SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATION BASED MEDIA DELIVERY

• US 20090328087A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Spiegelman, Michael, Kalaboukis, Chris, Martinez, Ronald, Davis, Marc, Higgins, Christopher W., Paretti, Christopher T., Ghezzi, Nicola Stefano
• Granted Patent: US 8,813,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

A system and method for selecting and presenting media on a network to tune an environment to the tastes of the users within that environment, thus improving the experience of that location. A physical location of a media presentation device is received over a network. The physical location of a plurality of end users are identified via the network, wherein each of plurality of users associated are with a plurality of media files stored on the network. A least one of the end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device are identified. At least one media file associated with the end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device are identified and transmitted over the network to the media presentation device.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving the physical location of a media presentation device over a network;

identifying, via the network, the physical location of a plurality of end users, wherein each of plurality of users are each associated with a plurality of media files stored on the network;

identifying, via the network, at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device;

selecting, via the network, at least one media file associated with the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device; and

transmitting, over the network, the at least one media file over the network to the media presentation device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein,

the defined proximity to the media presentation device comprises at least one criteria selected from the list:

spatial proximity, temporal proximity, social proximity, and topical proximity.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein,

each of the plurality of end users is associated with user data stored on the network, and wherein

at least some of the user data relate to the defined proximity and is used to select the at least one media file.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional steps of:

detecting, via the network, a change to the physical location of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device.

altering the properties of transmission of the at least one media file over the network.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the volume of the presentation of an audio component of the at least one media file.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the brightness of the presentation of a visual component of the at least one media file.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to stop the presentation of the at least one media file.

8. The method of claim 3 comprising the additional steps of:

detecting, via the network, a change to the user data of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device, wherein the change relates to the defined proximity; and

altering the properties of transmission of the at least one media file over the network.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the volume of the presentation of an audio component of the at least one media file.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the brightness of the presentation of a visual component of the at least one media file.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to stop the presentation of the at least one media file.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one media file comprises a plurality of media files that are assembled into an ordered playlist, and wherein the plurality of media files are transmitted to the media presentation device in the order specified by the playlist.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein playlist order is determined by the at least some of the user data that relates to the defined proximity.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising the additional steps of:

detecting, via the network, a change to the user data of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device, wherein the change relates to the defined proximity; and

altering the order of the playlist.

28. The method of claim 13 comprising the additional steps of:

the proximity correlation module detects, via the network, a change to the user data of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device, wherein the change relates to the defined proximity; and

the playlist generation module alters the properties of transmission of the at least one media file over the network in response to changes to the user data of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device.

15. A system comprising:

a location tracking module that tracks, via a network, the spatial location of a plurality of entities, wherein at least one of the plurality of entities is associated with a media presentation device;

a proximity correlation module that determines if any of the plurality of entities are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device;

a playlist generation module that generates playlists containing at least one media file stored on the network, wherein the at least one media file is associated with entities which are within the defined proximity to the media presentation device; and

a media delivery module that delivers media contained in the at least one playlist to the media presentation device.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein,

the defined proximity to the media presentation device comprises at least one criteria selected from the list:

spatial proximity, temporal proximity, social proximity, and topical proximity.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein,

each of the plurality of end users is associated with user data stored on the network, and wherein

at least some of the user data relate to the defined proximity and is used by the proximity correlation module to select the at least one media file.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein

the location tracking module detects, via the network, changes to the physical location of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device.

the media delivery module alters the properties of transmission of the at least one media file over the network in response to changes to the physical location of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the volume of the presentation of an audio component of the at least one media file.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the brightness of the presentation of a visual component of the at least one media file.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to stop the presentation of the at least one media file.

22. The system of claim 18 comprising the additional steps of:

the proximity correlation module detects, via the network, a change to the user data of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device, wherein the change relates to the defined proximity; and

the media delivery module alters the properties of transmission of the at least one media file over the network in response to changes to the user data of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the volume of the presentation of an audio component of the at least one media file.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the brightness of the presentation of a visual component of the at least one media file.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to stop the presentation of the at least one media file.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the playlists generated by playlist generation module are ordered.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein playlist order is determined by the at least some of the user data that relates to the defined proximity.

29. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for a method comprising the steps of:

receiving the physical location of a media presentation device over a network;

identifying, via the network, the physical location of a plurality of end users, wherein each of plurality of users are each associated with a plurality of media files stored on the network;

identifying, via the network, at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device;

selecting, via the network, at least one media file associated with the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device; and

transmitting, over the network, the at least one media file over the network to the media presentation device.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein,

the defined proximity to the media presentation device comprises at least one criteria selected from the list:

spatial proximity, temporal proximity, social proximity, and topical proximity.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein,

each of the plurality of end users is associated with user data stored on the network, and wherein

at least some of the user data relate to the defined proximity and is used to select the at least one media file.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein,

detecting, via the network, a change to the physical location of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device.

altering the properties of transmission of the at least one media file over the network.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the volume of the presentation of an audio component of the at least one media file.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the brightness of the presentation of a visual component of the at least one media file.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to stop the presentation of the at least one media file.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 comprising the additional steps of:

detecting, via the network, a change to the user data of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device, wherein the change relates to the defined proximity; and

altering the properties of transmission of the at least one media file over the network.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the volume of the presentation of an audio component of the at least one media file.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 36 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to increase or decrease the brightness of the presentation of a visual component of the at least one media file.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 36 wherein the alteration of the properties of transmission of the at least one media file instructs the media presentation device to stop the presentation of the at least one media file.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the at least one media file comprises a plurality of media files that are assembled into an ordered playlist, and wherein the plurality of media files are transmitted to the media presentation device in the order specified by the playlist.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 wherein playlist order is determined by the at least some of the user data that relates to the defined proximity.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 41 comprising the additional steps of:

detecting, via the network, a change to the user data of the at least one of the plurality of end users that are within a defined proximity to the media presentation device, wherein the change relates to the defined proximity; and

altering the order of the playlist.