Apparatus and methods for enabling media options in a content delivery network
First Claim
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.
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Accused Products
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).
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Citations
23 Claims
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification