US 10165324

US Patent 10,165,324 (US10165324B2) is titled "Systems and methods for episode tracking in an interactive media environment."

Bibliographic Information:

• Title: Systems and methods for episode tracking in an interactive media environment
• Assignee:
  • Original Assignee: Rovi Guides Inc.
  • Current Assignee: Adeia Guides Inc. (as of 2024-10-02, due to a change of name from Rovi Guides, Inc.)
• Inventors: Charles Cordray, Todd A. Walker, Samir B. Armaly
• Filing Date: December 19, 2017
• Issue Date: December 25, 2018
• Legal Status: Expired - Lifetime, expires 2026-01-08.
• Abstract: The patent describes systems and methods for tracking a user's viewing progress through a series of related media programs in an interactive media environment. It involves creating and maintaining a user media profile that records the user's progress. The system can also filter or replace media content (like advertisements, news, or web content) that is inconsistent with the user's viewing progress, such as content that would act as a "spoiler" for unwatched episodes. This filtering can occur in real-time by analyzing media profile flags associated with the content and substituting it with alternative content to maintain a consistent media environment based on the user's individual viewing progress.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

The patent includes several independent claims, focusing on systems and methods for managing a user's media viewing experience.

Independent Claims (Plain-Language Overview):

• Claim 1 (System Claim): This claim describes a system that helps users manage their viewing of media content, especially series with a recommended viewing order. The system includes user equipment (like a TV or computer) and control circuitry. This circuitry is designed to:

  1. Get information about different programs or media series.
  2. Track what a user has watched in a specific media series and store this in a "media profile" for that user.
  3. Receive other media content (e.g., ads, news) that might be displayed on the user's screen.
  4. Compare this incoming content with the user's media profile to see if it's "inconsistent" (e.g., contains spoilers for unwatched episodes).
  5. If the content is inconsistent, it will automatically prevent that content from being displayed or replace it with other, more appropriate content.
  6. The system also lets the user interact with the media profile, for example, to change their viewing progress or add new series to track.

• Claim 8 (Method Claim): This claim outlines a method for providing an interactive media environment, similar to the system in Claim 1. The method involves:

  1. Receiving media guidance data for various media content.
  2. Creating a media profile for a user that tracks their viewing progress through a series of programs.
  3. Receiving additional media content to be shown to the user.
  4. Analyzing this additional content to determine if it's inconsistent with the user's viewing progress in their media profile.
  5. Based on this analysis, automatically removing the inconsistent content or replacing it with substitute content.
  6. Allowing the user to interact with their media profile to manage their viewing progress.

• Claim 14 (System Claim for Portable Profile): This claim describes a system that supports a portable user media profile across different user equipment. The system includes user equipment and control circuitry configured to:

  1. Store media profile data for a user on a network device that can be accessed from various user equipment.
  2. Retrieve this media profile data for a specific user when they log in to any user equipment.
  3. Monitor the user's viewing progress of media content on that user equipment.
  4. Update the user's media profile with the latest viewing progress.
  5. Transmit these updates to the network device so the portable profile remains current.
  6. Use this profile to filter or replace media content shown to the user, ensuring it's consistent with their viewing progress, even when using different devices.

• Claim 16 (Method Claim for Portable Profile): This claim describes a method for operating an interactive media environment with portable user media profiles. The method involves:

  1. Storing a user's media profile on a network device so it can be accessed from different user equipment.
  2. Authenticating a user at a user equipment.
  3. Accessing the user's stored media profile from the network device.
  4. Monitoring the user's viewing progress through media content on the user equipment.
  5. Updating the user's media profile based on their viewing progress.
  6. Transmitting these updates to the network device to maintain the portable profile.
  7. Filtering media content displayed to the user based on their portable media profile, to ensure consistency with their viewing progress.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
A search of CAFC 2026 dockets for patent number 10165324 did not yield any specific cases directly referencing this patent. General CAFC docket information for 2026 was found, but no direct litigation or review specific to US10165324. The patent's legal status is listed as "Expired - Lifetime, expires 2026-01-08" in the provided patent text.