Method And System For Socially Ranking Programs

Abstract

A method and system for displaying program representation. Program rating information derived from a plurality of identified users regarding a plurality of programs is obtained. The plurality of identified users are identified based on at least one of likes and dislikes of the plurality of users of one or more of actors, series, programs, and genres. A social rank of the programs is determined based on the rating information and on rankings of each of the plurality of identified users for the plurality of programs. For each user of the plurality of users the rankings of the user are weighted based on a viewer's level of interactions with and degree of separation from the user. A plurality of program representations representing corresponding ones of the plurality of programs are displayed to the viewer, wherein a differentiating visual characteristic of each of the plurality of representations is based on the ranking.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for presenting a program representation, the method comprising:
 obtaining, by a media controller, program rating information derived from a plurality of identified users regarding a plurality of programs, the plurality of identified users identified based on at least one of likes and dislikes of the plurality of users of one or more of actors, series, programs, and genres;   determining a social ranking of the plurality of programs based on the program rating information, wherein the social ranking is further based on rankings of each of the plurality of identified users for the plurality of programs, wherein for each user of the plurality of users the rankings of the user are weighted based on a viewer's level of interactions with the user and degree of separation from the user; and   causing a display of a plurality of program representations to the viewer, wherein the plurality of program representations represent corresponding ones of the plurality of programs and wherein a differentiating visual characteristic of each of the plurality of program representations is based on the social ranking.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of identified users is identified based on a degree of separation value corresponding to the each of the plurality of identified users with respect to the viewer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of identified users is identified based on the degree of separation value corresponding to each of the plurality of
 identified users with respect to the viewer by comparing the degree of separation value corresponding to each of the plurality of identified users to a viewer selectable threshold degree of separation value.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the viewer selectable threshold degree of separation value is greater than 1, and wherein the plurality of identified users include a plurality of users that have a direct relationship with the viewer and a plurality of users that have an indirect relationship with the viewer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising providing, by the media controller, a threshold degree of separation value to identify the plurality of identified users. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the program rating information derived from each of the plurality of identified users comprises information identifying a one of the plurality of programs accessed by a corresponding each of the plurality of identified users. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining the social ranking of the plurality of programs based on the program rating information further comprises determining the social ranking of the plurality of programs based on a number of the plurality of identified users that accessed each of the plurality of programs. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the program rating information derived from each of the plurality of identified users comprises a rating value provided by the each of the plurality of identified users that rates at least one of the plurality of programs. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein determining the social ranking of the plurality of programs based on the program rating information comprises determining the social ranking of the plurality of programs based on an average of rating values of the plurality of programs by the plurality of identified users. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of identified users is identified based on a match between a viewer profile and a user profile corresponding to the each of the plurality of identified users. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the program rating information derived from each of the plurality of users comprises information identifying a one of the plurality of programs currently being viewed by a corresponding each of the plurality of identified users. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the program rating information derived from each of the plurality of identified users comprises a rating value provided by the each of the plurality of identified users that rates at least one of the plurality of programs. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein causing the display of the plurality of program representations to the viewer further comprises causing the display of a first program representation and a second program representation, wherein the first program representation has a first social rank that is greater than a second social rank of the second program representation, and wherein the first program representation has a greater size than the second program representation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the differentiating visual characteristic comprises a size of the corresponding each of the plurality of program representations. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the differentiating visual characteristic comprises a background color of the corresponding each of the plurality of program representations. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the differentiating visual characteristic comprises a color of a border of the corresponding each of the plurality of program representations. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first plurality of identified users of the plurality of identified users are identified based on a degree of separation value corresponding to the each of the first plurality of identified users with respect to the viewer, and wherein a second plurality of identified users of the plurality of identified users are identified based on a match between a viewer profile and a user profile corresponding to the each of the second plurality of identified users. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of at least some of the plurality of identified users are identified based on a degree of separation value corresponding to the each of the at least some of the plurality of identified users with respect to the viewer, and on a match between a viewer profile and a user profile corresponding to the each of the at least some of the plurality of identified users. 
     
     
         19 . A media controller for presenting a program representation, the media controller comprising:
 a network interface adapted to communicate with a network; and   a control system comprising a processor and coupled to the network interface, the control system adapted to:
 obtain program rating information derived from a plurality of identified users regarding a plurality of programs, the plurality of identified users identified based on at least one of likes and dislikes of the plurality of users of one or more of actors, series, programs, and genres; 
 determine a social ranking of the plurality of programs based on the program rating information, wherein the social ranking is further based on rankings of each of the plurality of identified users for the plurality of programs, wherein for each user of the plurality of users the rankings of the user are weighted based on a viewer's level of interactions with the user and degree of separation from the user; and 
 cause a display of a plurality of program representations to the viewer, wherein the plurality of program representations represent corresponding ones of the plurality of programs and wherein a differentiating visual characteristic of each of the plurality of program representations is based on the social ranking. 
   
     
     
         20 . The media controller of  claim 19 , wherein the program rating information for each of the plurality of identified users comprises information identifying a one of the plurality of programs accessed by a corresponding each of the plurality of identified users. 
     
     
         21 . A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising:
 obtaining program rating information derived from a plurality of identified users regarding a plurality of programs, the plurality of identified users identified based on at least one of likes and dislikes of the plurality of users of one or more of actors, series, programs, and genres;   determining a social ranking of the plurality of programs based on the program rating information, wherein the social ranking is further based on rankings of each of the plurality of identified users for the plurality of programs, wherein for each user of the plurality of users the rankings of the user are weighted based on a viewer's level of interactions with the user and degree of separation from the user; and   causing a display of a plurality of program representations to the viewer, wherein the plurality of program representations represent corresponding ones of the plurality of programs and wherein a differentiating visual characteristic of each of the plurality of program representations is based on the social ranking.