Time shifting of advertisements in digital content delivery services
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for presenting program content to a user, the method comprising:
- determining, at a user device, a segmentation of program content obtained from a content provider or a content delivery network, the segmentation including a division of the program content into a plurality of program content segments;
generating a data structure comprising indices for independently accessing the plurality of program content segments, wherein each index of the indices provides data facilitating access and playback of a respective one of the plurality of program content segments;
assigning a point value to each program content segment of the plurality of program content segments, the point value representing a value by which a point level is adjusted based on presentation of a corresponding program content segment to a user, the point level being incremented by a first point value based on presentation of time-shiftable content, and the point level being decremented by a second point value based on presentation of one or more program content segments to the user;
identifying, based on a current point level and a point level threshold, a number of program content segments of the program content permitted for presentation to the user; and
presenting, using the indices in the generated data structure, one or more program content segments of the plurality of program content segments without interruption by any time-shiftable content, wherein the one or more content segments are selected based on the identified number of program content segments permitted for presentation to the user; and
modifying the point level by a sum of point values assigned to each of the one or more program content segments presented to the user.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Advertisements included in a stored digital video program are identified and indexed. A user can time shift the advertisements to play out at a different time position in the program or not play the advertisement at all. A user may incur an advertisement debt for skipping or fast forwarding an advertisement. The advertisement debt can be offset by viewing ads, trading the debt with other users or by paying for the debt in another form.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A method for presenting program content to a user, the method comprising:
-
determining, at a user device, a segmentation of program content obtained from a content provider or a content delivery network, the segmentation including a division of the program content into a plurality of program content segments; generating a data structure comprising indices for independently accessing the plurality of program content segments, wherein each index of the indices provides data facilitating access and playback of a respective one of the plurality of program content segments; assigning a point value to each program content segment of the plurality of program content segments, the point value representing a value by which a point level is adjusted based on presentation of a corresponding program content segment to a user, the point level being incremented by a first point value based on presentation of time-shiftable content, and the point level being decremented by a second point value based on presentation of one or more program content segments to the user; identifying, based on a current point level and a point level threshold, a number of program content segments of the program content permitted for presentation to the user; and presenting, using the indices in the generated data structure, one or more program content segments of the plurality of program content segments without interruption by any time-shiftable content, wherein the one or more content segments are selected based on the identified number of program content segments permitted for presentation to the user; and modifying the point level by a sum of point values assigned to each of the one or more program content segments presented to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A content playback apparatus, comprising:
-
a storage module configured to store program content from a content provider or a content delivery network; and one or more programmable processors for executing non-transitory instructions that when executed by the one or more programmable processors cause the one or more programmable processors to determine a segmentation of the program content, the segmentation including a division of the program content into a plurality of program content segments; generate a data structure comprising indices for independently accessing the plurality of program content segments, wherein each index of the indices provides data facilitating access and playback of a respective one of the plurality of program content segments; assign a point value to each program content segment of the plurality of program content segments, the point value representing a value by which a point level is adjusted based on presentation of a corresponding program content segment to a user, the point level being incremented by a first point value based on presentation of time-shiftable content, and the point level being decremented by a second point value based on presentation of one or more program content segments to the user; identify, based on a current point level and a point level threshold, a number of program content segments of the program content permitted for presentation to the user and to present, using the indices in the generated data structure, one or more program content segments of the plurality of program content segments without interruption by any time-shiftable content, wherein the one or more content segments are selected based on the identified number of program content segments permitted for presentation to the user; and decrease the point level by a sum of point values assigned to each of the one or more program content segments presented to the user. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification