How Computers Automatically Tag Movies and Shows Better
This patent describes a system for automatically improving how movies, TV shows, and other media are tagged with descriptive labels by comparing them to similar content using a special ratio.
Original patent title: “Content recommendation system with weighted metadata annotations”
This patent describes a system for automatically improving how movies, TV shows, and other media are tagged with descriptive labels by comparing them to similar content using a special ratio. Granted to Comcast Cable Communications in 2024 with 23 claims, and it is expected to expire in 2042.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This system helps a computing device automatically assign or update descriptive labels, called metadata tags, for content items like movies or songs. It works by first finding other content items that are similar to the one being tagged. Then, it calculates a ratio: it compares how similar the first content item is to *all* its similar items against how similar it is to only those similar items that *already have the specific tag* in question (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). If this ratio indicates a strong connection, the system modifies the content item's metadata field to include that tag. For example, if a new documentary is very similar to many other documentaries already tagged as 'historical,' the system might automatically add 'historical' to the new documentary's tags.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover manual tagging of content by human editors without automated similarity analysis.
- Does not cover content recommendation systems that do not rely on this specific ratio-based metadata modification process.
- Does not cover the underlying methods for determining content similarity itself, only how to use that similarity for metadata modification.
- Does not cover systems that only add tags based on simple keyword matching without comparing to other content items.
- Does not cover systems that only remove metadata tags without considering a history of such removals for recommendations.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in using a specific ratio of aggregate similarities to determine if a metadata tag is truly applicable. Instead of just checking if an item is similar to *some* tagged items, it compares overall similarity against similarity to *only* the similar items with that specific tag, providing a more precise applicability score.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Netflix content classification
Hulu content categorization
Amazon Prime Video recommendations
YouTube video tagging
Spotify music genre assignment
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Accurate content classification is crucial for modern streaming services and digital media platforms. This patent provides a method to automatically refine these classifications, which directly impacts how effectively content can be discovered and recommended to users. Better tagging leads to more relevant recommendations, improving user experience and engagement across various media platforms.
Filed
January 10, 2022
Granted
November 5, 2024
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Comcast Cable Communications LLC, as the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is actively developing and deploying technologies like this to enhance their Xfinity content platforms. Other major streaming services and content providers, such as Netflix, Amazon, and Google, continuously invest in sophisticated content classification and recommendation systems to improve user experience and content discovery.
Market impact
This type of technology helps automate and scale the process of content classification, which is vital for platforms with vast and constantly growing content libraries. It allows for more dynamic and accurate content recommendations, directly impacting user engagement and subscription retention for streaming and media services. By improving metadata quality, it enables more precise content targeting and advertising.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This system helps a computing device automatically assign or update descriptive labels, called metadata tags, for content items like movies or songs. It works by first finding other content items that are similar to the one being tagged. Then, it calculates a ratio: it compares how similar the first content item is to *all* its similar items against how similar it is to only those similar items that *already have the specific tag* in question (Claim 1). If this ratio indicates a strong connection, the system modifies the content item's metadata field to include that tag. For example, if a new documentary is very similar to many other documentaries already tagged as 'historical,' the system might automatically add 'historical' to the new documentary's tags.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in using a specific ratio of aggregate similarities to determine if a metadata tag is truly applicable. Instead of just checking if an item is similar to *some* tagged items, it compares overall similarity against similarity to *only* the similar items with that specific tag, providing a more precise applicability score.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover manual tagging of content by human editors without automated similarity analysis.
- Does not cover content recommendation systems that do not rely on this specific ratio-based metadata modification process.
- Does not cover the underlying methods for determining content similarity itself, only how to use that similarity for metadata modification.
- Does not cover systems that only add tags based on simple keyword matching without comparing to other content items.
- Does not cover systems that only remove metadata tags without considering a history of such removals for recommendations.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$47K – $150K
Midpoint $94K · 15.4 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Jojic, O., & Sayyadi, H. (2024). How Computers Automatically Tag Movies and Shows Better (U.S. Patent No. 12,135,756). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12135756/content-recommendation-system-with-weighted-metadata-annotations
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Computers Automatically Tag Movies and Shows Better cover?
This patent describes a system for automatically improving how movies, TV shows, and other media are tagged with descriptive labels by comparing them to similar content using a special ratio.
Who owns patent US 12135756?
Comcast Cable Communications owns this patent, granted in 2024.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on January 10, 2042, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
Accurate content classification is crucial for modern streaming services and digital media platforms. This patent provides a method to automatically refine these classifications, which directly impacts how effectively content can be discovered and recommended to users. Better tagging leads to more relevant recommendations, improving user experience and engagement across various media platforms.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover manual tagging of content by human editors without automated similarity analysis.
Same assignee
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