Management of non-linear content presentation and experience

• US 10,728,622 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Maher, Matt, Natani, Ripin, Vengurlekar, Harshank
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Jason K
• Application Number:
  US15/687,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20190069031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/251 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts

Abstract

Systems and methods for management of non-linear content presentation and experience are provided. At least one stream may be evaluated in real-time to detect when an event occurs within the evaluated stream. A priority score may be assigned to the detected event, wherein the priority score is updated in real-time. An offer may be generated to a user device regarding the detected event, wherein the user device is not playing the evaluated stream. An acceptance may be received from the user device. The evaluated stream to the user device, wherein the evaluated stream is provided at a point prior to the detected event.

Claims

1. A server system for management of non-linear content presentation and experience, the system comprising:

a processor that executes instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor;

evaluates at least one stream in real-time that is not currently being played at a user device to detect when an event occurs within the evaluated stream, wherein the detected event in the evaluated stream is detected based on analysis of one or more audio-visual cues within the evaluated stream,

assigns a priority score to the detected event, based on a number of friends that have viewed the detected event and chat activity by the friends in relation to the detected event within the evaluated stream during an identified period of time,

generates an offer to the user device regarding access to the detected event associated with the chat activity within the at least one stream,

updates the assigned priority score in real-time, wherein the updated priority score is different than the assigned priority score, and wherein updating the assigned priority score is based on a number of friends that have viewed the detected event and chat activity by the friends in relation to the detected event within the evaluated stream during a subsequent period of time, and

updates the offer in real-time based on the priority score assigned to the detected event being updated one or more times, wherein updating the offer generates one or more offers that requires a user of the user device to make a monetary payment or watch advertising; and

a communication interface that communicates over a communication network, wherein the communication interface;

provides a notification to the user device, wherein the notification includes the one or more generated offers,

receives an acceptance response from the user device agreeing to the one or more generated offers, wherein the processor;

identifies which one of the offers is applicable at a time of the acceptance response, and

evaluates the acceptance response to the applicable offer to determine whether the applicable offer is satisfied; and

provides the evaluated stream to the user device based on determining that the applicable offer is satisfied, wherein the evaluated stream is provided at a predefined point prior to the detected event in accordance with the applicable offer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user device is playing another stream, and wherein the notification is overlaid on a portion of the other stream.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor assigns the priority score further based on an amount of traffic in one or more social media feeds associated with the evaluated stream.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor assigns the priority score further based on an amount of excitement factors indicated by metadata associated with the evaluated stream.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor assigns the priority score further based on identifying that the detected event within the evaluated stream resulted in a lead change in a sporting event.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor assigns the priority score further based on identifying that the lead change occurred toward an end of a sporting event.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor changes the offer by changing one or more conditions of the generated offer in real-time, and wherein the changed offer includes one or more different conditions.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further identifies that the acceptance response satisfies the applicable offer by identifying that the acceptance response satisfies one or more conditions associated with the applicable offer.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor identifies that the acceptance response satisfies the conditions associated with the applicable offer by:

identifying that at least one of the conditions has already been satisfied based on current status information regarding a user of the user device, and

verifying that the acceptance request satisfies a remaining set of the conditions associated with the applicable offer.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface provides the evaluated stream to the user device by skipping at least one time period prior to the predefined point.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface provides the evaluated stream to the user device by skipping a plurality of time periods within the evaluated stream.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein an order of the skipped plurality of time periods is non-linear.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the communication interface skips to a next predefined point prior to a next detected event after providing the evaluated stream at the predefined point, wherein the next detected event occurs before the detected event within a linear presentation of the evaluated stream.

7. A method for management of non-linear content presentation and experience, the method comprising:

evaluating at least one stream in real-time that is not currently being played at a user device to detect when an event occurs within the evaluated stream, wherein the detected event in the evaluated stream is detected based on analysis of one or more audio-visual cues within the evaluated stream;

assigning a priority score to the detected event, based on a number of friends that have viewed the detected event and chat activity by the friends in relation to the detected event within the evaluated stream during an identified period of time;

generating an offer to the user device regarding access to the detected event associated with the chat activity within the at least one stream;

updating the assigned priority score in real-time, wherein the updated priority score is different than the assigned priority score, and wherein updating the assigned priority score is based on a number of friends that have viewed the detected event and activity by the friends in relation to the detected event within the evaluated stream during a subsequent period of time;

updating the offer in real-time based on the priority score assigned to the detected event being updated one or more times, wherein updating the offer generates one or more offers that requires a user of the user device to make a monetary payment or watch advertising;

providing a notification to the user device, wherein the notification includes the one or more generated offers;

receiving an acceptance response from the user device agreeing to the one or more generated offers;

identifying which one of the offers is applicable at a time of the acceptance response;

evaluating the acceptance response to the applicable offer to determine whether the applicable offer is satisfied; and

providing the evaluated stream to the user device based on determining;

that the applicable offer is satisfied, wherein the evaluated stream is provided at a predefined point prior to the detected event in accordance with the applicable offer.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending a notification to the user device informing the user about the detected event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user device is playing another stream, and wherein the notification is overlaid on a portion of the other stream.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein assigning the priority score is further based on an amount of traffic in one or more social media feeds associated with the evaluated stream.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein assigning the priority score is further based on an amount of activity at one or more other friend devices of the user device associated with the evaluated stream.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein assigning the priority score is further based on an amount of excitement factors indicated by metadata associated with the evaluated stream.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein assigning the priority score is further based on identifying that the detected event in the evaluated stream resulted in a lead change in a sporting event.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein assigning the priority score is further based on identifying that the lead change occurred toward an end of a sporting event.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for management of nonlinear content presentation and experience, the method comprising:

evaluating at least one stream in real-time that is not currently being played at a user device to detect when an event occurs within the evaluated stream, wherein the detected event in the evaluated stream is detected based on analysis of one or more audio-visual cues within the evaluated stream;

assigning a priority score to the detected event, based on a number of friends that have viewed the detected event and chat activity by the friends in relation to the detected event within the evaluated stream during an identified period of time;

generating an offer to the user device regarding access to the detected event associated with the chat activity within the at least one stream;

updating the assigned priority score in real-time, wherein the updated priority score is different than the assigned priority score, and wherein updating the assigned priority score is based on a number of friends that have viewed the detected event and chat activity by the friends in relation to the detected event within the evaluated stream during a subsequent period of time;

updating, the offer in real-time based on the priority score assigned to the detected event being;

updated one or more times, wherein updating the offer generates one or more offers that requires a user of the user device to make a monetary payment or watch advertising;

providing a notification to the user device, wherein the notification includes the one or more generated offers;

receiving an acceptance response from the user device agreeing to the one or more generated offers;

identifying which one of the offers is applicable at a time of the acceptance response;

evaluating the acceptance response to the applicable offer to determine whether the applicable offer is satisfied; and

providing the evaluated stream to the user device based on determining;

that the applicable offer is satisfied, wherein the evaluated stream is provided at a predefined point prior to the detected event in accordance with the applicable offer.