Notification System and Method for Multiple Media Queues
First Claim
Patent Images
1. a method of notifying a subscriber to a content provider of activity in different subscriber rental queues associated with the subscriber'"'"'s account, including the steps of:
- a. defining a first set of notification rules for a first subscriber rental queue, which notification rules are authorized by the subscriber;
wherein said first subscriber rental queue is associated with a first subscriber media player which receives first media titles transmitted over a broadband connection, and said first subscriber rental queue is subject to a first maximum number of media titles that can be viewed at any moment in time;
b. defining a second set of notification rules for a second subscriber rental queue, which notification rules are authorized by the subscriber;
wherein said second subscriber rental queue is associated with a second subscriber media player which plays second media titles received as physical media, and said second subscriber rental queue is subject to a second maximum number of media titles that can be viewed at any moment in time;
c. monitoring the first and/or second subscriber rental queues in accordance with said set of first and second notification rules and a separate set of queue replenishment control rules authorized by the subscriber to determine if a composition and/or ordering of playable media titles in the first and/or subscriber rental queues should be altered;
d. sending a notification to the subscriber in response to an affirmative determination under step (c) that such notification is necessary based on said set of notification rules.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A notification system method is disclosed for alerting subscribers to a status of their rental queues, which may be associated with two different delivery channels, including a physical delivery channel and a broadband delivery channel. The system includes a number of components that interoperate to improve a subscriber'"'"'s experience, including an intelligent queue monitor which works on his/her behalf to ensure that an adequate and interesting list of titles are brought to the attention of subscribers.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. a method of notifying a subscriber to a content provider of activity in different subscriber rental queues associated with the subscriber'"'"'s account, including the steps of:
-
a. defining a first set of notification rules for a first subscriber rental queue, which notification rules are authorized by the subscriber; wherein said first subscriber rental queue is associated with a first subscriber media player which receives first media titles transmitted over a broadband connection, and said first subscriber rental queue is subject to a first maximum number of media titles that can be viewed at any moment in time; b. defining a second set of notification rules for a second subscriber rental queue, which notification rules are authorized by the subscriber; wherein said second subscriber rental queue is associated with a second subscriber media player which plays second media titles received as physical media, and said second subscriber rental queue is subject to a second maximum number of media titles that can be viewed at any moment in time; c. monitoring the first and/or second subscriber rental queues in accordance with said set of first and second notification rules and a separate set of queue replenishment control rules authorized by the subscriber to determine if a composition and/or ordering of playable media titles in the first and/or subscriber rental queues should be altered; d. sending a notification to the subscriber in response to an affirmative determination under step (c) that such notification is necessary based on said set of notification rules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of distributing playable media items over an electronic network to a subscriber of a media rental service, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) receiving subscriber preference data for the subscriber during a first data session, including notification and shipment options for a first subscriber rental queue used for first media titles in a physical format, and a second subscriber rental queue used for second media titles received over a broadband connection by the subscriber; (b) generating a subscriber profile for the subscriber suitable for use by a recommender system; (c) processing said subscriber profile using said recommender system to identify a media item that is likely to be of interest to the subscriber; (d) notifying the subscriber and either shipping said media item as a first media title, or transmitting said media title as a second media title to the subscriber in accordance with said subscriber preference data; wherein said media item can be automatically shipped or transmitted to the subscriber after said first data session, and without requiring a second data session by the subscriber with said media rental service.
-
-
20. A rental service system for distributing playable media items to a subscriber using at least two separate subscriber rental queues, the system comprising:
-
(a) a subscriber preference routine for capturing subscriber preference data from the subscriber during a first data session, said subscriber preference data including a set of notification rules for a first subscriber rental queue used for first media titles in a physical format, and a second subscriber rental queue used for second media titles received over a broadband connection; said subscriber preference routine also being adapted to capture two separate sets of queue replenishment control rules, one for each of said first subscriber rental queue and second subscriber rental queues respectively; (b) a subscriber selection routine for storing titles of one or more media items in said first subscriber rental queue and said second subscriber rental queue; (c) a subscriber queue monitoring routine configured for managing said first subscriber rental queue and said second subscriber rental queue in accordance with said queue replenishment control options selected for said first subscriber rental queue and second subscriber rental queues respectively; wherein said subscriber queue monitoring routine can optionally automatically add one or more additional titles to said first subscriber rental queue and second subscriber rental queues respectively and without additional subscriber input; (d) a subscriber notification routine for providing a notice to the subscriber in accordance with said set of notification rules and in response to said subscriber queue monitoring routine determining that one or more additional titles should be added to said first subscriber rental queue and second subscriber rental queues.
-
Specification