Control-based content pricing

• US 20050210498A1
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Scott, Samuel Thomas III, Carle, Kevin T., Chapman, Ann E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,065,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

In an implementation of control-based content pricing, a content server distributes media content to a client device in response to a request from the client device to receive the media content. A valuation application allocates a cost to the client device when the media content is distributed to the client device. The content server receives a view control input from the client device that indicates how the media content is to be rendered and the valuation application adjusts the cost according to the view control input and how the media content is to be rendered.

Claims

1. A control-based content pricing system, comprising:

a content server configured to distribute media content to a client device in response to a request from the client device to receive the media content, the content server further configured to receive a view control input from the client device that indicates how the media content is to be rendered; and

a valuation application configured to allocate a cost to the client device when the media content is distributed, the valuation application further configured to adjust the cost according to the view control input and how the media content is to be rendered.

2. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to receive the view control input as a command to reduce a resolution of the media content being rendered, and wherein the valuation application is further configured to decrease the cost according to a decrease in bandwidth to distribute a reduced resolution media content to the client device.

3. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to distribute an advertisement with the media content, and wherein the valuation application is further configured to adjust the cost based on whether the advertisement is rendered for viewing.

4. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to distribute an advertisement with the media content, and wherein the valuation application is further configured to increase the cost in an event that the view control input is a command to advance past the advertisement such that the advertisement is not rendered for viewing.

5. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to distribute an advertisement with the media content, and wherein the valuation application is further configured to decrease the cost if the view control input is a command to render the advertisement for viewing.

6. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to distribute an advertisement with the media content and receive the view control input as a command to render both the advertisement and the media content for viewing, and wherein the valuation application is further configured to decrease the cost in response to the view control input to render the advertisement for viewing.

7. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to distribute the media content as a first media stream and, in response to the view control input, distribute the media content as a second media stream to render the media content according the view control input, and wherein the valuation application is further configured to adjust the cost based on the second media stream.

8. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to receive the view control input as a command to end distribution of the media content to the client device, and wherein the valuation application is further configured to decrease the cost in response to a distribution end of the media content.

9. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to receive the view control input as a command to replay a portion of the media content being rendered, and wherein the valuation application is further configured to increase the cost in response to the replay command.

10. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to receive the view control input as a command to advance the media content being rendered, and wherein the valuation application is further configured to increase the cost in response to the advance command.

11. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to:

distribute the media content as a first media stream;

receive the view control input as a command to replay a portion of the media content being rendered;

distribute the media content as a second media stream to render the media content according the view control input; and

wherein the valuation application is further configured to increase the cost based on the second media stream.

12. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to:

distribute the media content as a first media stream;

receive the view control input as a command to advance the media content being rendered;

distribute the media content as a second media stream to render the media content according the view control input; and

wherein the valuation application is further configured to increase the cost based on the second media stream.

13. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to distribute an advertisement with the media content, and log whether the advertisement is rendered for viewing based on the view control input.

14. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to distribute an advertisement with the media content, and log whether the advertisement is rendered for viewing based on a duration that corresponds to rendering both the advertisement and the media content.

15. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to:

distribute an advertisement with the media content;

receive the view control input as a command to render the advertisement for viewing; and

log that the advertisement was rendered for viewing.

16. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the content server is further configured to:

distribute the media content as a first media stream;

receive the view control input as a command to pause distribution of the media content to the client device;

receive a second view control input from a second client device to resume distribution of the media content from a point at which the media content was paused;

distribute the media content as a second media stream to the second client device; and

wherein the valuation application is further configured to increase the cost based on the second media stream.

17. A digital video content server configured to distribute video content and an advertisement to a client device, and further configured to allocate a cost to the client device for the distribution of the video content and based on whether the advertisement is rendered for viewing.

18. A digital video content server as recited in claim 17, further configured to increase the cost in response to a content navigation input received from the client device to advance past the advertisement such that the advertisement is not rendered for viewing.

19. A digital video content server as recited in claim 17, further configured to decrease the cost in response to a content navigation input received from the client device to render the advertisement for viewing.

20. A digital video content server as recited in claim 17, further configured to decrease the cost in response to a content navigation input received from the client device to render both the advertisement and the video content for viewing.

21. A control-based content pricing system, comprising:

a client device configured to;

request media content from a content server;

receive the media content from the content server;

initiate rendering the media content;

receive a view control input that indicates how the media content is to be rendered; and

a communication control channel configured to communicate the view control input from the client device to the content server, the view control input providing a basis to adjust a cost allocated to the client device for the media content.

22. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 21, wherein the client device is further configured to receive the view control input as a command to reduce a resolution of the media content being rendered, and wherein the view control input is communicated to the content server to provide a basis to decrease the cost according to a decrease in bandwidth to distribute a reduced resolution media content to the client device.

23. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 21, wherein the client device is further configured to receive an advertisement with the media content, and wherein the cost allocated to the client device is adjusted based on whether the advertisement is rendered for viewing.

24. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 21, wherein the client device is further configured to receive an advertisement with the media content, and wherein the cost allocated to the client device is adjusted to zero if the advertisement is rendered for viewing.

25. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 21, wherein the client device is further configured to receive an advertisement with the media content, and wherein the cost allocated to the client device is increased if the view control input is a command to advance past the advertisement such that the advertisement is not rendered for viewing.

26. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 21, wherein the client device is further configured to receive an advertisement with the media content, and wherein the cost allocated to the client device is decreased if the view control input is a command to render the advertisement for viewing.

27. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 21, wherein the client device is further configured to receive the view control input as a command to replay a portion of the media content being rendered, and wherein the cost allocated to the client device is increased in response to the replay command.

28. A control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 21, wherein the client device is further configured to receive the view control input as a command to advance the media content being rendered, and wherein the cost allocated to the client device is increased in response to the advance command.

29. A television-based system comprising the control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 21, wherein the client device is a television-based receiver configured to receive the media content as digital video.

30. A computing system comprising the control-based content pricing system as recited in claim 21, wherein the client device is a television-enabled computing device configured to receive the media content as digital video.

31. A method, comprising:

receiving a request from a client device to receive media content;

distributing the media content to the client device in response to receiving the request;

receiving a view control input from the client device that indicates how the media content is to be rendered;

allocating a cost to the client device when distributing the media content to the client device; and

adjusting the cost according to the view control input and how the media content is rendered.

32. A method as recited in claim 31, further comprising distributing a reduced resolution media content to the client device in response to receiving the view control input as a command to reduce a resolution of the media content being rendered, and wherein adjusting the cost includes decreasing the cost according to a decrease in bandwidth to distribute a reduced resolution media content to the client device.

33. A method as recited in claim 31, further comprising distributing an advertisement with the media content, and wherein adjusting the cost includes adjusting the cost based on whether the advertisement is rendered for viewing.

34. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein receiving the view control input includes receiving a content navigation input to advance past the advertisement, and adjusting the cost includes increasing the cost based on the advertisement not being rendered for viewing.

35. A method as recited in claim 31, further comprising distributing an advertisement with the media content, and wherein adjusting the cost includes decreasing the cost based on the advertisement being rendered for viewing.

36. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein receiving the view control input includes receiving a command to end distribution of the media content to the client device, and wherein adjusting the cost includes decreasing the cost in response to the distribution end of the media content.

37. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein receiving the view control input includes receiving a command to advance the media content, and wherein adjusting the cost includes increasing the cost in response to the command to advance the media content.

38. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein:

distributing the media content includes distributing a first media stream to the client device;

receiving the view control input includes receiving a command to advance the media content;

adjusting the cost includes increasing the cost in response to the command to advance the media content; and

the method further comprising distributing a second media stream to the client device to render the media content based on the view control input.

39. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein receiving the view control input includes receiving a command to replay a portion of the media content being rendered, and wherein adjusting the cost includes increasing the cost in response to the command to replay the portion of the media content.

40. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein:

distributing the media content includes distributing a first media stream to the client device;

receiving the view control input includes receiving a command to replay a portion of the media content being rendered;

adjusting the cost includes increasing the cost in response to the command to replay the portion of the media content; and

the method further comprising distributing a second media stream to the client device to render the media content based on the view control input.

41. A method as recited in claim 31, further comprising distributing an advertisement with the media content, and logging whether the advertisement is rendered for viewing based on the view control input.

42. A method as recited in claim 31, further comprising distributing an advertisement with the media content, and logging whether the advertisement is rendered for viewing based on a duration that includes rendering both the advertisement and the media content.

43. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein:

distributing the media content includes distributing a first media stream to the client device;

receiving the view control input includes receiving a command to pause distribution of the media content to the client device;

adjusting the cost includes increasing the cost in response to the command to pause the media content;

the method further comprising;

receiving a second view control input from a second client device to resume distribution of the media content from a point at which the media content was paused; and

distributing the media content as a second media stream to the second client device.

44. A method, comprising:

requesting media content from a content server;

receiving the media content from the content server;

initiating rendering the media content;

receiving a view control input that indicates how the media content is to be rendered; and

communicating the view control input to the content server to provide a basis to adjust an allocated cost for receiving the media content.

45. A method as recited in claim 44, further comprising receiving an advertisement with the media content, and wherein the cost allocated to the client device is adjusted based on whether the advertisement is rendered for viewing.

46. A method as recited in claim 44, further comprising receiving an advertisement with the media content, and wherein:

receiving the view control input includes receiving a command to advance past the advertisement such that the advertisement is not rendered for viewing; and

communicating the view control input includes communicating the command to advance past the advertisement to provide a basis to increase the allocated cost.

47. A method as recited in claim 44, further comprising receiving an advertisement with the media content, and wherein:

receiving the view control input includes receiving a command to render the advertisement for viewing; and

communicating the view control input includes communicating the command to render the advertisement to provide a basis to decrease the allocated cost.

48. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein receiving the view control input includes receiving a command to replay a portion of the media content being rendered, and wherein communicating the view control input includes communicating the replay command to provide a basis to increase the allocated cost.

49. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein receiving the view control input includes receiving a command to advance the media content being rendered, and communicating the view control input includes communicating the advance command to provide a basis to increase the allocated cost.

50. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a media content server to:

distribute media content to a client device in response to a request from the client device to receive the media content;

receive a view control input from the client device that indicates how the media content is to be rendered;

allocate a cost to the client device when the media content is distributed to the client device; and

adjust the cost according to the view control input and how the media content is rendered.

51. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 50, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the media content server to distribute an advertisement with the media content, and adjust the cost based on whether the advertisement is rendered for viewing.

52. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 50, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the media content server to increase the cost in response to a view control input to advance the media content.

53. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 50, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the media content server to increase the cost in response to a view control input to replay a portion of the media content.

54. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a television-based receiver to:

receive media content requested from a content server;

initiate rendering the media content;

receive a view control input that indicates how the media content is to be rendered; and

communicate the view control input to the content server to provide a basis to adjust an allocated cost for receiving the media content.

55. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 54, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the television-based receiver to:

receive an advertisement with the media content;

receive the view control input to advance past the advertisement such that the advertisement is not rendered for viewing; and

communicate the view control input to the content server to provide a basis to increase the allocated cost.

56. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 54, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the television-based receiver to:

receive an advertisement with the media content;

receive the view control input to render the advertisement for viewing; and

communicate the view control input to the content server to provide a basis to decrease the allocated cost.