Provisioning commercial-free media content

• US 10,165,338 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2018
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Austin, Jarrod
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Mushfikh I
• Application Number:
  US15/972,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20180255370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 232 Days
• Field of Search: 725 74-104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence

Abstract

Provisioning commercial-free or break-free media content. Example types of media or media content may include advertising media, broadcast media, social media, news media, and etc. In a satellite broadcast television implementation, subscribers may be provided the ability to search for and optionally access commercial-free programming.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

one or more processing devices; and

memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processing devices, the one or more processing devices configured to perform actions including;

causing output of a list of media content to cause display of the list of media content with a display, the list including indicators as to which items of the media content include one or more breaks for one or more advertisements;

processing a search string entered via a user interface to identify instances of media content matched with at least a portion of the search string;

performing a search for break-free media content, the performing the search comprising querying a plurality of different data sources, the plurality of different data sources comprising at least one storage device comprising recorded content to identify instances of media content matched with at least the portion of the search string;

creating a list of results of the search for break-free media content that includes only identified instances of break-free media content matched with at least the portion of the search string, the creating the list of results comprising organizing the identified instances of break-free media content according to a priority order based at least in part on differentiation of respective sources from which the identified instances of break-free media content are available; and

causing output of a results interface that presents the list of results via the display with a respective selectable identifier associated with each instance of the identified instances of break-free media content so that each instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is differentiated based at least in part on the respective source from which the instance is available, wherein a first instance of the identified instances of break-free media content and a second instance of the identified instances of break-free media content each correspond to a same content item, where the first instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is available from a first source, and the second instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is available from a second source.

2. The device of claim 1, the actions further comprising:

detecting an indication of selection of one of the selectable identifiers associated with the identified instances of break-free media content; and

causing output to the display of an indicator that, when selected, initiates contact with a network-based resource over a communication interface.

3. The device of claim 1, where the first source and the second source correspond to different ones of a local recording source, a cloud-based source, an on-demand-based source, a subscription-based source, and/or a peer-based source.

4. The device of claim 3, the actions further comprising:

causing output of a customization interface to specify source identifiers for different sources and to provide options to permit user selection of which sources are preferred for inclusion with the results interface, where the different sources include the first source and the second source; and

processing one or more selections received via the customization interface that specify a set of sources for inclusion with the results interface;

wherein the performing the search for break-free media content comprises searching for instances of media content available from the set of sources specified via the customization interface.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the options permit definition of the priority order, and the first instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is presented as having priority greater than the second instance of the identified instances of break-free media content based on the defined priority order.

6. The device of claim 3, the actions further comprising:

detecting an indication of selection of one of the selectable identifiers associated with the identified instances of break-free media content; and

causing output to the display of;

a particular instance of the identified instances of break-free media content that is associated with the selected one of the selectable identifiers;

an option to set a timer to record the particular instance of the identified instances of break-free media content that is associated with the selected one of the selectable identifiers;

or

a preview segment of the particular instance of the identified instances of break-free media content that is associated with the selected one of the selectable identifiers.

7. The device of claim 3, wherein the performing the search for break-free media content comprises selecting the identified instances of media content based at least in part on a particular flag or bit associated with each instance of the identified instances of media content.

8. A method, comprising:

causing output of a list of media content to cause display of the list of media content with a display, the list including indicators as to which items of the media content include one or more breaks for one or more advertisements;

receiving a search string entered via a user interface to identify instances of media content matched with at least a portion of the search string;

performing a search for break-free media content, the performing the search comprising querying a plurality of different data sources, the plurality of different data sources comprising at least one storage device comprising recorded content to identify instances of media content matched with at least the portion of the search string;

creating a list of results of the search for break-free media content that includes only identified instances of break-free media content matched with at least the portion of the search string, the creating the list of results comprising organizing the identified instances of break-free media content according to a priority order based at least in part on differentiation of respective sources from which the identified instances of break-free media content are available; and

causing output of a results interface that presents the list of results via the display with a respective selectable identifier associated with each instance of the identified instances of break-free media content so that each instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is differentiated based at least in part on the respective source from which the instance is available, wherein a first instance of the identified instances of break-free media content and a second instance of the identified instances of break-free media content each correspond to a same content item, where the first instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is available from a first source, and the second instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is available from a second source.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting an indication of selection of one of the selectable identifiers associated with the identified instances of break-free media content; and

causing output to the display of an indicator that, when selected, initiates contact with a network-based resource over a communication interface.

10. The method of claim 8, where the first source and the second source correspond to different ones of a local recording source, a cloud-based source, an on-demand-based source, a subscription-based source, and/or a peer-based source.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

causing output of a customization interface to specify source identifiers for different sources and to provide options to permit user selection of which sources are preferred for inclusion with the results interface, where the different sources include the first source and the second source; and

receiving one or more selections via the customization interface that specify a set of sources for inclusion with the results interface;

wherein the performing the search for break-free media content comprises searching for instances of media content available from the set of sources specified via the customization interface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the options permit definition of the priority order, and the first instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is presented as having priority greater than the second instance of the identified instances of break-free media content based on the defined priority order.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting an indication of selection of one of the selectable identifiers associated with the identified instances of break-free media content; and

causing outputting to the display of;

a particular instance of the identified instances of break-free media content that is associated with the selected one of the selectable identifiers;

an option to set a timer to record the particular instance of the identified instances of break-free media content that is associated with the selected one of the selectable identifiers;

or

a review segment of the particular instance of the identified instances of break-free media content that is associated with the selected one of the selectable identifiers.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the performing the search for break-free media content comprises selecting the identified instances of media content based at least in part on a particular flag or bit associated with each instance of the identified instances of media content.

15. A non-transitory, processor-readable medium having processor-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to perform:

causing output of a list of media content to cause display of the list of media content with a display, the list including indicators as to which items of the media content include one or more breaks for one or more advertisements;

processing a search string entered via a user interface to identify instances of media content matched with at least a portion of the search string;

performing a search for break-free media content, the performing the search comprising querying a plurality of different data sources, the plurality of different data sources comprising at least one storage device comprising recorded content to identify instances of media content matched with at least the portion of the search string;

creating a list of results of the search for break-free media content that includes only identified instances of break-free media content matched with at least the portion of the search string, the creating the list of results comprising organizing the identified instances of break-free media content according to a priority order based at least in part on differentiation of respective sources from which the identified instances of break-free media content are available; and

causing output of a results interface that presents the list of results via the display with a respective selectable identifier associated with each instance of the identified instances of break-free media content so that each instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is differentiated based at least in part on the respective source from which the instance is available, wherein a first instance of the identified instances of break-free media content and a second instance of the identified instances of break-free media content each correspond to a same content item, where the first instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is available from a first source, and the second instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is available from a second source.

16. The non-transitory, processor-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more processing devices are further caused to perform:

detecting an indication of selection of one of the selectable identifiers associated with the identified instances of break-free media content; and

causing output to the display of an indicator that, when selected, initiates contact with a network-based resource over a communication interface.

17. The non-transitory, processor-readable medium of claim 15, where the first source and the second source correspond to different ones of a local recording source, a cloud-based source, an on-demand-based source, a subscription-based source, and/or a peer-based source.

18. The non-transitory, processor-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more processing devices are further caused to perform:

causing output of a customization interface to specify source identifiers for different sources and to provide options to permit user selection of which sources are preferred for inclusion with the results interface, where the different sources include the first source and the second source; and

processing one or more selections received via the customization interface that specify a set of sources for inclusion with the results interface;

wherein the performing the search for break-free media content comprises searching for instances of media content available from the set of sources specified via the customization interface.

19. The non-transitory, processor-readable medium of claim 18, wherein at least one of the options permit definition of the priority order, and the first instance of the identified instances of break-free media content is presented as having priority greater than the second instance of the identified instances of break-free media content based on the defined priority order.

20. The non-transitory, processor-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the one or more processing devices are further caused to perform:

detecting an indication of selection of one of the selectable identifiers associated with the identified instances of break-free media content; and

causing outputting to the display of;

a particular instance of the identified instances of break-free media content that is associated with the selected one of the selectable identifiers;

an option to set a timer to record the particular instance of the identified instances of break-free media content that is associated with the selected one of the selectable identifiers; and

/or

a preview segment of the particular instance of the identified instances of break-free media content that is associated with the selected one of the selectable identifiers.