tone and the balance of tone, looking up text TV information, surfing on the Internet, etc. The feedback system may generally be understood as operating means, i.e. a keyboard, a remote-control, a mouse, and in interactive menu, etc.

The media provider, reference numeral 602, and the media system, reference numeral 601 may be connected by means of a user connection point (not shown). It may be an antenna outlet for TV or radio, a modem, a ISDN or ADSL connection or the like connection to the Internet, an antenna outlet from a satellite receiver, a SCART connection to a TV and or to a VCR, etc.

Reference numeral 601 may have a CPU or a processing power as it may perform different manipulations on agents, manipulations on an interest profile, matching of information about media content; the terms agent and interest profile are described more detailed in the following. The CPU or the processing power may further handle the manipulations on agents and the transfers of agents to reference numeral 610, a database for agents.

Especially, agents not part of the interest profile may be stored in the database of agents. The handling of agents in various forms will be described more detailed in the next figure of a method. The processing power or the CPU may further handle agents to be read from or written to an external storage medium, reference numeral 604.

Reference numeral 610, the database in the media system, may be the database for a collection of agents and for reference numeral 605, the interest profile. How to compose or build the interest profile by means of an agent will also be described more detailed in the next figure.

Reference numeral 603 may be input of external agents to reference 601, the media system. The external agents may be downloaded from an external website, the external agents may be received by the CPU or the processing power of the media system before they may be released and put into actual use by the media system.

An agent may further be transferred to the media system on reference numeral 604, an external storage medium. On the one hand, the external storage medium may be read by the media system in that the media system may receive an agent from the external storage medium. On the other hand, the external storage medium may be written by the media system as the media system may be used to transport agent or agents to another media system or the media system may be used just to take a backup of the agents of the media system. Agents may be received by the processing power or the CPU of the media system before they may be released and put into actual use, i.e. be a part of the interest profile. Reference numeral 604, the external storage medium, may be magnetic tape, optical disc, digital video disk (DVD), compact disc (CD or CD-ROM), mini-disc, hard disk, floppy disk, smart card, PCMCIA card, a siliconed flippo, etc.

The siliconed flippo may a plastics disc with an integrated chip like a smart card of a size similar to a coin. In other words, generally, the media system may be used for reading from and / or writing the external storage medium.

Generally, reference numeral 601, the media system, with the shown integrated components may be considered as a media system with the use of agents, an interest profile, with a feedback system, with a database and a built-in or integrated software module for combimng and modifying agents and for matching of the interest profile, with the functionality of reading and writing agents on an external storage medium and with the functionality of transferring external agents by means of a connection to the Internet for an easy and quick exchange of agents. The media system with the mentioned functionality and modules etc. may be manufactured as one box comprising the media system, as it may be convenient for the user to buy the whole system as one box of electronics. The media system may also be part of a distributed system in that the media system on a server may be accessed from a client PC at home, where the media system is remote- run on the server.

Reference numeral 606, the match of the interest profile with information about media content may be performed in a preferred embodiment of the invention as explained in the following by the CPU or the processing power of the media system. Reference numeral 606 may be a software module for processing the match.

It is assumed that the information about media content - which may be embedded in reference numeral 602, the signal from the media provider - comprises the information as shown in the following figure:

The example of information about media content may be like the attribute based content description shown in pseudo DVB-SI format, where the interesting parts are shown in bold.

It is further assumed that the interest profile at least comprises the information in two dimensions: genre equals movie, channel equals BBCl and when a similar media content, i.e. the genre movie, is available from the BBCl channel, the interest profile - when first used to match and then to recommend media - may recommend the user to watch the movie with the title "Race for Freedom" on BBCl.

In other words, generally, when available media content - in the form of information about media content - matches (as discussed in figure 6 by reference 606, Match) the interest profile or matches the agent (when no interest profile has been generated); i.e. when media content available or media content to be sent in the near future on the media system has the same or a similar genre, language or preferred duration, etc. from a program, a channel or a Web-site as contained in the interest profile or the agent, this particular media content may be matched and then subsequently recommended by means of reference numeral 608, which may then be presented to the user of the media system. The user may then select - by means of the feedback system - to watch or to have presented said particular media content; as in the example above the user will then watch the movie "Race for Freedom"

However, to ensure that a match and a subsequent recommendation are not given on a media content with a particular genre, language, from a given channel etc., which the user dislikes - in such case - the interest profile may comprise corresponding dislike information (which was previously shown by a minus sign). This will have the effect that such genres, etc., may not be recommended from that channel.

Reference numeral 608 may be a listing of recommended media content. It may be further in the form of a list and or in a form that can be understood by other electronic devices like 601. Fig. 7 shows a method of building up an interest profile on a media system with stored agents for media recommendation.

In step 900, the method is started. Variables, flags, buffers, agent(s), interest profile on the media system of reference numeral 601 are set to a default state. When the method is started a second time or later, only corrupted variables, flags, buffers, agent(s), or a corrupted content of the interest profile are set to default values.

In step 1000, a first agent may be transferred to the media system based on a first selection criterion from a service provider of agents. When the user of the media system desires to have a new agent in order to modify the content of the interest profile, he may surf on the Internet site of a service provider for agents to see whether the service provider has any suitable agents. The user may set up a selection criterion to get the agent in a complete form or he may by means of minuses and pluses in the said two dimensions of figures 1 through 5 fill in them to compose his own agent. The selection criterion or the criterion for giving plusses and minuses in the dimensions of the agent may be a consideration how to combine the first dimension (the program, the channel or the Web-site) with the second dimension (the genre, the type, the topic, the style, the start, the duration, the language or the title). The information about media content contained in the agent may be specified as a combination of one or more selections on the first dimension and one or more selections on the second dimension. The user may already in this step be aware that he can compose or modify his interest profile on the media system by "adding" the chosen agent to the interest profile residing at the media system. In other words, the user may at this point be aware of the possibility of the steps 2001 through 2004 where the "adding" may be performed in various ways with use of Boolean operators such as and, or, not and, exclusive or, and with use of ordinary addition and subtraction as well, etc. With this in mind, the user may more competently select and compose the agent or interest profile as a consequence subsequently. After the selection or the composition, the user may then choose to have the agent transferred to his media system either by means of a direct connection to the Internet or by means of a computer readable medium as defined in the end of this description.

In step 1500, a second (new) interest profile on the media system may be built based on the first (newly transferred) agent and a first (old) interest profile. Step 1500 constitutes a generalisation of alternative steps 2001 through 2004 and where one of these may be selected by the user during the execution of this method. Generally step 1500 may build or compose a new interest profile, i.e. the second interest profile, based on the transferred agent from step 1000 and the old interest profile, i.e. the first interest profile already residing on the media system. As mentioned in the foregoing step, the user may at this step select one way of combimng the transferred agent with the (old) interest profile to compose a new interest profile.

In step 2001, the second interest profile may be determined as an intersection of the first agent and the first interest profile. In other words, the determination of this step can be considered as a Boolean "anding" of two sets, i.e. the first agent and the first interest profile, in order to compose a new set, i.e. the second interest profile. This means that the second (new) interest profile after this operation comprises what is common from the transferred agent and the first (old) interest profile, i.e. what was previously only contained in both at the same time, for an example see the explanation of figure 5. In step 2002, the second interest profile may be determined as a union of the first agent and the first interest profile. In other words, the determination of this step can be considered as a Boolean oring of the first agent and the first interest profile, i.e. oring of two sets, in order to compose the second interest profile. This means that the second interest profile after this operation comprises what comes from the first agent and what comes from the first interest profile, which may be considered as a pure addition of said two sets, for an example see the explanation from figure 4.

The wording "what comes" will be defined after step 2004. In step 2003, the second interest profile may be determined as a removal of a first part of the first agent from the first interest profile, hi other words, the determination of this step can be considered as a subtraction of the first agent from the first interest profile in order to compose the second interest profile. This means that the second interest profile after this operation comprises what comes from the first interest profile with a deletion of what came from the transferred (first) agent. In step 2004, the second interest profile may be determined as a removal of a second part of the first interest profile from the first agent. This can be considered as the opposite operation of the foregoing step. In other words, the determination of this step can be considered as subtraction of the first interest profile from the first agent in order to compose the second interest profile. This means that the second interest profile after this operation comprises what came from the transferred agent with a subtraction of what came from the first interest profile.

Hereby, a distinction between agents (specialist, generalist, etc.) - and another distinction between said four alternative steps - can be used to improve the speed and transparency of the composition process of the interest profile. In steps 2001 through 2004, the term "what comes/ came" may be understood as the resulting content of the second interest profile in terms of '+' ('ses) and '-' ('es) on the two dimensions after the operations of intersection, union, and removals, respectively. The term "what comes/came" also applies to what is contained in the first interest profile and the first agent before said operations. Generally, the operations end up in either adding, deleting or leaving '+' and '-' on the two dimensions untouched on the first interest profile in order to compose the second interest profile. Further, correspondingly - dependent on the content of the dimensions of the first (new) agent - this content may also have an effect on what will be contained on the two dimensions of the newly composed second interest profile.

As an example, assume that the new transferred agent only contains the following information in two dimensions: genre equals movie, channel equals ZDF, and that the old interest profile only contains the genre "news" and the channel "ARD", and that the operation should end up in an addition of the agent and the interest profile, the new interest profile will then consequently have to comprise the genres "movie" and "news" and the channels ZDF and ARD on it's two dimensions, respectively; however - strictly seen - only media content such as movies from ZDF and news from ARD may then be recommended from the newly composed interest profile.

However, as an example for an application of a broader composition rule, i.e. a broader way of interpreting the addition, the new interest profile may then contain the two genres and the two channels in all four possible combinations, consequently yielding the result that the new interest profile may then subsequently be used to recommend media content of both genres and of both channels, i.e. movies and news from ZDF and ARD.

In the foregoing four steps, it may further be possible to define rules for how the result of four possible combinations (--, -+, +-, ++) from the first agent and from the first interest profile should be considered to effect the second interest profile in each of the said four various operations of these steps (in a similar way as the two given examples above). It may be so that a -+ combination or a +- combination should in some case give a + or a - or even a neutral value in the middle between + or -, in other words in such a neutral result, it may indicate that the second interest profile may give a neutral or only a weak recommendation when subsequently used to recommend, hi other words - in this particular case - the second interest profile may reflect that the user neither strongly likes nor strongly dislikes such a combination.

Correspondingly, other rules for the four combinations of '+' ('ses) and '-' ('es) combinations may be constructed dependent on the particular operation in each of steps 2001 through 2004.

In step 1600, at least one of the second interest profile and the first agent may be presented on the media system. In order to assist the user of the media system in the decision whether to - in the next step - to store said first agent to the second interest profile on the media system, thus incoi orating it (in the second interest profile) or not, it is crucial - for the user - to know what the first agent has of information on its dimensions and to know - if incorporated in the second interest profile - what the second interest profile as a consequence will have of information on its dimensions. With said information presented, the user will at this step know what the subsequent consequence will be when either the second interest profile or the first agent is used in a subsequent recommendation of media content in step 4000. In the presentation of information comprised in said dimensions, e.g. well known icons may be used for TV channels, a sheet of music may represent music, a ghost may represent horror, etc. The presentation - which may also include said + and - may hereby gives an overview by means of graphically information, icons, text, etc.

Hereby, the user of the media system is provided with an easy way of selecting agents and interest profiles, which may subsequently be used to recommend media.

In other words, - by means of said presentation - the user can determine if the new interest profile fits his taste or contradicts it. Further, said presentation may give a quick characterization of the agents and / or the interest profile to the user as a selection criterion, i.e. use it / them subsequently or not (to recommend media). In step 3000, the first agent on the media system may be stored to incorporate the first agent in the second interest profile. From one of the performed foregoing steps 2001 through 2004, the user may have seen the effect of the newly transferred first agent on the newly composed second interest profile. If the content in terms of '+' and '-' and the content of the two dimensions of this new interest profile is desirable for the user, i.e. the newly composed interest profile is considered most likely to recommend what the user desires; he may naturally choose to store the first agent on the media system to incorporate the agent into the second interest profile. This has the consequence that subsequently the new second interest profile will be used when media content has to be recommended. The media system may be able to show the user, i.e. present, at this point what the new interest profile is most likely to recommend. If the new interest profile is not perceived as desirable by the user, he way desire not to store the transferred agent, thereby the newly composed second interest profile is not used and the old interest profile is left unchanged on the media system. This means that the first interest profile will still be used when media content has subsequently to be recommended. However, for understanding of the next step, even when the second interest profile was not used the first interest profile will now - in this particular situation - be called the second interest profile.

In step 4000, media content may be recommended on the media system based on the second interest profile or based on the first agent. When available media content matches (as discussed in figure 6 by reference 606, Match) the interest profile or matches the agent (when no interest profile has been composed); i.e. when media content available or media content to be sent in the near future on the media system has the same or a similar genre, language or preferred duration, etc. from a program, a channel or a Web-site as contained in the new interest profile or as contained in the agent alone, this particular media content may then subsequently be recommended. As the interest profile may have been composed of several agents, the recommendation may comprise many media content items that may then be shown on a list.

Usually, the method will start all over again for as long as the media system of figure 6 (where the method is implemented and may be executed) is powered and is properly exchanging information with the media provider. Otherwise, the method may terminate in step 5000; however when the media system and the media provider are again able to communicate, the method may proceed from step 1000 again. A computer readable medium may be magnetic tape, optical disc, digital video disk (DVD), compact disc (CD or CD-ROM), mini-disc, hard disk, floppy disk, smart card, PCMCIA card, etc.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of building up an interest profile on a media system with stored agents for media recommendation, the method comprising the steps of:

- transferring a first agent to the media system based on a first selection criterion from a service provider of agents; and - building a second interest profile on the media system based on the first agent and a first interest profile; wherein the first agent comprises information about media content in at least two dimensions, a first dimension comprising information about at least one of program, channel and Web-site, and a second dimension comprising information about at least one of genre, type, topic, style, start, duration, language and title, wherein the information about media content is specified as a combination of one or more selections on the first dimension and one or more selections on the second dimension; and wherein said method further comprises the step of

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method further comprises the step of:

- storing the first agent on the media system to incorporate the first agent in the second interest profile.

3. A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the method further comprises the step of:

- recommending media content on the media system based on the second interest profile or based on the first agent.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step building a second interest profile comprises the sub-steps of: - determining the second interest profile as an intersection of the first agent and the first interest profile; or

- determining the second interest profile as a union of the first agent and the first interest profile; or - determining the second interest profile as a removal of a first part of the first agent from the first interest profile; or

- determining the second interest profile as a removal of a second part of the first interest profile from the first agent.

5. A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first agent comprises information about media content specified as a combination of few selections on the first dimension and more, optionally grouped, selections on the second dimension.

6. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first agent comprises information about media content specified as a combination of many, optionally grouped, selections on the first dimension and fewer selections on the second dimension.

7. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first agent comprises information about media content specified as a combination of a first number of, optionally grouped, selections on the first dimension, and, a second number of, optionally grouped, selections on the second dimension.

8. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first agent comprises information about media content specified as a combination of few selections on the first dimension and few selections on the second dimension.

9. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second interest profile comprises at least one of the first agent.

10. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the media system is one from the group comprising VCR, TV, set-top box, personal computer, server, radio and DVD player.

11. A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the media content is one from the group comprising TV, video, a radio broadcasting, Internet TV and Internet sites.

12. A computer system for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 through 11.

13. A computer program product comprising program code means stored on a computer readable medium for performing the method of any one of claims 1 through 11 when said computer program is run on a computer.