Apparatus and methods for enabling media options in a content delivery network

• US 10,051,305 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tidwell, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hance, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US15/483,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20170280183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8583 by creating hot-spots

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for providing media options over a network. In one embodiment, the media options are presented in conjunction with a promotion or advertisement for particular content. The precise ones of a plurality of disclosed options that will be presented may be determined based at least in part on a campaign established by a content management entity and a current availability of the content. For example, certain media options may only be made available for content that is currently available, while other options may be only available for content available at a future date/time, or during a particular time window. Rules for determining which options are to be provided in conjunction with which content and/or advertisements are established and by a content management entity, such as an entity of a multiple systems operator (MSO).

Claims

1. A computerized method for providing media functionality to a plurality of computerized user devices in communication with a content delivery network, the computerized method comprising:

receiving data relating to a plurality of parameters, the plurality of parameters relating to a promotion campaign;

utilizing at least the data to identify and insert one or more media function-enabling trigger data structures into a digital media stream for delivery of digitally rendered promotional content associated with the promotion campaign, at least one of the one or more media function-enabling trigger data structures comprising an option to cause scheduling of a recording for a digital program currently broadcasted to the plurality of computerized user devices over the content delivery network;

based at least on the data relating to the plurality of parameters, determining a time value threshold, the time value threshold comprising a period of time after the digital program began broadcast, an end of the period of time comprising a particular time in which the recording for the currently broadcasted digital program cannot be scheduled;

providing the digital media stream to at least one of the plurality of computerized user devices, the digital media stream comprising the digitally rendered promotional content and the at least one of the one or more media function-enabling trigger data structures;

determining, based at least on a selection of the option to schedule the recording for the currently broadcasted digital program by a user of the at least one of the plurality of computerized user devices, that a then-current time of the selection meets or exceeds the time value threshold; and

based at least on the determining that the then-current time of the selection meets or exceeds the time value threshold, automatically causing scheduling of a recording of a subsequent episode of the currently broadcasted digital program, the subsequent episode comprising a second digital program of a series to which the currently broadcasted digital program belongs, the second digital program being a different digital program than the currently broadcasted digital program.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the time value threshold comprises dynamically determining via using an algorithm and a context associated with the currently broadcasted digital program, the algorithm configured to analyze the currently broadcasted digital program to determine the context.

3. The computerized method of claim 2, further comprising utilizing the context to assess a position within the associated currently broadcasted digital program, the position comprising a position where the end of the period of time after the digital program began broadcast is set.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising providing one or more additional ones of the one or more media function-enabling trigger data structures to the at least one of the plurality of computerized user devices based at least in part on the selection of the option to schedule the recording for the currently broadcasted digital program by the user.

5. The computerized method of claim 4, wherein the one or more additional ones of the one or more media function-enabling trigger data structures comprise a function for causing the at least one of the plurality of computerized user devices to automatically tune to the subsequent episode of the currently broadcasted digital program at a time of the recording thereof.

6. The computerized method of claim 4, further comprising, based at least on the selection of the one or more additional ones of the one or more media function-enabling trigger data structures, enabling the at least one of the plurality of computerized user devices to execute, at another one of the plurality of computerized user devices, a media functionality option associated with the one or more additional ones of the one or more media function-enabling trigger data structures.

7. The computerized method of claim 6, wherein the execution of the media functionality option is configured to cause transmission of one or more reminders to the another one of the plurality of computerized user devices, the transmission of the one or more reminders recurring based on a recurrence of the digitally rendered promotional content.

8. The computerized method of claim 7, wherein the one or more reminders are associated to a time of availability of the digitally rendered promotional content.

9. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein:

the content delivery network comprises a managed network having a plurality of subscribers;

the plurality of parameters comprise one or more configurable rules entered by a network operator of the managed network; and

the identification of the one or more media function-enabling trigger data structures is based at least in part on capabilities of the at least one of the plurality of computerized user devices, the capabilities determined at least in part based on data from a subscriber database maintained by the network operator, the database comprising data correlating ones of the plurality of computerized user devices with respective ones of the subscribers.

10. Computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, the instructions configured to, when executed on a processing apparatus:

receive data relating to a plurality of parameters, the plurality of parameters relating to a promotion campaign;

utilize at least the data relating to the plurality of parameters to identify and insert one or more media function-enabling trigger data structures into a digital media stream for delivery of digitally rendered promotional content associated with the promotion campaign, at least one of the one or more media function-enabling trigger data structures comprising one or more media functionality options;

based at least on the data relating to the plurality of parameters, determine a time value, the time value comprising a period of time after which a digital program began broadcast, the digital program being then-currently broadcasted to a plurality of computerized user devices over a content delivery network;

provide the digital media stream to at least one of the plurality of computerized user devices, the digital media stream comprising the digitally rendered promotional content and the at least one of the one or more media function-enabling trigger data structures;

determine, based at least on data relating to a selection of at least one of the one or more media functionality options by a user of the at least one of the one or more computerized user devices, that a then-current time of the selection meets or exceeds the time value; and

based at least on the determination that the then-current time of the selection meets or exceeds the time value, automatically cause execution of the at least one of the one or more media functionality options;

wherein the determination of the time value comprises utilization of an algorithm, the algorithm configured to analyze at least metadata associated with the digital program while the digital program is broadcasted to the plurality of computerized user devices, the metadata comprising data indicative of a progress of at least one of (i) events, or (ii) a story line, of the digital program.

11. The computer readable apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the one or more media functionality options comprise an option to schedule a recording for the currently broadcasted digital program;

the period of time after the digital program began broadcast comprises a period of time in which the recording for the currently broadcasted digital program can be scheduled; and

the execution of the one or more media functionality options comprises an automatic scheduling of a recording of a subsequent episode of the currently broadcasted digital program.

12. The computer readable apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the one or more media functionality options comprise an option enable the at least one of the one or more computerized user devices to immediately and automatically tune to the currently broadcasted digital program;

the period of time after the digital program began broadcast comprises a period of time in which the at least one of the one or more computerized user devices can tune to the currently broadcasted digital program; and

the execution of the one or more media functionality options comprises an automatic causation of the at least one of the one or more computerized user devices to immediately and automatically tune to of a subsequent episode of the currently broadcasted digital program.

13. The computer readable apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the one or more media functionality options comprise an option provide the at least one of the one or more computerized user devices with one or more reminders relating to the currently broadcasted digital program;

the period of time after the digital program began broadcast comprises a period of time in which the one or more reminders relating to the currently broadcasted digital program can be enabled; and

the execution of the one or more media functionality options comprises provision, to the at least one of the one or more computerized user devices, of one or more reminders relating to a subsequent episode of the currently broadcasted digital program.

14. The computer readable apparatus of claim 10, wherein the algorithm is configured to analyze the metadata to determine context, the context useful in determination of the progress.

15. The computer readable apparatus of claim 14, wherein the determined context comprises a multi-period sporting event, and the determination of the progress comprises determination of which period of the multi-period sporting event is currently in progress.

16. A computerized server apparatus configured to provide a plurality of media functions to a plurality computerized client devices in data communication therewith, the computerized server apparatus comprising:

at least one first data interface for data communication with the plurality of computerized client devices;

a processor apparatus, the processor apparatus in data communication with the at least one first data interface; and

a data storage device in data communication with the processor apparatus and comprising at least one computer program, the at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus;

deliver promotion-related data to at least one of the plurality of computerized client devices, the promotion-related data comprising one or more embedded triggers associated with respective one or more media functionality options, the one or more media functionality options comprising options which may be selected by a user of the at least one of the plurality of computerized client devices with respect to a digital program associated with the promotion-related data;

receive data indicative of a selection of a first one of the one or more media functionality options from the at least one of the plurality of computerized client devices, the first one of the one or more media functionality options comprising an option to schedule at least one of (i) tuning, (ii) recording, or (iii) one or more reminders, for the digital program;

determine that the first one of the one or more media functionality options has previously been selected; and

based on the determination, provide the user, via the at least one computerized client device, with at least one additional media functionality option, the at least one additional media functionality option enabling the user to schedule at least one of (i) tuning, (ii) recording, or (i) one or more reminders for a subsequent episode of a series to which the digital program belongs.

17. The computerized server apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed on the digital processor apparatus, cause provision to the user via the at least one computerized device, of a second additional media functionality option, the second additional media functionality option configured to enable the user schedule at least one of (i) tuning, (ii) recording, or (iii) reminders, for the digital program at a second one of the plurality of computerized client devices.

18. The computerized server apparatus of claim 16, wherein the delivery of the promotion-related data to at least one of the plurality of computerized client devices comprises delivery of the promotion-related data as part of a digital content stream of a virtual content channel, the digital content stream on the virtual program channel utilized to present data comprising a list of recommended digitally rendered content to the user.

19. The computerized server apparatus of claim 18, wherein the list of the recommended digitally rendered content is further based on data relating to one or more previous selections of the one or more media functionality options by the user, and the recommended digitally rendered content comprises at least one of:

a subsequent episode of a series to which the digital program belongs; and

digitally rendered content having at least one of an actor, genre, or context in common with the digital program.

20. The computerized server apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the list of the recommended digitally rendered content is presented to the user via the digital content stream on the virtual content channel and in conjunction with an electronic program guide (EPG), the EPG being personalized to the user; and

the one or more media functionality options are presented to the user via a graphic display overlay rendered on a display device of the at least one computerized device and having one or more selectable virtual icons displayed thereon.

21. The computerized server apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the digital content stream on the virtual content channel is configured to display digitally rendered content obtained from a plurality of content sources, the digital content stream being specifically personalized for the user based at least on data relating to at least one of (i) one or more preferences of the user, and (ii) at least one demographic of the user; and

the digitally rendered content obtained from the plurality of content sources is selected for display according to a priority such that first available content is selected for presentation over second available content, the first available content being of greater interest to the user relative to the second available content.

22. The computerized server apparatus of claim 16, wherein the determination that the first one of the one or more media functionality options has previously been selected comprises determination that the first one of the options has been selected by a same one of the computerized client devices as the at least one of the plurality of computerized client devices.

23. The computerized server apparatus of claim 16, wherein the determination that the first one of the one or more media functionality options has previously been selected comprises determination that the first one of the options has been selected by the user, irrespective of which of the computerized client devices was used to make the previous selection.