Method of collecting data using an embedded media player page

• US 20040051812A1
• Filed: 04/24/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo AD Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hayward, Monte Duane
• Granted Patent: US 7,849,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/460
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4433 Implementing client middleware, e.g. Multimedia Home Platform [MHP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• 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 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A method of collecting data in connection with the retrieval of a media file includes the steps of transmitting to a media device (110) an embedded media player page for playing the media file and transmitting a media file identification message to a log server (104). The media file identification message identifies the media file. The log server (104) records that the media file has been selected for play back by a user in a log associated with the media file.

Claims

1. A method of collecting data in connection with the retrieval of a media file, comprising the steps of:

transmitting to a media device an embedded media player page for playing said media file; and

transmitting a media file identification message to a log server, said media file identification message identifying said media file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said media file has been selected for playback by a user in a log associated with said media file.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of identifying from said log associated with said media file a total number of times that said media file has been selected for play back.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said log server maintains a plurality of logs, each of said logs being associated with a respective media file from a plurality of media files, the method further comprising the steps of:

identifying from said logs a total number of times each of said plurality of media files has been selected for play back by users, respectively; and

ranking said media files based at least in part on said total number of times each of said plurality of media files has been selected for playback.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein said embedded media player page instructs said media device to transmit said media file identification message to said log server approximately when said media file begins playing in said embedded media player page,

wherein said embedded media player page instructs said media device to transmit a subsequent message to said log server at predetermined time intervals if said embedded media player page is open at said predetermined time intervals, and

wherein said log server records time stamp data for said media file identification message and each subsequent message in said log associated with said media file.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of comparing a playing time length of said media file with said time stamp data to identify whether said media file was played to completion in said embedded media player page.

7. The method of claim 5,

wherein said embedded media player page instructs said media device to request an advertisement from an advertisement server at predetermined time intervals while said embedded media player page is open,

wherein each advertisement received from said advertisement server is displayed in said embedded media player page.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said embedded media player instructs said media device to request said advertisement with a script file associated with said embedded media player page and executed by said media device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said embedded media player page instructs said media device to transmit said subsequent message at said predetermined time intervals that said advertisement is requested.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein said subsequent message transmitted to said log server includes a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request for an invisible pixel graphics file.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said invisible pixel graphics file is a 1 pixel graphical interchange format file.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein said media file identification message includes an Internet protocol (IP) address associated with said user and a unique identifier for said media file,

wherein said media file identification message and said subsequent message each includes time stamp data.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of prompting a user to select said media file from a list of a plurality of media files displayed to said user by said media device,

wherein said list is displayed to said user in response to a search of a database, said database including an indexing of a plurality of media files.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said log server maintains a plurality of logs, each of said logs being associated with a respective media file from said indexing of a plurality of media files.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein said embedded media player page instructs said media device to transmit said media file identification message to said log server approximately when said media file begins playing in said embedded media player page,

wherein said embedded media player page instructs said media device to transmit a subsequent message to said log server at predetermined time intervals if said embedded media player page is open at said predetermined time intervals, and

wherein said log server records time stamp data for said media file identification message and each subsequent message in said log associated with said media file.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising a step of comparing a playing time length of said media file with said time stamp data to identify whether said media file was played to completion in said embedded media player page.

17. The method of claim 15,

wherein said embedded media player page instructs said media device to request an advertisement from an advertisement server at predetermined time intervals while said embedded media player page is open,

wherein each advertisement received from said advertisement server is displayed in said embedded media player page.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said embedded media player page instructs said media device to transmit said subsequent message at said predetermined time intervals that said advertisement is requested.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein each subsequent message transmitted to said log server includes a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request for an invisible pixel graphics file,

said HTTP request including time stamp data for said request, an internet protocol (IP) address associated with said user, a unique identifier for said media file, a search query used to search said database, a ranking for said media file in said list displayed to said user, or a combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said log server records said time stamp data for said request, said Internet protocol (IP) address associated with said user, said identifier for the media file, said search query used to search said database, said ranking for said media file in said list displayed to said user, or a combination thereof, in said log associated with said media file.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said list is transmitted to said media device from a host that transmits said embedded media player page to said media device, said HTTP request further including an IP address of said host.

22. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program code for directing a processor to collect data in connection with the retrieval of a media file, comprising:

a first code segment for instructing a media device (110) to play said media file in an embedded media player page; and

a second code segment for instructing said media device (110) to transmit a media file identification message to a log server, said media file identification message identifying said media file,

wherein said log server (104) records that said media file has been selected for play back by a user in a log associated with said media file.

23. The medium of claim 22, wherein said log server (104) maintains a plurality of logs, each of said logs being associated with a respective media file from a plurality of media files.

24. The medium of claim 22, further comprising:

a third code segment for instructing said media device (110) to transmit said media file identification message to said log server (104) approximately when said media file begins playing in said embedded media player page; and

a fourth code segment for instructing said media device (110) to transmit a subsequent message to said log server (104) at predetermined time intervals if said embedded media player page is open at said predetermined time intervals,

wherein said log server (104) records time stamp data for said media identification message and said subsequent message in said log associated with said media file.

25. The medium of claim 24, further comprising a fifth code segment for instructing said media device (110) to transmit time stamp data to said log server 104 for said media file identification and each subsequent messages transmitted to said log server.

26. The medium of claim 25, further comprising:

a fifth code segment for instructing said media device (110) to request an advertisement from an advertisement server at predetermined time intervals while said embedded media player page is open;

a sixth code segment for displaying each advertisement received from said advertisement server in said embedded media player page; and

a seventh code segment for instructing said media device (110) to transmit said subsequent message at said predetermined time intervals that said advertisement is requested.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said subsequent message transmitted to said log server (104) includes a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request for an invisible pixel graphics file.

28. A data signal embodied in a carrier wave encoded with computer program code for directing a processor to collect data in connection with the retrieval of a media file, comprising:

a first code segment for instructing said media device (110) to play said media file in an embedded media player page; and

a second code segment for instructing said media device (110) to transmit a media file identification message to a log server, said media file identification message identifying said media file,

wherein said log server (104) records that said media file has been selected for play back by a user in a log associated with said media file.

29. The data signal of claim 28, wherein said log server (104) maintains a plurality of logs, each of said logs being associated with a respective media file from a plurality of media files.

30. The data signal of claim 28, further comprising:

a third code segment for instructing said media device (110) to transmit said media file identification message to said log server (104) approximately when said media file begins playing in said embedded media player page; and

a fourth code segment for instructing said media device (110) to transmit a subsequent message to said log server (104) at predetermined time intervals if said embedded media player page is open at said predetermined time intervals,

wherein said log server (104) records time stamp data for said media file identification message and said subsequent message in said log associated with said media file.

31. The data signal of claim 30, further comprising a fifth code segment for instructing said media device (110) to transmit time stamp data to said log server 104 for said media file identification and each subsequent message transmitted to said log server.

32. The data signal of claim 30, further comprising:

a fifth code segment for instructing said media device (110) to request an advertisement from an server at predetermined time intervals while said embedded media player page is open;

a sixth code segment for displaying each advertisement received from said advertisement server in said embedded media player page; and

a seventh code segment for instructing said media device (110) to transmit said subsequent message at said predetermined time intervals that said advertisement is requested.

33. The data signal of claim 30, wherein said subsequent message transmitted to said log server (104) includes a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request for an invisible pixel graphics file.