Method and Apparatus to Provide Supplemental Media Content

• US 20100125884A1
• Filed: 11/18/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Howcroft, Jerald
• Granted Patent: US 8,584,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/93
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Method and apparatus to provide supplemental media content are presented. In a particular embodiment, a method of providing supplemental content in a Video-On-Demand (VOD) system is provided. The method includes receiving a selection of a first supplemental content title selected from a plurality of supplemental content titles provided by a selectable menu, where each of the plurality of supplemental content titles is associated with a particular VOD offering. The selectable menu provided is to be displayed upon detection of discontinued transmission of the particular VOD offering. The method also includes providing first supplemental content associated with the first supplemental content title. The first supplemental content is accessible by a subscriber when the particular VOD offering is not being presented and wherein the first supplemental content is not accessible by the subscriber when the particular VOD offering is being presented.

Claims

1. A method of providing supplemental content in a Video-On-Demand (VOD) system, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of a first supplemental content title selected from a plurality of supplemental content titles provided by a selectable menu, wherein each of the plurality of supplemental content titles is associated with a particular VOD offering, and wherein the selectable menu is provided to be displayed upon detection of discontinued transmission of the particular VOD offering; and

providing first supplemental content associated with the first supplemental content title, wherein the first supplemental content is accessible by a subscriber when the particular VOD offering is not being transmitted and wherein the first supplemental content is not accessible by the subscriber when the particular VOD offering is being transmitted.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the first supplemental content via an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) access network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering a selection of a VOD content title received from the subscriber into a subscriber wish list, wherein the VOD title is associated with a VOD content offering.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering a selection of a VOD content title received from the subscriber into a subscriber favorites list.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the first supplemental content via a cable network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first supplemental content associated with the first supplemental content title includes a selected scene, a deleted scene, an interview, a movie trailer, or an interactive game.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental content is provided without charging an additional fee to the subscriber.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a subset of the plurality of supplemental content titles in a secondary menu, wherein each supplemental content title of the subset is associated with a first movie actor that has been selected by the subscriber.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable menu is provided after the particular VOD offering has been transmitted.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable menu is provided before the particular VOD offering has been transmitted.

12. The STB of claim 10, wherein the first supplemental content is retrieved via a cable network.

13. The STB of claim 10, wherein the first supplemental content is provided without charging an additional fee to the subscriber.

14. The STB of claim 10, wherein the first supplemental content includes an interactive game.

15. The STB of claim 10, wherein the first supplemental content includes an interview with a director of the particular VOD offering.

11. A set-top box (STB) to provide supplemental content in a Video-On-Demand (VOD) system, the STB comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing;

a menu module to provide a selectable menu comprising a plurality of selectable supplemental content titles that are associated with a particular VOD offering, wherein the selectable menu is provided to be displayed upon detection of discontinued transmission of the particular VOD offering;

a selection module to;

receive a subscriber selection of a first supplemental content title selected from the selectable menu; and

retrieve first supplemental content associated with the first supplemental content title, wherein the first supplemental content is accessible by a subscriber when the particular VOD offering is not being presented and wherein the first supplemental content is not accessible by the subscriber when the VOD offering is being presented.

16. A Video Distribution Network server comprising:

a processor to;

receive input indicating a selection of a first supplemental content title associated with a particular Video-on-Demand (VOD) offering, wherein the first supplemental content title is selected from a menu comprising a plurality of selectable supplemental content titles associated with the particular VOD offering, and wherein the selectable menu is provided to be displayed upon detection of discontinued transmission of the particular VOD offering;

retrieve first supplemental content associated with the first supplemental content title; and

provide the first supplemental content via a network, wherein the first supplemental content is accessible by a subscriber when the particular VOD offering is not being presented, and wherein the first supplemental content is not accessible by the subscriber when the particular VOD offering is being presented.

17. The VDN server of claim 16, wherein the first supplemental content includes an alternate ending associated with the particular VOD offering.

18. The VDN server of claim 16, wherein the first supplemental content is made available to the subscriber during a predetermined time period after the particular VOD content has been presented.

19. The VDN server of claim 16, wherein the processor is further to encrypt the first supplemental content.

20. The VDN server of claim 16, wherein the processor is further to provide a license associated with the first supplemental content to the STB.

21. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions that when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a subscriber selection of a first supplemental content title selected from a plurality of supplemental content titles provided by a selectable menu to be displayed upon detection of discontinued transmission of a particular Video-on-Demand (VOD) offering, wherein each of the plurality of supplemental content titles is associated with the particular VOD offering; and

provide first supplemental content associated with the first supplemental content title, wherein the first supplemental content is accessible by a subscriber when the particular VOD offering is not being presented, and wherein the first supplemental content is not accessible by the subscriber when the particular VOD offering is being presented.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first supplemental content includes a recommendation form enabling the subscriber to enter a subscriber recommendation associated with the particular VOD offering.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first supplemental content is provided to a mobile device.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first supplemental content is provided to a personal computer.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first supplemental content includes a parental permission control, and wherein user access to the first supplemental content is controlled at least in part by the parental permission control.