PREFERRED LANGUAGE FOR VIDEO ON DEMAND & CABLE TV AND AUDIO
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to communication systems, and in particular, to an apparatus, Head End controller, server, and method for automatically selecting a user's preferred ianguage in Video-on-Demand (VOD), cable and broadcast TV, and other communication and entertainment systems.
BACKGROUND
Video-on-Demand (VOD) offerings as well as cable (including satellite) and broadcast TV and DVD players default to the most popular ianguage of their locate when playing content (for example a movie), except for some foreign language channels, which presumably broadcast in only a single Ianguage. This requires a given user who prefers a different Ianguage to set this different language each time he or she selects a VOD offering or selects a new cable channel.
For hearing-impaired users, the same applies for the user's preferred captioning. Each time the user selects a VOD offering or selects a new cable channel, the user must select a format (e.g., normal or large captioning), and possibly a language other than the default Ianguage for that locale.
Additionally, VOD and cable menus default to the most popular textual (written) Ianguage of their locale. This creates a major problem for those users who cannot read the default Ianguage of the locale, making it extremely difficult or impossible for them to navigate the menus and make their viewing choices.
These Ianguage problems can be very frustrating for users who prefer a language other than the most popular language of the user's locale. Many countries, including many large markets, have targe percentages of people who prefer other than the most popular language. Many of those wilt have a Sower level of satisfaction due to the requirement to repeatedly set their desired Ianguage.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for automatically remembering and setting each user's preferred audio language or captioning Ianguage. Upon initial setup of the user's audio/visual system, or when an initial order for service is made to a provider by phone, paper document, or electronic means, the user may make an initial selection of a preferred (default) Ianguage. The preferred Ianguage selection is stored in a user profile database. Subsequently, when the user selects content such as a VOD movie or a new cable channel, the invention automatically selects the user's preferred audio language or captioning language, including normal or large format captioning. Thereafter, the invention sets the preferred language regardless of the location of the user each time a VOD or cable channel (including satellite) is selected for viewing. Alternatively, the user may make a selection (and subsequent changes) utilizing Set Top Box (STB) navigation. If the user designates a selected Ianguage as the default Ianguage, the invention subsequently selects that Ianguage automatically.
Thus, in one embodiment, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for automatically selecting a user's preferred Ianguage in an audiovisual communication system in which a service provider provides audiovisual content to the user upon request. The apparatus includes a user profile database for storing Ianguage preferences for the user; a Video Pump for sending audiovisual content to the user: and a Head End controller in communication with the user, the user profile database, and the Video Pump. The Head End controller is configured to retrieve the user's stored Ianguage preferences from the user profile database upon receiving a request from the user for audiovisual content, and to instruct the Video Pump to send the requested audiovisual content to the user in conformance with the user's stored ianguage preferences. The user's Ianguage preferences may include a preferred language for audio, captioning, and/or for textual menus. For textual menus, the apparatus also includes a Catalog Player in communication with the user and the Head End controller, the Cataiog Player for providing textual menus to the user in the preferred language, In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a Head
End controller for automatically selecting a user's preferred language in an audiovisual communication system in which a service provider provides audiovisual content to the user upon request. The Head End controller includes a processor for executing computer program instructions stored on a memory. When executing the program instructions, the processor controls a communication unit for receiving a request from the user for audiovisual content, the request including a user ID: a database controller for retrieving stored language preferences for the user from a user profile database in response to receiving the user !D from the communication unit; and a Video Pump control unit for instructing a Video Pump to send the requested audiovisual content to the user in conformance with the user's stored language preferences. The user's language preferences may include a preferred language for audio, captioning, and/or for textual menus. For textual menus, the Head End controller also includes a Catalog Player control unit for instructing a Catalog Player to provide textual menus to the user in conformance with the user's preferred language for the textual menus.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method of automatically selecting a user's preferred language in an audiovisual communication system in which a service provider provides audiovisual content to the user upon request. The method includes the steps of receiving by a Head End of the provider, a request from the user for audiovisual content; retrieving by the Head End, language preferences for the user from a user profile database in response to the request; and instructing by the Head End, a Video Pump to send the requested audiovisual content to the user in conformance with the user's language preferences. The user's language preferences may include a preferred language for audio, captioning, and/or for textual menus. For textual menus, the Head End also instructs a Catalog Player to provide textual menus to the user in conformance with the user's preferred language for the textual menus.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a server for automatically selecting a user's preferred language in an audiovisual communication system in which a service provider provides audiovisual content to the user upon request. The server includes a processor for executing computer program instructions stored on a memory. The processor controls a first communication unit for receiving a request from the user for audiovisual content, the request including a user ID: a database controller in the server or under control of the server, for retrieving stored language preferences for the user from a user profile database in response to receiving the user ID from the communication unit; and a second communication unit for sending the stored language preferences to a media controller, which provides the requested audiovisual content to the user in conformance with the user's stored language preferences. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention;
FIGS. 2A-2B are portions of a flow chart illustrating the steps of an exemplary embodiment of the method of the present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a
Head End controller according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention. A User-X 11 first interfaces with the apparatus by providing his/her language preferences to a representative 13 for a service provider such as a cabie/!P TV provider. The language preferences may include a preferred language for the audio portion of audiovisual programming, a preferred language for any captioning if desired, and/or a preferred language for the text in any menus presented to the user. The user may provide these preferences by any suitable means such as, for example, telephone (with the service representative or Interactive Voice Response (!VR) system), paper document mailed or faxed to the provider, or electronically by e-mail, via a web page on the Internet, or by Set Top Box (STB) navigation.
The user only has to provide this information once because the service provider representative 13 (or other method) stores the preferred language selection in a user profile database 14, which may contain individual user records 15x-15z for a plurality of users such as User-X, User- Y, and User-Z. Although only three records are shown for simplicity in FIG. 1 , there would, of course, be many more user records stored in the user profile database in a real-world implementation. Additionally, although the user profile database is illustrated as a standalone entity, it should be understood that the database may also be implemented within the Head End 17 or in other system nodes.
At a later time, the user may change the default language through
STB navigation or other means. Using STB navigation, the user may simply pick a "VOD offering" that states, for example, "Change default audio to French". For hearing-impaired users, the offering may state, "Change default from audio to standard text captioning" or "Change default from audio to large format captioning" or "Change default from English audio to standard text captioning in French" (with that text optionally in French). There may also be an option, "Change default back to English audio", for example. In short, the system provides the user with the ability to chose any one or any combination of audio languages, subtitle languages, menu languages, and normal or large formatting. The system also includes a provider's Head End system 17, such as, for example, the known OpenStream system. The Head End may be controlled by a control processor (controller) 18 executing computer program instructions stored on a memory 19. The Head End may also include a Video Pump 21 and a Catalog Player 22.
When User-X 11 sends a viewing request 16 to the provider's Head End system 17, the controller 18 queries the user profile database 14 to obtain valid account and credit information and the like, and also queries the User-X record 15x for language preferences (i.e., preferred audio language, preferred captioning language if any, and preferred menu language if any). The controller extracts the user preferences 12 and sends them to the Video Pump 21 and the Catalog Player 22, which then utilize the preferred language rather than the system default of, for example, English. In the illustrated example, User-X has set French as the preferred language for audio, captioning, and menus.
The Catalog Player 22 provides menus in French to User-X. The Video Pump 21 starts streaming the content with the audio track being the preferred language French. These language selections occur automatically, without the user having to select French each time he or she selects a VOD offering.
The Catalog Player 22 and the Video Pump 21 stream the menus and the requested VOD content, respectsveiy, either to a Quadrature Amplitude Modulator (QAM) 23 for cable delivery or to the Internet 24 for IPTV delivery to the STB 25 and User-X's TV 26.
It should be noted that the present invention may be utilized with a subclass of IP TV in which a general or special purpose computer is utilized instead of the STB 25 and TV 26. For example, a desktop or laptop computer, an iPad, a mobile phone, or a similar device capable of receiving audiovisual content and presenting it to the user may be substituted for the STB and TV within the scope of the present invention. in another embodiment, the present invention may optionally be implemented in a server 27 in communication with the Head End system 17. A first communication unit in the server receives incoming viewing requests 16 from the user. A database controller in the server, or under the control: of the server, retrieves the user's language preferences from the user profile database 14, A second communication unit in the server sends the preferences to the Head End system or other media controller, which provides the requested audiovisual content to the user in conformance with the user's stored language preferences.
FIGS. 2A-2B are portions of a flow chart illustrating the steps of an exemplary embodiment of the method of the present invention. Referring first to FIG, 2A, at step 31 , a user such as User-X 11 provides language preferences for audio, captioning, and/or menus to a service provider. At step 32, the service provider stores the language preferences in the user profile database 14. At step 33, the user subsequently sends a viewing request 16 to the provider. At step 34, the Head End controller 18 retrieves not only the usual account and credit information, but also the stored language preferences for User-X from the user profiie database. At step 35, it is determined whether the preferences include a preferred language for menus. If not, the process moves to step 36 where the controller instructs the Catalog Player 22 to provide menus in a predefined default language, such as English. However, if the preferences include a menu preference, the process moves to step 37 where the controller instructs the Catalog Player to provide menus in the preferred language, such as French or Spanish. The process then moves to FIG. 2B.
At step 38, it is determined whether the preferences include a preferred language for the audio track. If not, the process moves to step 39 where the controller instructs the Video Pump 21 to play the default language audio track. However, if the preferences include an audio preference, the process moves to step 41 where the controller instructs the Video Pump to play the audio track in the preferred language. At step 42, it is determined whether the preferences include a preferred language for captioning. If not, the process moves to step 43 where the controller instructs the Video Pump 21 to omit subtitles. However, if the preferences include a captioning preference, the process moves to step 44 where the controller instructs the Video Pump to insert subtitles in the preferred language. The subtitles are inserted in normal format unless the preferences indicate that large format is preferred, in which case the subtitles are inserted in large format. At step 45, the menus and audiovisual content are sent to the user's STB 25 via the QAM 23 for cable delivery or via the Internet 24 for IPTV delivery.
FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a Head End controller 18 according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the controller is illustrated as including a CPU 51 , the memory 19, a communication unit 52, a database controller 53, a Video Pump control unit 54, and a Catalog Player control unit 55. The communication unit 52 receives the viewing request 16 from the user and provides a user ID to the database controller 53. The database controller retrieves the user's stored language preferences 12 and provides them to the CPU 51 , which forwards the preferences to the Video Pump control unit 54 and the CataJog Player control unit 55. Alternatively, the database controller may send the preferences directly to the Video Pump control unit and the Catalog Player control unit under the control of the CPU. The Video Pump control unit 54 and the Catalog Player control unit 55 then send instructions to the Video Pump 21 and the Catalog Player 22, respectively, indicating the preferred language.
The present invention does not require any changes to the STB 25, and no service calls to the users are required for implementation. The functionality may be implemented in Head End management systems such as the Session Resource Manager (SRM) available from Ericsson and in a Billing Gateway and database. The present invention offers service providers a substantial market advantage in many parts of the world where a substantial number of minority citizens do not prefer the language of the majority of the population . Examples of such markets would be the United States (English/Spanish), Canada (English/French), Ireland (English/Gaelic), Belgium (Flemish/French), and China {Mandarin/Cantonese).
The present invention may of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in alt respects as illustrative and not restrictive and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.