System and method for providing watch-now functionality in a media content environment

• US 10,003,840 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spotify AB (Spotify Technology SA)
• Original Assignee: Spotify AB (Spotify Technology SA)
• Inventors: Richman, Jason, Meyer, Will, Chen, Ed, Sarkesian, Alex, McLeod, Colin, E, Samwoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepard, Justin
• Application Number:
  US14/586,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20150289023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different recipient devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25 Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication, learning user preferences for recommending movies maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/251 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 : for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 : receiving rewards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Described herein are techniques for streaming digital media content, such as music, video, or television content. In accordance with an embodiment, the system includes support for watch-now functionality. A media play logic at a media device controls playback of media content and advertisements as received from a media server, and can be configured for regular media play, or extended media play. Periodically, for example when input is received from a user to skip to a next media option for playback, the user can be prompted to watch an advertisement, in return for extended media play. Upon receiving an election by the user to watch the advertisement in return for extended media play, the media application plays the advertisement, and configures the media play logic for an extended period of advertisement-free media play.

Claims

1. A system for providing media content including watch-now functionality, the system comprising:

a media device including a microprocessor;

a user interface adapted to display media options corresponding to items of media content, and determine user inputs; and

a media application running on the media device and including a media play logic adapted to control playback of media content received from a media server, including

during playback of a media stream that includes a plurality of media content items, either periodically, or upon receiving, at the user interface, a user input indicative of skipping to a next media option for playback, displaying, at the user interface, a prompt to elect to play at least one of an offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for a period of extended media play;

in response to receiving, as a user input, an election by the user to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, playing the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, including receiving, as part of the media stream, an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a first type and duration; and

following completion of the playing of the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content,

skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream,

configuring the media play logic for the period of extended media play, and

continuing to play the media stream according to the period of extended media play;

otherwise, if no election is received to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, playing an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a second type and duration, skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream, and configuring the media play logic to play the media stream for a period of regular media play.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein configuring the media play logic for a period of regular media play comprises configuring the media play logic to present advertisements or other sponsor-directed content having a shorter duration than those associated with a period of extended media play, between shorter intervals of media playback than for a period of extended media play.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein configuring the media play logic for a period of extended media play comprises configuring the media play logic to present advertisements or other sponsor-directed content having a longer duration than those associated with a period of regular media play, between longer intervals of media playback than for a period of regular media play.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the media play logic is adapted to prompt the user to select one of an extended media play configuration or regular media play configuration for subsequent advertisements or other sponsor-directed content, and in response to receiving a selection of the extended media play configuration, the media play logic is configured to play subsequently offered advertisements or other sponsor-directed content, in return for subsequent periods of extended media play.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the media server includes a targeting service that analyzes a playing media content and selects advertisements or other sponsor-directed content for delivery in conjunction with the playing media content, including

associating a request for media content, with the media device, wherein the request includes an identifying information which identifies a destination device to which the media content is to be streamed, and

determining a particular advertisement or other sponsor-directed content to be combined with the streamed media content.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the media device and a second device are associated with a common account, and advertisement or other sponsor-directed content is selected for delivery to the media device based at least in part on advertisements or other sponsor-directed content previously streamed at the second device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the period of extended media play is obtained in return for playing the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content at a first media device, and the system is configured to play the media stream according to the period of extended media play, at a second media device.

8. A method for providing media content including watch-now functionality, the method comprising:

providing, at a media device including a microprocessor, a user interface adapted to display media options corresponding to items of media content adapted to be received from a media server, and determine user inputs, and a media application running on the media device;

controlling playback of media content received from the media server, including

during playback of a media stream that includes a plurality of media content items, either periodically, or upon, receiving, at the user interface, a user input indicative of skipping to a next media option for playback, displaying, at the user interface, a prompt to elect to play at least one of an offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for a period of extended media play;

in response to receiving, as a user input, an election by the user to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, playing the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, including receiving, as part of the media stream, an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a first type and duration; and

following completion of the playing of the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content,

skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream,

configuring the playback of media content for the period of extended media play, and

continuing to play the media stream according to the period of extended media play;

otherwise, if no election is received to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, playing an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a second type and duration, skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream, and configuring the playback of media content for a period of regular media play.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein configuring the playback of media content for a period of regular media play comprises presenting advertisements or other sponsor-directed content having a shorter duration than those associated with a period of extended media play, between shorter intervals of media playback than for a period of extended media play.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein configuring the playback of media content for a period of extended media play comprises presenting advertisements or other sponsor-directed content having a longer duration than those associated with a period of regular media play, between longer intervals of media playback than for a period of regular media play.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising prompting the user to select one of an extended media play configuration or regular media play configuration for subsequent advertisements or other sponsor-directed content, and in response to receiving a selection of the extended media play configuration, playing subsequently offered advertisements or other sponsor-directed content, in return for subsequent periods of extended media play.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the media server includes a targeting service that analyzes a playing media content and selects advertisements or other sponsor-directed content for delivery in conjunction with the playing media content, including

associating a request for media content, with the media device, wherein the request includes an identifying information which identifies a destination device to which the media content is to be streamed, and

determining a particular advertisement or other sponsor-directed content to be combined with the streamed media content.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the media device and a second device are associated with a common account, and the method further comprises selecting advertisement or other sponsor-directed content for delivery to the media device based at least in part on advertisements or other sponsor-directed content previously streamed at the second device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the period of extended media play is obtained in return for playing the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content at a first media device, and the method further comprises playing the media stream according to the period of extended media play, at a second media device.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, including instructions stored thereon which when read and executed by one or more computer devices cause the one or more computer devices to perform steps comprising:

displaying, at a user interface, media options corresponding to items of media content adapted to be received from a media server, and determining user inputs;

controlling, by a media application running on a media device, playback of media content received from the media server, including

during playback of a media stream that includes a plurality of media content items, either periodically, or upon, receiving, at the user interface, a user input indicative of skipping to a next media option for playback, input, displaying, at the user interface, a prompt to elect to play at least one of an offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for a period of extended media play;

in response to receiving, as a user input, an election by the user to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, playing the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, including receiving, as part of the media stream, an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a first type and duration; and

following completion of the playing of the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content,

skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream,

configuring the playback of media content for the period of extended media play, and

continuing to play the media stream according to the period of extended media play;

otherwise, if no election is received to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, playing an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a second type and duration, skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream, and configuring the playback of media content for a period of regular media play.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein configuring the playback of media content for a period of regular media play comprises presenting advertisements or other sponsor-directed content having a shorter duration than those associated with a period of extended media play, between shorter intervals of media playback than for a period of extended media play.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein configuring the playback of media content for a period of extended media play comprises presenting advertisements or other sponsor-directed content having a longer duration than those associated with a period of regular media play, between longer intervals of media playback than for a period of regular media play.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more computer devices to prompt the user to select one of an extended media play configuration or regular media play configuration for subsequent advertisements or other sponsor-directed content, and in response to receiving a selection of the extended media play configuration, playing subsequently offered advertisements or other sponsor-directed content, in return for subsequent periods of extended media play.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the media server includes a targeting service that analyzes a playing media content and selects advertisements or other sponsor-directed content for delivery in conjunction with the playing media content, including

associating a request for media content, with the media device, wherein the request includes an identifying information which identifies a destination device to which the media content is to be streamed, and

determining a particular advertisement or other sponsor-directed content to be combined with the streamed media content.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the media device and a second device are associated with a common account, and the instructions further cause the one or more computer devices to select advertisement or other sponsor-directed content for delivery to the media device based at least in part on advertisements or other sponsor-directed content previously streamed at the second device.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the period of extended media play is obtained in return for playing the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content at a first media device, and the instructions further cause the one or more computer devices to play the media stream according to the period of extended media play, at a second media device.

22. A system for providing media content including watch-now functionality, the system comprising:

a media server including a microprocessor, and a media server application executing thereon and adapted to receive requests from media devices for media content; and

a media streaming logic adapted to provide the media content in response to the requests from the media devices, including

during playback of a media stream that includes a plurality of media content items, either periodically, or upon receiving, at a media application running on a media device, a user input indicative of skipping to a next media option for playback, causing a prompt to be displayed to a user of the media device to elect to play at least one of an offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for a period of extended media play;

in response to receiving, as a user input, an election by the user to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, causing the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content to be played at the media device, including inserting into the media stream, an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a first type and duration; and

following completion of the playing of the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content,

skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream,

causing the media device to be configured for the period of extended media play, and

continuing to stream the media stream according to the period of extended media play;

otherwise, if no election is received to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, causing an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a second type and duration to be played at the media device, skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream, and streaming the media stream for a period of regular media play.

23. A method for providing media content including watch-now functionality, the method comprising:

providing, at a media server including a microprocessor, a media server application executing thereon and adapted to receive requests from media devices for media content; and

providing a media streaming logic adapted to provide the media content in response to the requests from the media devices, including

during playback of a media stream that includes a plurality of media content items, either periodically, or upon receiving, at a media application running on a media device, a user input indicative of skipping to a next media option for playback, causing a prompt to be displayed to a user of the media device to elect to play at least one of an offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for a period of extended media play;

in response to receiving, as a user input, an election by the user to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, causing the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content to be played at the media device, including inserting into the media stream, an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a first type and duration; and

following completion of the playing of the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content,

skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream,

causing the media device to be configured for the period of extended media play, and

continuing to stream the media stream according to the period of extended media play;

otherwise, if no election is received to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, causing an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a second type and duration to be played at the media device, skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream, and streaming the media stream for a period of regular media play.