Providing product information during multimedia programs

• US 10,701,449 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2017
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barnes, Bruce, Heinmiller, Wayne Robert, Kenny, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, William J
• Application Number:
  US15/826,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20180091862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12

Abstract

A method and system provides information and purchasing services for products placed in multimedia content. Product metadata coordinated in time with the multimedia content may be used to determine the product and obtain product information. A user may send a notification at a time when the product occurs in the multimedia content, and the time may be used to coordinate the product metadata. Product information may be provided to the user. The user may be given the option to purchase the product. Validation of the user may occur in order to authorize the purchase.

Claims

1. A multimedia content distribution method, comprising:

streaming, from a server of a multimedia service provider, a content stream via an access network to a set top box, wherein the content stream includes;

a multimedia content program; and

placed product metadata, wherein the placed product metadata is;

indicative of placed products appearing in the multimedia content program; and

coordinated in time with appearances of placed products in the multimedia content program;

receiving a product information request from the set top box at a particular time point of the multimedia content program, wherein the particular time point corresponds to a particular frame of the multimedia content program;

accessing a part of the placed product metadata, wherein the part of the placed product metadata comprises a portion of the placed product metadata indexed to the particular frame of the multimedia content program, wherein the part of the placed product metadata indicates one or more of placed products that appear in the particular frame of the multimedia content program;

obtaining product information corresponding to the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame of the multimedia content program;

providing information indicative of a list of the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame to enable the set top box to display the list of the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame of the multimedia content program; and

responsive to receiving, from the set top box, an indication of a specific placed product, wherein the specific placed product comprises a placed product selected, by a user associated with the set top box, from the list of the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame;

validating an identity of the user associated with the set top box; and

communicating with the multimedia service provider to initiate a purchase of the specific placed product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the product information includes information selected from product specification information, product pricing information, product availability information, and product warranty information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining placed product metadata corresponding to a first placed product from a vendor of the first placed product.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the specific placed product includes multimedia content and

wherein the method includes sending the specific placed product to the user via the access network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein validating the identity of the user associated with the set top box includes communicating a network identity of the set top box to the multimedia service provider.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein validating the identity of the user includes determining a geographic location of a mobile device associated with the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein streaming the content stream to the set top box associated with the user comprises streaming the content stream to the set top box via a gateway device coupling the set top box to the access network wherein the gateway device comprises a modem.

8. A streaming server, comprising:

a processor, having access to a computer readable storage medium including processor executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

sending, by a resource of a multimedia service provider, a content stream to a set top box via an access network wherein the content stream includes;

a multimedia content program; and

placed product metadata, wherein the placed product metadata is;

indicative of placed products appearing in the multimedia content program; and

coordinated in time with appearances of placed products in the multimedia content program;

receiving a product information request from the set top box at a particular time point of the multimedia content program, wherein the particular time point corresponds to a particular frame of the multimedia content program;

accessing a part of the placed product metadata, wherein the part of the placed product metadata comprises a portion of the placed product metadata indexed to the particular frame of the multimedia content program, wherein the part of the placed product metadata indicates one or more of placed products that appear in the particular frame of the multimedia content program;

obtaining product information corresponding to the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame of the multimedia content program;

providing information indicative of a list of the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame to enable the set top box to display the list of the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame of the multimedia content program; and

responsive to receiving, from the set top box, an indication of a specific placed product, wherein the specific placed product comprises a placed product selected, by a user associated with the set top box, from the list of the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame;

validating an identity of the user associated with the set top box; and

communicating with the multimedia service provider to initiate a purchase of the specific placed product.

9. The streaming server of claim 8, wherein the product information includes information selected from product specification information, product pricing information, product availability information, and product warranty information.

10. The streaming server of claim 8, wherein the operations include:

obtaining placed product metadata corresponding to a first placed product from a vendor of the first placed product.

11. The streaming server of claim 8, wherein the specific placed product includes multimedia content and wherein the operations include sending the specific placed product to the user via the access network.

12. The streaming server of claim 8, wherein validating the identity of the user associated with the set top box includes communicating a network identity of the set top box to the multimedia service provider.

13. The streaming server of claim 8, wherein validating the identity of the user includes determining a geographic location of a mobile device associated with the user.

14. The streaming server of claim 8, wherein streaming the content stream to the set top box associated with the user comprises streaming the content stream to the set top box via a gateway device coupling the set top box to the access network wherein the gateway device comprises a modem.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium, including processor executable program instructions, that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

sending, from a multimedia service provider, a content stream to a set top box via an access network wherein the content stream includes;

a multimedia content program; and

placed product metadata, wherein the placed product metadata is;

indicative of placed products appearing in the multimedia content program; and

coordinated in time with appearances of placed products in the multimedia content program;

receiving a product information request from the set top box at a particular time point of the multimedia content program, wherein the particular time point corresponds to a particular frame of the multimedia content program;

accessing a part of the placed product metadata, wherein the part of the placed product metadata comprises a portion of the placed product metadata indexed to the particular frame of the multimedia content program, wherein the part of the placed product metadata indicates one or more of placed products that appear in the particular frame of the multimedia content program;

obtaining product information corresponding to the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame of the multimedia content program;

providing information indicative of a list of the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame to enable the set top box to display the list of the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame of the multimedia content program; and

responsive to receiving, from the set top box, an indication of a specific placed product, wherein the specific placed product comprises a placed product selected, by a user associated with the set top box, from the list of the one or more placed products that appear in the particular frame;

validating an identity of the user associated with the set top box; and

communicating with the multimedia service provider to initiate a purchase of the specific placed product.

16. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 15, wherein the product information includes information selected from product specification information, product pricing information, product availability information, and product warranty information.

17. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 15, wherein the operations include:

obtaining placed product metadata corresponding to a first placed product from a vendor of the first placed product.

18. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 15, wherein the specific placed product includes multimedia content and wherein the operations include sending the specific placed product to the user via the access network.

19. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 15, wherein validating the identity of the user associated with the set top box includes communicating a network identity of the set top box to the multimedia service provider.

20. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 15, wherein validating the identity of the user includes determining a geographic location of a mobile device associated with the user.