Service platform suite management system

• US 20020147645A1
• Filed: 02/01/2002
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Open TV, Inc. (Naspers Limited)
• Inventors: Hernard, Jose, Dureau, Vincent, Huntington, Matthew, Delpuch, Alain, Lam, Waiman, Alao, Rachad, Fishwick, Nicholas, Koussari-Amin, Vahid, Benson, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 7,669,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234336 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures or audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2356 by altering the spatial resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/2668 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4349 : by extracting from data carousels, e.g. extraction of software modules from a DVB carousel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 : Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• 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 21/643 : Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64707 : for transferring content from a first network to a second network, e.g. between IP and wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 : using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 : for generating interactive applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 : Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for managing the presentation and regulation of E-Commerce, content and service providers access in an interactive television environment comprising interactions between a server, a client, and a service provider. Components are provided for managing and completing a purchase or delivery of an item offered by a service provider. A purchase transaction uses client information comprising partial client information from the client and a list of purchased items. Upon receiving partial information from the client, the server retrieves corresponding additional related information within its database and transmits this retrieved data from the server, along with the list of purchased items to complete the transaction. Business Agents are provided for logging the transaction, creating an electronic receipt, logging patches, logging error events, and viewer logging. The invention further comprises a method for measuring audience behavior and response to particular events or programs and advertisements; and a method for adaptive delivery of advertisements to a client. Advertisements are scheduled according to an agreement and manifested into campaign rules and desired run times. A profile of a viewer that resides on the client device is used as the criteria for selection of a particular advertisement from a broadcast and for polling of audience viewing habits. The present invention further monitors the integrity and connectivity of the interactive television network and service providers.

Claims

2-1. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the advertisement based on requested impressions.

20. A method for managing services in an interactive television system comprising:

determining entitlement to perform a transaction on an interactive television system for at least one of a client device, a service provider, a client device user and a service provider application; and

providing permission to perform the transaction based on the entitlement.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transmitting a message having an intended recipient and containing a keyword, to a server between the client device and the service provider;

performing an operation at the server on at least one of the message and a data repository based on the keyword; and

forwarding the message from the server to the intended recipient.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

logging transaction data for the message; and

generating at least one of a patch bill or an e-receipt bill.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

setting at least one of data access level, patching level, logging level, synchronous message condition and asynchronous message condition for the service provider within the interactive television system.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

setting the at least one of data access level, patching level, logging level, synchronous message condition and asynchronous message condition for the service provider in an individual message.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

receiving a message from a client to a service provider in a server component, the message further comprising a persistent viewer identifier;

replacing the persistent viewer identifier with a transient session identifier; and

forwarding the message to the service provider.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

generating the session identifier based on a persistent viewer identifier; and

hiding the persistent viewer identifier from the service provider.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

generating the session identifier based on the client device identifier and the client device user nick name

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

the client device identifier is inserted by the client device into a message before the message is sent to the service provider

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving the message at the server from the client device;

determining synchronous and asynchronous service provider message characteristics for the message from the client device to the service provider; and

if the service provider message requirement allows asynchronous messages, sending a response to the client device from the server and storing the message in a queue at the server for transmission to the service provider at a later time, else if the service provider message requirement requires synchronous messaging, sending the client device message to a parser for immediate processing and transmission to the service provider.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

storing a message in the client device for transmission to the service provider at a different time.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

storing a table of permitted keywords and business agent objects which handle the permitted keywords.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

determining a business agent for keyword; and

passing the keyword to the business agent.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

registering the business agent objects with the server comprising name, program identifier and permitted keywords.

34. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

storing for each application provided by the service provider a list of permitted keywords allowed.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

loading the list of permitted keywords for an application when a message is received from that application.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

scanning the message for a keyword;

passing the permitted keyword to a business agent; and

rejecting at least one of the keyword and the message, if the keyword is not in the list of permitted keywords.

37. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

accessing a table of characteristics for at least one of viewer information transaction information, configuration parameters, network information, service provider information, service provider application information and device information.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

storing a portion of the information in the client device.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

sending a portion of the information from the client device to the server in a message; and

combining the portion of information received at the server with the information in the table at the server and forwarding the combined information to the intended recipient.

40. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

allowing a client device user to record personal information on the data repository.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

sharing personal information on the data repository with other users in at least one of a permitted user group, the same household and the same client device.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

performing an operation on the message based on the shared information from the data repository.

43. The method claim 20, further comprising:

monitoring connectivity of a component connected to the interactive television system; and

monitoring the integrity of data provided by a service in the interactive television system.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

monitoring the timeliness of a data provided to the interactive television system.

45. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

operating over different tier levels.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the method does not require a central database.

47. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

monitoring a connection for at least one of a service provider, broadcast equipment and broadcast stream tier.

48. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

generating an alert upon at least one of a hardware failure, a data service failure, a back channel failure, a scheduled update failure, and a scheduled MUX update failure.

49. The method of claim 43 further comprising:

generating a detailed map of at least one of the monitored component and the monitored service.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

generating at least one of a summary view, a top view and a log view.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

monitoring at least one of application server, broadcast head end and service provider.

52. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

displaying at least one of service, type of service, number of polls, percent responded, percent missed, down-time, period, number of alerts, average delay, maximum delay and minimum delay.

53. The method of claim 43, further comprising;

monitoring the status of an external server by sending a test to the external server; and

generating an alert if there is no response from the external server to the test.

54. A computer readable medium containing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to:

select an advertisement at a server for delivery to a target, said target comprising at least one client device;

send the selected advertisement to the client device; and

decide in a business filter at the client device, whether to store the selected advertisement on the client device.

55. The medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

access a campaign rule for selecting an advertisement for delivery sending the advertisement to the target;

measure the client device user response to the advertisement;

build a new campaign rule based on the client device user response;

select an advertisement based on the new campaign rule; and

send the advertisement based on the new campaign rule to the target.

56. The medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

select the advertisement based on requested impressions.

57. The medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

select the advertisement based on the number of client device users watching.

58. The medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

select the advertisement based on a specified time frame.

59. The medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

access a delivery plan to obtain a list of advertisements to send next.

60. The medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

select the advertisement based on at least one of advertisement priority, weight, minimum display time, back fill Boolean, intra-spot-session frequency cap, intra-application frequency cap, industry exclusion, overall frequency cap, minimum rotation interval, advertisement type and target type.

61. The medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

determine the target based on user profile, type of service and context.

62. The medium of claim 55, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

generate the campaign rule based on associating a specified advertisement with a specified service.

63. The medium of claim 55, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

generate a report based on the user response.

64. The medium of claim 55, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

build a product catalog for presentation to the target based on the user response.

65. The medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

sending a business filter to at least one client device.

66. The medium of claim 55, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

measuring the user response in a client device gadget.

67. The medium of claim 55, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

process at the server, the user response to generate at least one of a new campaign rule, a new campaign and a new product catalog.

68. The medium of claim 55, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

measure click through rate, purchase rate and impressions.

69. The medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

send the advertisement to a client device gadget for rendering.

70. The medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

simulate a target attempt to determine if an advertising campaign can be fulfilled before sending the advertisement.

71. The medium of claim 54, the advertisement further comprising at least one of a video, imagery and audio data.

72. The medium of claim 54, the advertisement further comprising at least one of an entertainment program and an interactive game.

73. The medium of claim 54, the advertisement further comprising audio data.

74. A computer readable medium containing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to:

determine entitlement to perform a transaction on an interactive television system for at least one of a client device, a service provider, a client device user and a service provider application; and

provide permission to perform the transaction based on the entitlement.

75. The medium of claim 74, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

transmit a message having an intended recipient and containing a keyword, to a server between the client device and the service provider;

perform an operation at the server on at least one of the message and a data repository based on the keyword; and

forward the message from the server to the intended recipient.

76. The medium of claim 75, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

log transaction data for the message; and

generate at least one of a patch bill or an e-receipt bill.

77. The medium of claim 74, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

;

set at least one of data access level, patching level, logging level, synchronous message condition and asynchronous message condition for the service provider within the interactive television system.

78. The medium of claim 77, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

set the at least one of data access level, patching level, logging level, synchronous message condition and asynchronous message condition for the service provider in an individual message.

79. The medium of claim 74, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

receive a message from a client to a service provider in a server component, the message further comprising a persistent viewer identifier;

replace the persistent viewer identifier with a transient session identifier; and

forward the message to the service provider.

80. The method of claim 79 further comprising:

generating the session identifier based on a persistent viewer identifier; and

hiding the persistent viewer identifier from the service provider.

81. The medium of claim 80, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

generate the session identifier based on the client device identifier and the client device user nick name

82. The medium of claim 81, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

insert the client device identifier is by the client device into a message before the message is sent to the service provider.

83. The medium of claim 74, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

receive the message at the server from the client device;

determine synchronous and asynchronous service provider message characteristics for the message from the client device to the service provider; and

if the service provider message requirement allows asynchronous messages, send a response to the client device from the server and store the message in a queue at the server for transmission to the service provider at a later time, else if the service provider message requirement requires synchronous messaging, send the client device message to a parser for immediate processing and transmission to the service provider.

84. The medium of claim 75, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

store a message in the client device for transmission to the service provider at a different time.

85. The medium of claim 75, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

store a table of permitted keywords and business agent objects which handle the permitted keywords.

86. The medium of claim 85, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

determine a business agent for keyword; and

pass the keyword to the business agent.

87. The medium of claim 85, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

register the business agent objects with the server comprising name, program identifier and permitted keywords.

88. The medium of claim 74, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

store for each application provided by the service provider a list of permitted keywords allowed.

89. The medium of claim 88, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

load the list of permitted keywords for an application when a message is received from that application.

90. The medium of claim 89, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

scan the message for a keyword;

pass the permitted keyword to a business agent; and

reject at least one of the keyword and the message, if the keyword is not in the list of permitted keywords.

91. The medium of claim 74, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

access a table of characteristics for at least one of viewer information transaction information, configuration parameters, network information, service provider information, service provider application information and device information.

92. The medium of claim 91, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

store a portion of the information in the client device.

93. The medium of claim 92, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

send a portion of the information from the client device to the server in a message; and

combine the portion of information received at the server with the information in the table at the server and forwarding the combined information to the intended recipient.

94. The medium of claim 74, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

allow a client device user to record personal information on the data repository.

95. The medium of claim 94, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

share personal information on the data repository with other users in at least one of a permitted user group, the same household and the same client device.

96. The medium of claim 95, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

perform an operation on the message based on the shared information from the data repository.

97. The medium of claim 74, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

monitor connectivity of a component connected to the interactive television system; and

monitor the integrity of data provided by a service in the interactive television system.

98. The medium of claim 97, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

monitor the timeliness of a data provided to the interactive television system.

99. The medium of claim 97, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

operating over different tier levels.

100. The medium of claim 99, wherein the method does not require a central database.

101. The medium of claim 97, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

monitor a connection for at least one of a service provider, broadcast equipment and broadcast stream tier.

102. The medium of claim 97, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

generate an alert upon at least one of a hardware failure, a data service failure, a back channel failure, a scheduled update failure, and a scheduled MUX update failure.

103. The medium of claim 97, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

generate a detailed map of at least one of the monitored component and the monitored service.

104. The medium of claim 103, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

generate at least one of a summary view, a top view and a log view.

105. The medium of claim 104, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

monitor at least one of application server, broadcast head end and service provider.

106. The medium of claim 97, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

displaying at least one of service, type of service, number of polls, percent responded, percent missed, down-time, period, number of alerts, average delay, maximum delay and minimum delay.

107. The medium of claim 97, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

monitor the status of an external server by sending a test to the external server; and

generate an alert if there is no response from the external server to the test.