DELIVERY OF SELECTIVE CONTENT TO CLIENT APPLICATIONS BY MOBILE BROADCAST DEVICE WITH CONTENT FILTERING CAPABILITY

• US 20100299702A1
• Filed: 04/27/2010
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Staskauskas, Mark G., Gillies, Donald W., LO, CHARLES N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,621,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

Methods and systems enable application content for use by an application running on a receiver device to be broadcast by a mobile multimedia broadcast network for energy-efficient reception and use by receiver devices. Information about application content that will be broadcast is broadcast in application metadata messages. Receiver devices may receive such application metadata messages in a broadcast receiver client which passes the information to the application. The application may inform the broadcast receiver client of particular application content or filtering attributes to use in selecting application content to be received. The broadcast receiver client receives the indicated application content at the designated broadcast time and passes the received content to the application for processing. In an embodiment the application is a Mobile Billboard Advertising (MobAd) application, the application metadata includes attributes about ad content and the broadcast application content includes ad content.

Claims

1. A method for selectively receiving in a receiver device application content that is transmitted by a broadcast network, comprising:

receiving an application metadata message in a broadcast client operating in the receiver device, the application metadata message including metadata regarding content which will be broadcast at a future time relevant to a higher-layer application;

passing the metadata from the broadcast client to the higher-layer application operating in the receiver device;

receiving content selection criteria or a direct filtering decision in the broadcast client from the higher-layer application; and

selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria or based on the direct filtering decision.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the second application based upon the content selection criteria comprises:

receiving a plurality of application content broadcasts;

caching the plurality of received application content broadcasts as a plurality of application content data sets in memory;

selecting one or more of the plurality of application content data sets based upon the selection criteria; and

passing the selected one or more of the plurality of application content data sets to the second application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application is based upon filtering data provided by the higher-layer application to the broadcast client which overrides other filtering data used by the broadcast client.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application is based upon new selection metadata previously unknown to the broadcast client which causes the broadcast client to behave in a new manner.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast client is an Open Mobile Alliance Broadcasting (BCAST) terminal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the higher-layer application is an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) enabler application.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the OMA enabler application is an OMA Mobile Advertising (MobAd) application.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the OMA enabler application is an OMA Device Management (DM) application.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the received application metadata message is received in an auxiliary data trigger notification message.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving additional application metadata as part of a Service Guide transmission,

wherein application metadata is received from both the Service Guide transmission and the auxiliary data trigger notification message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the received application metadata message is received as part of a Service Guide transmission.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions from the broadcast client to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises selecting application content broadcasts for reception by applying the selection criteria to application content attributes included in a private extension element within a service fragment in the Service Guide transmission.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein application metadata messages within the Service Guide transmission are further identified by a client application attribute value included in a service fragment.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises:

selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria;

energizing receiver circuitry to receive the selected application content;

receiving the selected application content; and

passing the selected content to the higher-layer application.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the content selection criteria is received in an auxiliary data trigger notification message; and

selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria comprises selecting the application content broadcast using the content identifier.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the content selection criteria comprises a filter criterion to be applied to attributes of application content; and

selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria comprises applying the filter criterion to application content attributes included in the content metadata to select an application content broadcast whose attributes satisfy the filter criterion.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the filter criterion is received in the Service Guide.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the filter criterion is received from the higher-layer application.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the content selection criteria comprises a first criterion and a second criterion;

and

selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises;

selecting a plurality of application content broadcasts for reception based upon the first criteria;

energizing receiver circuitry to receive the selected plurality of application content broadcasts;

caching the plurality of received application content broadcasts as a plurality of application content data sets in memory;

selecting one or more of the plurality of application content data sets based upon the second selection criteria; and

passing the selected one or more of the plurality of application content data sets to the second application.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first criterion and a second criterion is received from one or more of the Service Guide, an auxiliary data trigger notification message, and the higher-layer application.

21. A broadcast receiver device, comprising:

a processor;

a broadcast receiver circuit coupled to the processor and configured to receive transmissions from a broadcast network; and

memory coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to host a broadcast client and a higher-layer application operating within the processor and to perform operations comprising;

receiving broadcast transmissions;

receiving in the broadcast client an application metadata message from within the received broadcast transmissions, the application metadata message including metadata regarding content which will be broadcast at a future time relevant to a higher-layer application;

passing the metadata from the broadcast client to the higher-layer application;

receiving content selection criteria or a direct filtering decision in the broadcast client from the higher-layer application; and

selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria or based on the direct filtering decision.

22. The broadcast receiver device of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the second application based upon the content selection criteria comprises:

receiving a plurality of application content broadcasts;

caching the plurality of received application content broadcasts as a plurality of application content data sets in memory;

selecting one or more of the plurality of application content data sets based upon the selection criteria; and

passing the selected one or more of the plurality of application content data sets to the second application.

23. The broadcast receiver device of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application is based upon filtering data provided by the higher-layer application to the broadcast client which overrides other filtering data used by the broadcast client.

24. The broadcast receiver device of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application is based upon new selection metadata previously unknown to the broadcast client which causes the broadcast client to behave in a new manner.

25. The broadcast receiver device of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that the broadcast client is an Open Mobile Alliance Broadcasting (BCAST) terminal.

26. The broadcast receiver device of claim 25, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that the higher-layer application is an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) enabler application.

27. The broadcast receiver device of claim 26, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that the OMA enabler application is an OMA Mobile Advertising (MobAd) application.

28. The broadcast receiver device of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that the OMA enabler application is an OMA Device Management (DM) application.

29. The broadcast receiver device of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that the received application metadata message is received in an auxiliary data trigger notification message.

30. The broadcast receiver device of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising receiving additional application metadata as part of a Service Guide transmission,

wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that application metadata is received from both the Service Guide transmission and the auxiliary data trigger notification message.

31. The broadcast receiver device of claim 30, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that the received application metadata message is received as part of a Service Guide transmission.

32. The broadcast receiver device of claim 31, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions from the broadcast client to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises selecting application content broadcasts for reception by applying the selection criteria to application content attributes included in a private extension element within a service fragment in the Service Guide transmission.

33. The broadcast receiver device of claim 32, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that application metadata messages within the Service Guide transmission are further identified by a client application attribute value included in a service fragment.

34. The broadcast receiver device of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises:

selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria;

energizing receiver circuitry to receive the selected application content;

receiving the selected application content; and

passing the selected content to the higher-layer application.

35. The broadcast receiver device of claim 34, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that:

the content selection criteria is received in an auxiliary data trigger notification message; and

selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria comprises selecting the application content broadcast using the content identifier.

36. The broadcast receiver device of claim 34, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that:

the content selection criteria comprises a filter criterion to be applied to attributes of application content; and

selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria comprises applying the filter criterion to application content attributes included in the content metadata to select an application content broadcast whose attributes satisfy the filter criterion.

37. The broadcast receiver device of claim 36, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that the filter criterion is received in the Service Guide.

38. The broadcast receiver device of claim 36, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that the filter criterion is received from the higher-layer application.

39. The broadcast receiver device of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that:

the content selection criteria comprises a first criterion and a second criterion; and

selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises;

selecting a plurality of application content broadcasts for reception based upon the first criteria;

energizing receiver circuitry to receive the selected plurality of application content broadcasts;

caching the plurality of received application content broadcasts as a plurality of application content data sets in memory;

selecting one or more of the plurality of application content data sets based upon the second selection criteria; and

passing the selected one or more of the plurality of application content data sets to the second application.

40. The broadcast receiver device of claim 39, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that the first criterion and a second criterion is received from one or more of the Service Guide, an auxiliary data trigger notification message, and the higher-layer application.

41. A broadcast receiver device, comprising:

means for operating a broadcast client;

means for operating a higher-layer application;

means for receiving broadcast transmissions;

means for receiving in a broadcast client an application metadata message within the received broadcast transmissions, the application metadata message including metadata regarding content which will be broadcast at a future time relevant to a higher-layer application;

means for passing the metadata from the broadcast client to the higher-layer application;

means for receiving content selection criteria or a direct filtering decision in the broadcast client from the higher-layer application; and

means for selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria or based on the direct filtering decision.

42. The broadcast receiver device of claim 41, wherein means for selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the second application based upon the content selection criteria comprises:

means for receiving a plurality of application content broadcasts;

means for caching the plurality of received application content broadcasts as a plurality of application content data sets in memory;

means for selecting one or more of the plurality of application content data sets based upon the selection criteria; and

means for passing the selected one or more of the plurality of application content data sets to the second application.

43. The broadcast receiver device of claim 41, wherein means for selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application comprises means for selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon filtering data provided by the higher-layer application to the broadcast client which overrides other filtering data used by the broadcast client.

44. The broadcast receiver device of claim 41, wherein means for selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application comprises means for selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon new selection metadata previously unknown to the broadcast client which causes the broadcast client to behave in a new manner.

45. The broadcast receiver device of claim 41, wherein the broadcast client is an Open Mobile Alliance Broadcasting (BCAST) terminal.

46. The broadcast receiver device of claim 45, wherein the higher-layer application is an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) enabler application.

47. The broadcast receiver device of claim 46, wherein the OMA enabler application is an OMA Mobile Advertising (MobAd) application.

48. The broadcast receiver device of claim 47, wherein the OMA enabler application is an OMA Device Management (DM) application.

49. The broadcast receiver device of claim 47, wherein means for receiving the application metadata message comprises means for receiving the application metadata message in an auxiliary data trigger notification message.

50. The broadcast receiver device of claim 47, further comprising means for receiving additional application metadata as part of a Service Guide transmission.

51. The broadcast receiver device of claim 50, wherein means for receiving the application metadata message comprises means for receiving the application metadata message as part of a Service Guide transmission.

52. The broadcast receiver device of claim 51, wherein means for selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions from the broadcast client to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises means for selecting application content broadcasts for reception by applying the selection criteria to application content attributes included in a private extension element within a service fragment in the Service Guide transmission.

53. The broadcast receiver device of claim 52, wherein application metadata messages within the Service Guide transmission are further identified by a client application attribute value included in a service fragment.

54. The broadcast receiver device of claim 41, wherein means for selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises:

means for selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria;

means for energizing receiver circuitry to receive the selected application content;

means for receiving the selected application content; and

means for passing the selected content to the higher-layer application.

55. The broadcast receiver device of claim 54, wherein:

means for receiving the content selection criteria in an auxiliary data trigger notification message; and

means for selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria comprises means for selecting the application content broadcast using the content identifier.

56. The broadcast receiver device of claim 54, wherein:

the content selection criteria comprises a filter criterion to be applied to attributes of application content; and

means for selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria comprises means for applying the filter criterion to application content attributes included in the content metadata to select an application content broadcast whose attributes satisfy the filter criterion.

57. The broadcast receiver device of claim 56, further comprising means for receiving the filter criterion in the Service Guide.

58. The broadcast receiver device of claim 56, further comprising means for receiving the filter criterion from the higher-layer application.

59. The broadcast receiver device of claim 41, wherein:

the content selection criteria comprises a first criterion and a second criterion; and

means for selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises;

means for selecting a plurality of application content broadcasts for reception based upon the first criteria;

means for energizing receiver circuitry to receive the selected plurality of application content broadcasts;

means for caching the plurality of received application content broadcasts as a plurality of application content data sets in memory;

means for selecting one or more of the plurality of application content data sets based upon the second selection criteria; and

means for passing the selected one or more of the plurality of application content data sets to the second application.

60. The broadcast receiver device of claim 59, further comprising means for receiving the first criterion and a second criterion from one or more of the Service Guide, an auxiliary data trigger notification message, and the higher-layer application.

61. A tangible processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor within a broadcast receiver device to perform operations comprising:

receiving an application metadata message in a broadcast client operating in the receiver device, the application metadata message including metadata regarding content which will be broadcast at a future time relevant to a higher-layer application;

passing the metadata from the broadcast client to the higher-layer application operating in the receiver device;

receiving content selection criteria or a direct filtering decision in the broadcast client from the higher-layer application; and

selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria or based on the direct filtering decision.

62. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 61, wherein selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the second application based upon the content selection criteria comprises:

receiving a plurality of application content broadcasts;

caching the plurality of received application content broadcasts as a plurality of application content data sets in memory;

selecting one or more of the plurality of application content data sets based upon the selection criteria; and

passing the selected one or more of the plurality of application content data sets to the second application.

63. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 61, wherein selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application is based upon filtering data provided by the higher-layer application to the broadcast client which overrides other filtering data used by the broadcast client.

64. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 61, wherein selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application is based upon new selection metadata previously unknown to the broadcast client which causes the broadcast client to behave in a new manner.

65. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 61, wherein the broadcast client is an Open Mobile Alliance Broadcasting (BCAST) terminal.

66. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 65, wherein the higher-layer application is an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) enabler application.

67. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 66, wherein the OMA enabler application is an OMA Mobile Advertising (MobAd) application.

68. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 67, wherein the OMA enabler application is an OMA Device Management (DM) application.

69. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 67, wherein the received application metadata message is received in an auxiliary data trigger notification message.

70. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 67, further comprising receiving additional application metadata as part of a Service Guide transmission,

wherein application metadata is received from both the Service Guide transmission and the auxiliary data trigger notification message.

71. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 70, wherein the received application metadata message is received as part of a Service Guide transmission.

72. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 71, wherein selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions from the broadcast client to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises selecting application content broadcasts for reception by applying the selection criteria to application content attributes included in a private extension element within a service fragment in the Service Guide transmission.

73. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 72, wherein application metadata messages within the Service Guide transmission are further identified by a client application attribute value included in a service fragment.

74. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 61, wherein selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises:

selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria;

energizing receiver circuitry to receive the selected application content;

receiving the selected application content; and

passing the selected content to the higher-layer application.

75. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 74, wherein:

the content selection criteria is received in an auxiliary data trigger notification message; and

selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria comprises selecting the application content broadcast using the content identifier.

76. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 74, wherein:

the content selection criteria comprises a filter criterion to be applied to attributes of application content; and

selecting an application content broadcast for reception based upon the content selection criteria comprises applying the filter criterion to application content attributes included in the content metadata to select an application content broadcast whose attributes satisfy the filter criterion.

77. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 76, wherein the filter criterion is received in the Service Guide.

78. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 76, wherein the filter criterion is received from the higher-layer application.

79. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 61, wherein:

the content selection criteria comprises a first criterion and a second criterion; and

selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria comprises;

selecting a plurality of application content broadcasts for reception based upon the first criteria;

energizing receiver circuitry to receive the selected plurality of application content broadcasts;

caching the plurality of received application content broadcasts as a plurality of application content data sets in memory;

selecting one or more of the plurality of application content data sets based upon the second selection criteria; and

passing the selected one or more of the plurality of application content data sets to the second application.

80. The tangible processor-readable storage medium of claim 79, wherein the first criterion and a second criterion is received from one or more of the Service Guide, an auxiliary data trigger notification message, and the higher-layer application.

81. A method for delivering application content to receiver devices via a broadcast service, comprising:

broadcasting as part of a Service Guide transmission metadata regarding application content that will be broadcast in a second transmission; and

broadcasting the application content in the second transmission,

wherein the application content metadata comprises;

attributes of the application content provided in a private extension element within a service fragment of the Service Guide transmission; and

a service type attribute value included in the service fragment that indicates that the service fragment contains application content metadata.

82. A broadcast network, comprising:

broadcasting as part of a Service Guide transmission metadata regarding application content that will be broadcast in a second transmission; and

broadcasting the application content in the second transmission,

wherein the application content metadata comprises;

attributes of the application content provided in a private extension element within a service fragment of the Service Guide transmission; and

a service type attribute value included in the service fragment that indicates that the service fragment contains application content metadata.

83. A broadcast network, comprising:

means for broadcasting as part of a Service Guide transmission metadata regarding application content that will be broadcast in a second transmission; and

means for broadcasting the application content in the second transmission,

wherein the application content metadata comprises;

attributes of the application content provided in a private extension element within a service fragment of the Service Guide transmission; and

a service type attribute value included in the service fragment that indicates that the service fragment contains application content metadata.

84. A tangible server-readable storage medium having stored thereon server-executable instructions configured to cause a server coupled to a broadcast transmitter within a broadcast network to perform operations comprising:

broadcasting as part of a Service Guide transmission metadata regarding application content that will be broadcast in a second transmission; and

broadcasting the application content in the second transmission,

wherein the application content metadata comprises;

attributes of the application content provided in a private extension element within a service fragment of the Service Guide transmission; and

a service type attribute value included in the service fragment that indicates that the service fragment contains application content metadata.

85. A broadcast communication system, comprising:

a broadcast system comprising a server coupled to a broadcast transmitter; and

a plurality of broadcast receiver devices,

wherein the broadcast system server is configured with computer-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

broadcasting as part of a Service Guide transmission metadata regarding application content that will be broadcast in a second transmission; and

broadcasting the application content in the second transmission,

wherein the application content metadata comprises;

attributes of the application content provided in a private extension element within a service fragment of the Service Guide transmission; and

a service type attribute value included in the service fragment that indicates that the service fragment contains application content metadata, and

wherein each of the plurality of broadcast receiver devices comprise;

a processor;

a broadcast receiver circuit coupled to the processor and configured to receive transmissions from a broadcast network; and

memory coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to host a broadcast client and a higher-layer application operating within the processor and to perform operations comprising;

receiving broadcast transmissions;

receiving in the broadcast client an application metadata message from within the received broadcast transmissions, the application metadata message including metadata regarding content which will be broadcast at a future time relevant to a higher-layer application;

passing the metadata from the broadcast client to the higher-layer application;

receiving content selection criteria or a direct filtering decision in the broadcast client from the higher-layer application; and

selectively passing content received in broadcast transmissions to the higher-layer application based upon the content selection criteria or based on the direct filtering decision.