System and method for providing personalized channel setting to social television viewer

Abstract

A method of sharing usage data of multimedia content is provided. The method comprises providing a set of media channels, providing access, to one or more pre-selected remote users, to usage data regarding consumption of the multimedia content, and selectively restricting access of at least a portion of the usage data to at least a portion of the remote users.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method for use in a system comprising a plurality of client terminals in communication with each other via a communication network, said method for operating said client terminals in an improved manner such that usage data of multimedia content is shared between a plurality of remote users associated with said client terminals, said method comprising:
 providing a set of media channels each providing multimedia content to a first one of said plurality of client terminals associated with a first user;   obtaining an assignment of at least a portion of said remote users to one or more user categories, and at least a portion of said media channels to one or more media categories;   obtaining, for one or more combinations of one of the user categories and one of the media categories, access restrictions of at least a portion of said usage data relating to media channels assigned to the media category, for remote users assigned to the user category;   providing access via said communication network, to one or more remote users selected according to said user categories, to at least a portion of said usage data; and   denying access, automatically and based on said access restrictions, to at least a portion of said usage data relating to at least a portion of said media categories, to at least a portion of said remote users.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said usage data is current usage data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said usage data is selected from at least one of the group consisting of viewing history, recording history, user comments and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said access restrictions is based on a time schedule. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said access restrictions restricts access to at least some usage data relating to a particular program. 
     
     
         6 . A system for sharing usage data of multimedia content comprising a communication network and a plurality of client terminals in communication with each other via said communication network, said communication network comprising at least one central processor controlling said client terminals such that usage data of multimedia content is shared between a plurality of remote users associated with said client terminals, wherein the at least one central processor is to execute commands directed to:
 providing a set of media channels each providing multimedia content to a first one of said client terminals associated with a first user;   obtaining an assignment of at least a portion of said remote users to one or more user categories, and at least a portion of said media channels to one or more media categories;   obtaining, for one or more combinations of one of the user categories and one of the media categories, access restrictions of at least a portion of said usage data relating to media channels assigned to the media category, for remote users assigned to the user category;   providing access via said communication network, to one or more remote users selected according to said user categories, to at least a portion of said usage data; and   denying access, automatically and based on said access restrictions, to at least a portion of said usage data relating to at least a portion of said media categories, to at least a portion of said remote users.   
     
     
         7 . A computer implemented method for use in a system comprising a plurality of client terminals in communication with each other via a communication network, said method for operating said client terminals in an improved manner such that usage data of multimedia content is shared between a plurality of remote users associated with said client terminals, said method comprising:
 providing a set of media channels each providing multimedia content to a first one of said plurality of client terminals associated with a first user;   obtaining an assignment of at least a portion of said remote users to one or more user categories;   obtaining, for one or more of the user categories, access restrictions of at least a portion of said usage data relating to a certain media channel, for remote users assigned to the user category;   providing access via said communication network, to one or more remote users selected according to said user categories, to at least a portion of said usage data relating to said certain media channel; and   denying access, automatically and based on said access restrictions, to at least a portion of said usage data relating to said certain media channel, to at least a portion of said remote users.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said usage data is current usage data. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said usage data is selected from at least one of the group consisting of viewing history, recording history, user comments and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said access restrictions is based on a time schedule. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said access restrictions restricts access to at least some usage data relating to a particular program. 
     
     
         12 . A system for sharing usage data of multimedia content comprising a communication network and a plurality of client terminals in communication with each other via said communication network, said communication network comprising at least one central processor controlling said client terminals such that usage data of multimedia content is shared between a plurality of remote users associated with said client terminals, wherein the at least one central processor is to execute commands directed to:
 providing a set of media channels each providing multimedia content to a first one of said plurality of client terminals associated with a first user;   obtaining an assignment of at least a portion of said remote users to one or more user categories;   obtaining, for one or more of the user categories, access restrictions of at least a portion of said usage data relating to a certain media channel, for remote users assigned to the user category;   providing access via said communication network, to one or more remote users selected according to said user categories, to at least a portion of said usage data relating to said certain media channel; and   denying access, automatically and based on said access restrictions, to at least a portion of said usage data relating to said certain media channel, to at least a portion of said remote users.   
     
     
         13 . A computer implemented method for use in a system comprising a plurality of client terminals in communication with each other via a communication network, said method for operating said client terminals in an improved manner such that usage data of multimedia content is shared between a plurality of remote users associated with said client terminals, said method comprising:
 providing a set of media channels each providing multimedia content to a first one of said plurality of client terminals associated with a first user;   obtaining an assignment of at least a portion of said media channels to one or more media categories;   obtaining, for one or more of the media categories, access restrictions of at least a portion of said usage data relating to media channels assigned to the media category for a certain remote user;   providing access via said communication network, to said certain remote user, to at least a portion of said usage data relating to one or more media channels selected according to said media categories; and   denying access, automatically and based on said access restrictions, to at least a portion of said usage data relating to at least a portion of said media categories, to said certain remote user.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said usage data is current usage data. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said usage data is selected from at least one of the group consisting of viewing history, recording history, user comments and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said access restrictions is based on a time schedule. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said access restrictions restricts access to at least some usage data relating to a particular program. 
     
     
         18 . A system for sharing usage data of multimedia content comprising a communication network and a plurality of client terminals in communication with each other via said communication network, said communication network comprising at least one central processor controlling said client terminals such that usage data of multimedia content is shared between a plurality of remote users associated with said client terminals, wherein the at least one central processor is to execute commands directed to:
 providing a set of media channels each providing multimedia content to a first one of said plurality of client terminals associated with a first user;   obtaining an assignment of at least a portion of said media channels to one or more media categories;   obtaining, for one or more of the media categories, access restrictions of at least a portion of said usage data relating to media channels assigned to the media category for a certain remote user;   providing access via said communication network, to said certain remote user, to at least a portion of said usage data relating to one or more media channels selected according to said media categories; and   denying access, automatically and based on said access restrictions, to at least a portion of said usage data relating to at least a portion of said media categories, to said certain remote user.