Electronic device for providing information in content streaming service and method therefor

Abstract

A method for providing information by an electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: identifying a set of users including some users among users of a content streaming service; determining recommended pieces of content on the basis of the characteristics of the set of users and the content characteristics; generating a content list including at least one of the recommended pieces of content; and providing the content list to a terminal of a user included in the set of users.

Description

Electronic device for providing information from content streaming service and method therefor

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device and a method for providing information in a content streaming service. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electronic device and a method for classifying user segments based on user characteristics in a content streaming service and providing personalized recommended content based on the characteristics of each user segment.

[0002] As smartphone performance and communication technology advance, the number of users consuming content in real time through content streaming services is growing exponentially. Consequently, companies offering content streaming services are increasingly emerging, and competition among companies to dominate the content streaming service market is intensifying.

[0003] Therefore, in order to survive in the increasingly competitive content streaming service market, a method is required to induce users to access content streaming services more frequently and watch content for longer periods of time.

[0004] In this regard, reference can be made to prior literature such as KR 10-1694400 B1.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electronic device and a method therefor that classifies user segments based on the user's activity history within a content streaming service and provides customized content according to the characteristics of each user segment.

[0006] In addition, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electronic device and a method therefor for determining content to be recommended to a user based on the characteristics of the user and the characteristics of the content and for sorting the recommended content.

[0007] The technical problems to be achieved in the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0008] An information providing method of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a step of identifying a user set including some users among users of a content streaming service; a step of determining recommended content based on characteristics of the user set and the content characteristics; a step of generating a content list including at least one of the recommended contents; and a step of providing the content list to a terminal of a user included in the user set.

[0009] In one embodiment, the step of identifying the user set comprises: identifying the user's activity history in the content streaming service; and identifying the user set to which the user belongs based on the activity history.

[0010] In one embodiment, the user's activity history is characterized by including at least one of the user's number of visits to the content streaming service, whether the user has subscribed to a membership within the content streaming service, the user's content viewing time, the user's number of content viewings, the user's score, or the user's ranking.

[0011] In one embodiment, the characteristics of the user set are characterized in that they include an activity history of a user belonging to the user set and at least one of an age, a gender, a last viewed content, a content search history, or a content review history of a user belonging to the user set.

[0012] In one embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of: when an input regarding the user's activity is received from the user's terminal, updating the user's activity history; and confirming the user set to which the user belongs based on the updated user's activity history.

[0013] In one embodiment, the content characteristics are characterized by including at least one of content metadata, registration date, number of impressions, target number of impressions, or rating.

[0014] In one embodiment, the step of determining the recommended content comprises the step of classifying content within the content streaming service into a plurality of content groups based on content conversion characteristics; and the step of determining at least one of the plurality of content groups classified based on characteristics of the user set as the recommended content for the user set.

[0015] In one embodiment, the content switching characteristic is characterized by including at least one of a ratio of users exposed to the content to the total users of the content streaming service, a number of times the content was played during a set period of time, or an actual playback ratio of the total users to the exposure of the content.

[0016] In one embodiment, the recommended content is characterized in that it is determined based on the viewing history of other users who have viewed the content last viewed by a user belonging to the user set.

[0017] In one embodiment, when a user belonging to the user set views the recommended content determined based on the viewing history of the other user, the recommendation probability of the recommended content is increased.

[0018] In one embodiment, the method further comprises the step of updating the recommended content list according to a set cycle.

[0019] In one embodiment, the method further comprises a step of deleting, from the content list, content that the user has already viewed among the recommended content or content that has been exposed to the user a set number of times or more but has not been viewed by the user.

[0020] In one embodiment, the content list comprises a plurality of sub-content lists, and further comprises a step of sorting the plurality of sub-content lists based on characteristics of the user set.

[0021] In one embodiment, the step of determining the recommended content is characterized by including the step of checking whether the target number of exposures of the content has been achieved; and, if the target number of exposures of the content has not been achieved, the step of increasing the probability that the content will be determined as recommended content.

[0022] An electronic device for providing information according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a transceiver for transmitting and receiving information with another device; and a processor for identifying a user set to which a user belongs in a content streaming service, determining recommended content based on characteristics of the user set and content characteristics, generating a content list including at least one of the recommended contents, and providing the content list to the user.

[0023] A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a medium configured to store computer-readable instructions, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for providing information in an electronic device, the method comprising: identifying a user set to which a user belongs in a content streaming service; determining recommended content based on characteristics of the user set and content characteristics; generating a content list including at least one of the recommended contents; and providing the content list to the user.

[0024] The present invention has a technical effect in that it can encourage users to use content streaming services by providing them with a list of recommended content determined based on their characteristics, thereby enabling them to more easily check and view content that they are likely to view.

[0025] In addition, the present invention has a technical effect in that it can recommend more suitable content to a user and expose a wider variety of content to the user by determining a list of recommended content based on the characteristics of the content in addition to the characteristics of the user.

[0026] The effects that can be obtained through the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system for providing information in a content streaming service according to various embodiments.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an electronic device providing information according to one embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating an example of a page provided by an electronic device to a user's terminal.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating an example of a page provided by an electronic device to a user's terminal.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating an example of a page provided by an electronic device to a user's terminal.

[0032] FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an electronic device for providing information according to one embodiment.

[0033] The terms used in the embodiments have been selected from widely used and common terms, taking into account the functions of the present disclosure. However, these terms may vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. Furthermore, in certain cases, terms may be arbitrarily selected by the applicant, in which case their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant description. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure should not be defined simply as names of terms, but rather based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present disclosure.

[0034] When a part of the specification is said to "include" a component, this does not exclude other components, but rather implies the inclusion of other components, unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, terms such as "part" and "module" used in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0035] The expression “at least one of a, b, and c” described throughout the specification may encompass “a alone,” “b alone,” “c alone,” “a and b,” “a and c,” “b and c,” or “all of a, b, and c.”

[0036] The "terminal" mentioned below may be implemented as a computer or portable terminal that can connect to a server or other terminal via a network. Here, the computer includes, for example, a notebook, desktop, laptop, etc. equipped with a web browser, and the portable terminal may include, for example, a wireless communication device that guarantees portability and mobility, and may include all types of handheld-based wireless communication devices such as communication-based terminals such as IMT (International Mobile Telecommunication), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), W-CDMA (W-Code Division Multiple Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), smartphones, tablet PCs, etc.

[0037] Below, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0038] In describing the embodiments, descriptions of technical details that are well known in the technical field to which the present invention pertains and are not directly related to the present invention will be omitted. This is to avoid obscuring the gist of the present invention by omitting unnecessary explanations and to convey the gist more clearly.

[0039] For the same reason, some components in the attached drawings are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically depicted. Furthermore, the dimensions of each component do not entirely reflect its actual size. Identical or corresponding components in each drawing are assigned the same reference numbers.

[0040] The advantages and features of the present invention, and the methods for achieving them, will become clearer with reference to the embodiments described in detail below together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided only to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification.

[0041] At this time, it will be understood that each block of the processing flowchart drawings and combinations of the flowchart drawings can be performed by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be loaded into a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment create a means for performing the functions described in the flowchart block(s). These computer program instructions can also be stored in a computer-available or computer-readable memory that can be directed to a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement the functions in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-available or computer-readable memory can produce an article of manufacture that includes an instruction means for performing the functions described in the flowchart block(s). The computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, so that a series of operation steps are performed on the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a computer-executable process, so that the instructions that execute the computer or other programmable data processing equipment can provide steps for performing the functions described in the flowchart block(s).

[0042] Additionally, each block may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that contains one or more executable instructions for performing a specific logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementation examples, the functions described in the blocks may occur out of order. For example, two blocks depicted in succession may actually be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on their respective functions.

[0043] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system for providing information in a content streaming service according to various embodiments.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 1, the system may include at least one of an electronic device (100), one or more user terminals (110, 120, 130), and a network (140). Meanwhile, the system illustrated in FIG. 1 only illustrates components related to the present embodiment. Therefore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 1, other general-purpose components may be included.

[0046] An electronic device (100) is a device that configures and provides various types of information. The electronic device (100) may provide the configured information as a web page or application screen, or may provide the information in a form that can be displayed as a web page or application screen on a receiving terminal.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (100) may provide a content streaming service that allows a user to view various contents. For example, the electronic device (100) may provide a list of one or more contents to the user, and transmit data regarding the selected contents to the user terminal (110, 120, 130) so that the user can view the selected contents in real time. In addition, the electronic device (100) may check the user's activity history within the content streaming service and, based on the activity history, determine the user segment to which the user belongs, and, based on the characteristics of the user segment, may provide the user with a content list including recommended contents to be recommended to the user through the user terminal (110, 120, 130).

[0048] Meanwhile, although FIG. 1 depicts the electronic device (100) as a single server, this is merely an example, and the electronic device (100) may represent a server group including multiple servers located in different locations. For example, when the electronic device (100) receives a streaming request for first content from a first user terminal (110), a server located closest to the first user terminal (110) among the multiple servers included in the electronic device (100) may transmit data regarding the first content to the first user terminal (110).

[0049] One or more user terminals (110, 120, 130) are terminals used by each user, and the users can access services provided by the network (140) using their respective user terminals (110, 120, 130). For example, the electronic device (100) can provide a platform or application for viewing various contents to one or more user terminals (110, 120, 130). The users can view various contents included in the content list using the platform or application installed on their respective user terminals (110, 120, 130).

[0050] One or more user terminals (110, 120, 130) and the electronic device (100) can communicate with each other within a network (140). The network (140) includes a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a value added network (VAN), a mobile radio communication network, a satellite communication network, a contents delivery network (CDN), and a combination thereof, and is a comprehensive data communication network that enables each network component illustrated in FIG. 1 to communicate smoothly with each other, and may include a wired Internet, a wireless Internet, and a mobile wireless communication network. Wireless communication may include, but is not limited to, wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, Zigbee, Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), ultra wideband (UWB), infrared communication (IrDA, infrared Data Association), NFC (Near Field Communication), etc., for example.

[0051] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an electronic device providing information in a content streaming service according to one embodiment.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 2, in step S210, the electronic device (100) can identify a user set including some of the users of the content streaming service.

[0053] In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) can verify a user's activity history in a content streaming service and determine a user set to which the user belongs based on the user's activity history. The user's activity history may include at least one of the user's number of visits to the content streaming service, whether the user has subscribed to a membership within the content streaming service, the user's content viewing time, the user's number of content views, the user's score, or the user's ranking.

[0054] For example, a content streaming service provider can set a range of visits, content viewing time, or number of times content is viewed within the content streaming service, and segment user sets to include users within each range. For example, a content streaming service provider can offer a membership service to provide benefits set by the streaming service provider within the service. In this case, the content streaming service provider can classify users who have signed up for membership within the content streaming service and users who have not signed up for membership into different user sets. In another example, a content streaming service provider can assign scores to users based on their activities within the content streaming service and set rankings based on the users' scores. In this case, the content streaming service provider can set a range of users' scores or rankings within the service, and segment user sets to include users within each range. The user activity history is not limited to the examples described above, and may include any factors that the content streaming service provider considers to segment users of the content streaming service into multiple user sets.

[0055] In addition, when the electronic device (100) receives a user's activity from the user terminal, the electronic device (100) can update the user's activity history and confirm the user set to which the user belongs based on the updated user activity history. For example, when a user newly subscribes to a membership service provided by a content streaming service, the user set can be changed from a user set including users who have not subscribed to membership to a user set including users who have subscribed to membership. In another example, when the user's activity in the content streaming service increases, such as watching content provided by the content streaming service, writing reviews, or participating in events, the user's activity history, such as the number of content streaming service visits, content viewing time, number of content views, score, or ranking, may go beyond the range corresponding to the user set to which the user previously belonged. In this case, the updated activity history can be reconfirmed based on the user's activity and, based on the activity history, the user can be classified into a different user set from the existing one.

[0056] In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) may change the criteria for classifying user sets based on the operating conditions of the content streaming service. For example, a content streaming service provider may classify users into three sets based on their content viewing time: a user set including users with a content viewing time of 10 hours or less, a user set including users with a content viewing time of more than 10 hours but less than 20 hours, and a user set including users with a content viewing time of more than 20 hours. In this case, a user with a content viewing time of 15 hours may be classified into a user set including users with a content viewing time of more than 10 hours but less than 30 hours. However, as the number of users of the content streaming service increases over time, the overall content viewing time of the users may increase. However, if the content viewing time of the user remains at 15 hours, it may be desirable to classify the user into a user set with a low viewing time rather than a user set with a medium viewing time when classifying the user set based on viewing time, and to recommend content accordingly. To this end, content streaming service providers can change the criteria for classifying user sets into users with content viewing time of 20 hours or less, users with content viewing time of between 20 and 40 hours, and users with content viewing time of over 40 hours. By changing the criteria for classifying user sets based on the operational conditions of the content streaming service, users can be classified into more appropriate user sets, and thus, more appropriate content can be recommended to each user set, thereby improving the user experience.

[0057] While the above example exemplifies content viewing time, this is no longer limited. Conditions regarding any factor used to classify user sets can be modified to consider various circumstances related to the operation of a content streaming service, such as the service's diverse activity history, benefits provided by the service, or the opening or termination of the service. Furthermore, it is also possible to introduce new factors and classify user sets based on these factors.

[0058] In step S220, the electronic device (100) can determine recommended content based on the characteristics of the user set and the content characteristics.

[0059] In one embodiment, the characteristics of a user set may include the activity history of users within the user set. Users of a content streaming service may have different content preferences based on their activity history. For example, users with a high number of visits or viewing times on a content streaming service are more likely to have already viewed popular content or content exclusively available on that content streaming service. Therefore, rather than recommending popular content or content exclusively available on that content streaming service to these users, content with relatively low popularity and low exposure, newly registered content, or various types of content can be recommended to make users aware of the content diversity of the content streaming service, thereby motivating them to continue using the content streaming service.

[0060] Conversely, users with low visits or viewing time on content streaming services are more likely to have yet to view popular content or content exclusively available on that service. Therefore, by prioritizing recommendations for popular content or content exclusively available on that service, these users can be engaged and motivated to use that service among various other content streaming services.

[0061] Additionally, in one embodiment, the characteristics of a user set may include at least one of the following: age, gender, last viewed content, content search history, or content review history of the users in the user set. Users of content streaming services may have different content preferences depending on their age or gender, even if their viewing time or number of views is similar. Furthermore, user preferences can be identified based on the user's last viewed content, content search history, or content review history. Therefore, considering these factors when determining recommended content can provide more personalized content to users and improve the user experience.

[0062] In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) may determine recommended content based on the content last viewed by a user belonging to a user set. In this case, the recommended content may be determined based on the viewing history of other users who have viewed the content last viewed by the user. For example, if a user has viewed Content A, the electronic device may check other content viewed by other users who have viewed Content A. If it is determined that Content B and Content C have high viewing rates, Content B and Content C may be determined as recommended content for the user. In one embodiment, if it is decided to provide only one recommended content, the probability of selecting Content B or Content C as the recommended content may be determined based on the viewing rates of Content B or Content C.

[0063] Additionally, in one embodiment, the electronic device (100) may increase the recommendation probability of a recommended content when a user belonging to a user set views the recommended content determined based on the viewing history of another user. For example, in the above example, when Content B and Content C are recommended to a user who has viewed Content A, if the user selects and views Content C at a higher rate than Content B, it may be determined that recommending Content C to a user who has viewed Content A is more appropriate. Accordingly, the probability of recommending Content C to a user who has viewed Content A may be increased. In this way, by updating the recommendation probability based on the actual activities of users with respect to the recommended content, it is possible to recommend more appropriate content to the user.

[0064] In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) can determine recommended content by considering not only the characteristics of the user set but also the characteristics of the content. The content characteristics may include at least one of the content's metadata, registration date, number of exposures, target number of exposures, or ratings. For example, recommended content may be determined based on content metadata, including information such as the content's creator, broadcast date, country, language, or category. Considering the characteristics of the user set, if the user set is determined to have a high preference for a specific category, content belonging to that category may be determined as recommended content based on the content's metadata. For another example, content with a recent registration date may be trending or new content that is not yet widely known. Therefore, providing such content to users can provide them with a novel experience and enhance their experience by stimulating their interest. Accordingly, content streaming service providers can increase the likelihood that content with a recent registration date will be selected as recommended content by ensuring that it is frequently exposed to users. Furthermore, users often consider the ratings and reviews of content they encounter for the first time when deciding whether to watch it. Therefore, by determining content with high ratings as recommended content, user satisfaction with recommended content can be increased. Content characteristics are not limited to the examples described above, and may include any content characteristic that may influence a user's content selection or any content characteristic related to the goals set by the content streaming provider for each content.

[0065] In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) may classify content provided by a content streaming service into a plurality of content groups based on content conversion characteristics, and determine at least one of the plurality of content groups classified based on the characteristics of the user set as recommended content for the user set. The content conversion characteristics indicate which characteristics the content has for achieving a specific goal. For example, the content conversion characteristics may indicate the probability that users using the content streaming service will view the content when the content is exposed to them, or the probability that the content causes the users to frequently use the content streaming service and engage in many activities. In one embodiment, the content conversion characteristics may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the ratio of users exposed to the content to the total users of the content streaming service, the number of times the content was played during a set period, or the actual playback ratio of the total users to the exposure of the content, and may include any factor that serves as a basis for determining that the content has contributed to promoting the use of the service by the user.

[0066] For example, content that was exposed to less than 1% of the total user base but was played more than 1,000 times in the past month and has a top 30% chance of actually playing the content when exposed to users can be classified as having low conversion characteristics. Furthermore, content that was exposed to less than 5% of the total user base but was played more than 2,000 times in the past month and has a top 30% chance of actually playing the content when exposed to users can be classified as having medium conversion characteristics. Furthermore, content that was exposed to less than 10% of the total user base but was played more than 5,000 times in the past month and has a top 30% chance of actually playing the content when exposed to users can be classified as having high conversion characteristics. In other words, content classified based on content conversion characteristics may include content that was exposed relatively few times compared to the target number of exposures, but has a certain degree of likelihood of stimulating user interest and engaging users to watch the content when exposed to actual users.

[0067] In this way, content can be categorized into multiple content groups based on content conversion characteristics. Furthermore, the user sets to which content belonging to these categorized content groups will be recommended can be determined. For example, assuming multiple user sets categorized based on the number of times content is viewed, a user set comprising a relatively high number of content views is likely to have already viewed content with relatively high conversion characteristics, which means it has been exposed and played frequently. Therefore, for such a user set, recommending content from a content group with medium or low conversion characteristics, rather than content with high conversion characteristics, can provide a more diverse content experience for the user set. Conversely, a user set comprising a relatively low number of content views is likely to have not yet viewed content with high conversion characteristics. Therefore, by prioritizing content with high conversion characteristics as recommended content for such a user set, the user's interest in the content streaming service can be increased and the user's use of the service can be promoted.

[0068] In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) can determine whether the target number of exposures for a content has been achieved, and if the target number of exposures has not been achieved, the probability of the content being determined as recommended content can be increased. Content streaming service providers need to maximize the use of content registered in their services to attract user interest and promote usage. To this end, the target number of exposures for each content can be set based on content characteristics, such as content preference. For example, a high target number of exposures can be set for content with high preference, ensuring frequent exposure to users. Similarly, a target number of exposures greater than a certain number can be set for content with low preference, ensuring maximum utilization of the various content registered in the service. In this way, the target number of exposures for content with a set target number of exposures can be determined, and for content that has not achieved the target number of exposures, the probability of being determined as recommended content can be increased, ensuring that the target number of exposures is achieved. Furthermore, content that has achieved the target number of exposures can be set not to be displayed as recommended content, but rather to allow users to access the content through search.

[0069] In step S230, the electronic device (100) can generate a content list including at least one of the recommended contents determined through step S220.

[0070] In one embodiment, the number of contents included in a content list may be determined based on the type of the user's terminal used to receive the recommended content. Depending on the type of the user's terminal, the page displayed on the user's terminal may vary in shape and size, and thus the number of contents displayed on that page may be determined based on this. For example, if a user uses a content streaming service using a smartphone, the displayed page may be relatively small, resulting in a content list containing a relatively small number of recommended contents. If a user uses a desktop, the displayed page may be relatively large, resulting in a content list containing a relatively large number of recommended contents.

[0071] In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) can sort content included in a content list based on the characteristics of the content. For example, the content can be sorted in descending order based on its rating, by its category, or by its content transition characteristics. The criteria for sorting content are not limited to the examples described above and can be sorted based on any criteria set by the content streaming service provider.

[0072] In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) can update the recommended content list at a set interval. For example, the electronic device (100) can update the recommended content list every hour. Updating the content list may involve replacing some or all of the recommended content included in the content list with other recommended content not included in the content list. Alternatively, updating the content list may involve changing the order of the recommended content included in the content list. Alternatively, updating the content list may involve changing the order of the recommended content while replacing some or all of the recommended content included in the content list with other recommended content. In this way, updating the recommended content list at a set interval can provide visual changes and content diversity to the page displayed to the user, thereby stimulating user interest and encouraging content viewing.

[0073] In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) can delete from the content list recommended content that the user has already viewed or has been exposed to the user more than a preset number of times but has not yet viewed. Content that the user has already viewed or has been exposed to the user more than a preset number of times but has not yet viewed is highly unlikely to lead to the user viewing, even if it is provided as recommended content. Therefore, by deleting such content from the content list and replacing it with other content, the content list can be composed of content more appropriate for encouraging user viewing.

[0074] In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) may generate a content list including a plurality of sub-content lists sorted based on the characteristics of a user set. At this time, the plurality of contents included in the plurality of sub-content lists may have common content characteristics. For example, the electronic device (100) may classify the contents included in the content list into a plurality of sub-content lists according to the categories of the contents, and may sort the plurality of sub-content lists based on the category preferences of the user set determined based on the characteristics of the user set. As a more specific example, the electronic device (100) may classify the contents included in the content list into a plurality of sub-content lists each including contents of the action, romance, thriller, adventure, and other categories, and when the category preferences of the user set determined based on the characteristics of the user set are in the order of thriller, adventure, action, romance, and other, the plurality of sub-content lists in the content list may be sorted in the order of sub-content lists corresponding to the thriller, adventure, action, romance, and other categories. In this way, by classifying the contents included in the contents list into sub-content lists with common contents characteristics and sorting them based on the characteristics of the user set, users can not only check contents with high preference first, but also check similar contents more conveniently, thereby improving the user experience and promoting more continuous use of the service.

[0075] In step S240, the electronic device (100) may provide the content list generated through steps S210 to S230 to a user terminal included in the user set. The user may check the customized content list through the user terminal and view the content by selecting the content from the content list. The content list provided to the user terminal by the electronic device (100) will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 .

[0076] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating an example of a page provided by an electronic device to a user's terminal.

[0077] Referring to FIG. 3, when a user accesses a content streaming service via a user terminal, a page (300) is provided that includes a content list including recommended content determined based on the characteristics of the user set and the characteristics of the content. The page (300) may include an area (310) where representative content or event information of the service is displayed, an area (320) where a category list is provided so that the user can select content of a desired category to check the content list, and an area (330) where a content list is included.

[0078] The content list displayed in the area (330) may include recommended contents determined based on the steps described above with respect to FIG. 2. In addition, the recommended contents list may include a plurality of sub-content lists (331, 332, 333, 334, 335) as described above, and the plurality of sub-content lists (331, 332, 333, 334, 335) may be sorted based on the characteristics of the user set. More specifically, the example illustrated in FIG. 3 is an example in which the sub-content lists are configured to include contents of a common category, and the plurality of sub-content lists (331, 332, 333, 334, 335) are sorted according to the category preferences of the user set determined based on the characteristics of the user set. That is, as the category preferences of the user set of the example are determined in the order of thriller, adventure, action, romance, and other, the sub-content list including contents corresponding to the categories of thriller, adventure, action, romance, and other is shown as being sorted in that order. The contents included in each sub-content list can be sorted based on the characteristics of the user set, and the contents included in the sub-content list can be replaced with other contents or the order of the contents can be changed at set intervals (e.g., every hour).

[0079] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a page provided by an electronic device to a user's terminal. More specifically, FIG. 4 illustrates a page (400) provided to a user when the user selects a specific category among the categories included in an area (320) within the page (300) of FIG. 3.

[0080] Referring to FIG. 4, a page (400) may include an area (410) and an area (420). The area (410) may include user-selected category information (411), a button for changing the category (412), content sorting method information (413), and a button for changing the sorting method (414).

[0081] Additionally, the area (420) may include a content list containing content corresponding to a category selected by the user. The content included in the content list may be sorted in order of recommendation, by content registration date, or by content title, depending on the sorting method indicated in the content sorting method information (413). When the sorting method is selected as the recommendation method, the content included in the content list may be sorted in consideration of the characteristics of the user set and the characteristics of the content. In addition, the content included in the content list may be replaced with other content or the order of the content may be changed at set intervals. In addition, content that the user has already viewed or content that has been exposed to the user a certain number of times but has not been viewed by the user may be deleted from the content list.

[0082] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a page provided by an electronic device to a user's terminal. More specifically, FIG. 5 illustrates a page (500) provided to a user in response to a user input selecting specific content from a content list included in the page (300) illustrated in FIG. 3 or the page (400) illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 5, a page (500) may include a region (510) and a region (520). Region (510) may include information related to content selected by a user. Information related to the content may include the title of the content, a rating, a release date, and a brief description related to the content. In addition, region (510) may include a button (511) for a user to play the content, and when a user input corresponding to the button (511) is received, the user may enter a page for playing the content.

[0084] Additionally, the area (520) may include a content list. The content list displayed in the area (520) may include recommended content determined based on the characteristics of the user set to which the user belongs and the content characteristics, such as including content belonging to the same category as the content selected by the user, or including content with a high probability of being selected by the user next by considering the viewing history of other viewers who have viewed the content selected by the user. In addition, the content included in the content list may be replaced with other content or the order of the content may be changed at set intervals, and content that the user has already viewed or content that has been exposed to the user a certain number of times but has not been viewed by the user may be deleted from the content list.

[0085] For example, if a user who entered the page (500) by selecting content A selects content B from the content list displayed in the area (520) and watches it, considering the characteristics of the user who watched content A, it can be determined that the user tends to be interested in content B as well. Therefore, in this case, the probability of including content B in the content list provided when entering the page about content A can be increased. In this way, by generating a content list by considering the user's response to the provision of a recommended content list, it is possible to recommend more customized content to the user.

[0086] Figure 6 shows a block diagram of an electronic device (100) according to one embodiment.

[0087] According to an embodiment, the electronic device (100) may include a transceiver (610), a memory (620), and a processor (630). The electronic device (100) illustrated in FIG. 6 only includes components related to the present embodiment. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the electronic device (100) may further include general-purpose components in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 6. In the embodiment, the transceiver (610) may be included in a communication device. Additionally, in the embodiment, the processor (630) may be included in a controller.

[0088] The transceiver (610) is a device for performing wired / wireless communication and can communicate with an external electronic device. The external electronic device may be a terminal or a server. In addition, the communication technologies used by the transceiver (610) may include GSM (Global System for Mobile communication), CDMA (Code Division Multi Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), 6G, WLAN (Wireless LAN), Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity), Bluetooth (Bluetooth), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), ZigBee, NFC (Near Field Communication), etc.

[0089] The processor (630) can control the overall operation of the electronic device (100) and process data and signals. The processor (630) can be composed of at least one hardware unit. In addition, the processor (630) can operate by one or more software modules generated by executing program codes stored in the memory (620). The processor (630) can include a memory, and the processor (630) can control the overall operation of the electronic device (100) and process data and signals by executing program codes stored in the memory.

[0090] The processor (630) can identify a user set to which a user belongs in a content streaming service, determine recommended content based on characteristics of the user set and content characteristics, generate a content list including at least one of the recommended contents, and provide the content list to the user.

[0091] The electronic device according to the above-described embodiments may include a processor, a memory for storing and executing program data, permanent storage such as a disk drive, a communication port for communicating with an external device, a user interface device such as a touch panel, a key, a button, etc. The methods implemented as software modules or algorithms may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium as computer-readable codes or program instructions executable on the processor. Here, the computer-readable recording medium includes a magnetic storage medium (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), floppy disk, hard disk, etc.) and an optical reading medium (e.g., CD-ROM, DVD: Digital Versatile Disc)). The computer-readable recording medium may be distributed to computer systems connected to a network, so that the computer-readable code may be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The medium may be readable by a computer, stored in a memory, and executed by a processor.

[0092] The present embodiment may be represented by functional block configurations and various processing steps. These functional blocks may be implemented by various hardware and / or software configurations that perform specific functions. For example, the embodiment may employ direct circuit configurations such as memory, processing, logic, look-up tables, etc., which may perform various functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Similarly, the present embodiment may be implemented in a programming or scripting language such as C, C++, Java, assembler, etc., including various algorithms implemented as a combination of data structures, processes, routines, or other programming configurations. Functional aspects may be implemented as algorithms that execute on one or more processors. Furthermore, the present embodiment may employ conventional techniques for electronic configuration, signal processing, and / or data processing. Terms such as "mechanism," "element," "means," and "composition" can be used broadly and are not limited to mechanical or physical structures. These terms can also encompass a series of software routines, such as those associated with a processor.

[0093] The above-described embodiments are merely examples, and other embodiments may be implemented within the scope of the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. In the method of providing information of an electronic device, A step of identifying a set of users including some of the users of the content streaming service; A step of determining recommended content based on the characteristics and content characteristics of the above user set; A step of generating a content list including at least one of the above recommended contents; and A step of providing the above content list to a terminal of a user included in the above user set. A method of providing information, including:

2. In paragraph 1, The steps to check the above user set are A step of checking the activity history of the user in the above content streaming service; and A step of checking the user set to which the user belongs based on the above activity history. A method of providing information, including:

3. In paragraph 2, A method for providing information, wherein the activity history of the user includes at least one of the number of times the user visits the content streaming service, whether the user has subscribed to a membership within the content streaming service, the user's content viewing time, the number of times the user has viewed the content, the user's score, or the user's ranking.

4. In paragraph 3, A method for providing information, wherein the characteristics of the user set include at least one of the activity history of a user belonging to the user set and the age, gender, last viewed content, content search history, or content review history of the user belonging to the user set.

5. In paragraph 2, When input regarding the user's activity is received from the user's terminal, a step of updating the activity history of the user; and A step of checking the user set to which the user belongs based on the updated activity history of the user. A method of providing information, including:

6. In paragraph 1, A method for providing information, wherein the above content characteristics include at least one of content metadata, registration date, number of exposures, target number of exposures, or ratings.

7. In paragraph 1, The steps to determine the above recommended content are A step of classifying content within the above content streaming service into multiple content groups based on content conversion characteristics; and A step of determining at least one of the plurality of content groups classified based on the characteristics of the user set as the recommended content of the user set. A method of providing information, including:

8. In paragraph 7, A method for providing information, wherein the content conversion characteristic includes at least one of the ratio of users exposed to the content to the total users of the content streaming service, the number of times the content was played during a set period of time, or the actual playback ratio of the total users to the exposure of the content.

9. In paragraph 1, A method of providing information, wherein the above recommended content is determined based on the viewing history of other users who have viewed the content last viewed by a user belonging to the above user set.

10. In paragraph 9, An information providing method that increases the recommendation probability of the recommended content when a user belonging to the user set views the recommended content determined based on the viewing history of the other user.

11. In paragraph 1, An information providing method further comprising the step of updating the content list according to a set cycle.

12. In paragraph 1, An information providing method further comprising a step of deleting, from the content list, content that the user has already viewed among the recommended content or content that has been exposed to the user more than a set number of times but has not been viewed by the user.

13. In paragraph 1, The above content list includes multiple sub-content lists, An information providing method further comprising a step of sorting the plurality of sub-content lists based on characteristics of the user set.

14. In paragraph 1, The steps for determining the above recommended content are: A step to check whether the target number of exposures of the content has been achieved; and If the target number of exposures for the above content is not achieved, a step for increasing the probability that the above content will be determined as recommended content. A method of providing information, including:

15. As an electronic device that provides information, A transceiver that transmits and receives information with other devices; and A processor that identifies a user set to which a user belongs in a content streaming service, determines recommended content based on characteristics of the user set and content characteristics, generates a content list including at least one of the recommended contents, and provides the content list to the user. An electronic device comprising:

16. As a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, A medium configured to store computer-readable instructions, The above computer-readable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: Step of identifying the user set to which a user belongs in a content streaming service; A step of determining recommended content based on the characteristics and content characteristics of the above user set; A step of generating a content list including at least one of the above recommended contents; and A step of providing the above content list to the above user A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for performing a method of providing information in an electronic device including:

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