METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SERVING EPISODIC SECONDARY CONTENT

• US 20100312824A1
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Nielsen, Per O., Rivas, Daniel M., McGarry, Susan J., SMITH, ALLEN
• Granted Patent: US 8,661,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and computer program products are presented for providing episodic secondary content to a mobile device. The present aspects provide for: receiving at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items an episodic secondary content set and an episodic manifest, the episodic manifest including indexes coupling at least two episodic secondary content items from the episodic secondary content set, presenting an initial episodic secondary content item during a predetermined break in presentation of a primary content item, prompting a user to select an additional episodic secondary content item from the set, the plurality of episodic secondary content items coupled to the initial episodic secondary content item and determined by the episodic manifest, and receiving a user selection of the additional episodic secondary content item to be presented during a subsequent predetermined break in presentation of the primary content item.

Claims

1. A method for serving episodic secondary content in a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, in the mobile device, a plurality of episodic secondary content items corresponding to an episodic secondary content set and an episodic manifest, the episodic manifest including indexes coupling at least two episodic secondary content items from the episodic secondary content set;

presenting an initial episodic secondary content item during a predetermined break in presentation of a primary content item on the mobile device;

prompting a user of the mobile device to select an additional episodic secondary content item from the set the plurality of episodic secondary content items coupled to the initial episodic secondary content item and determined by the episodic manifest; and

receiving a user selection of the additional episodic secondary content item to be presented during a subsequent predetermined break in presentation of the primary content item on the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising

storing the plurality of episodic secondary content items and the episodic manifest in cache memory coupled to the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

aggregating data associated with the user selection and data associated with the plurality of episodic secondary content items; and

transmitting the aggregated data to a content distribution system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising

receiving a trigger message during presentation of the primary content item, the trigger message indicating a forth coming break in presentation of the primary content item.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising

removing the at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items and the episodic manifest from the cache memory coupled to the mobile device after a predetermined triggering event.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined trigger event includes at least one of:

a time duration defined by an episodic secondary content provider, or

a number of presentations of an episodic secondary content item without receiving a user selection, or

a presentation of an episodic secondary content item with receiving a user selection.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the episodic secondary content set and the episodic manifest during a period when network activity is below a predetermined threshold level.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the plurality of episodic secondary content items and the episodic manifest through an network connection established through coupling the mobile device to a docking station.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein presenting an initial episodic secondary content item comprises:

determining if the episodic manifest index corresponds to the plurality of episodic secondary content items stored in the cache memory coupled to the mobile device; and

upon a determination that the episodic manifest index corresponds to the plurality of episodic secondary content items, allowing presentation of the initial episodic secondary content item.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving at least one primary content item on the mobile device through at least one of a broadcast, or a multicast, or a unicast transmission from a content distribution system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving the plurality of episodic secondary content items prior to presentation of the at least one primary content item.

12. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining if the initial episodic secondary content item was interrupted prior to complete presentation; and

upon a determination that the initial episodic secondary content item was interrupted prior to complete presentation, including data associated with the interruption with the aggregated data.

13. An apparatus for serving episodic secondary content, the apparatus comprising:

a communications module for receiving a plurality of episodic secondary content items corresponding to an episodic secondary content set and an episodic manifest, the episodic manifest including indexes coupling at least two episodic secondary content items from the episodic secondary content set; and

a user interface for;

presenting an initial episodic secondary content item during a predetermined break in presentation of a primary content item;

prompting a user to select an additional episodic secondary content item from the set, the plurality of episodic secondary content items coupled to the initial episodic secondary content item and determined by the episodic manifest; and

receiving a user selection of the additional episodic secondary content item to be presented during a subsequent predetermined break in presentation of the primary content item.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising

a cache memory module for storing the plurality of episodic secondary content items and the episodic manifest.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

a tracking module for aggregating data associated with the user selection and data associated with the plurality of episodic secondary content items; and

the communications module is further configurable to transmit the aggregated data to a content distribution system.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the communications module is further configurable to

receive a trigger message during presentation of the primary content item, the trigger message indicating a forth coming break in presentation of the primary content item.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising

a memory management module for removing at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items and the episodic manifest from the cache memory after predetermined triggering event.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the predetermined trigger event includes at least one of:

a time duration defined by an episodic secondary content provider, or

a number of presentations of an episodic secondary content item without receiving a user selection, or

a presentation of an episodic secondary content item with receiving a user selection.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the communications module is further configurable to receive the episodic secondary content set and the episodic manifest during period when network activity is below a predetermined threshold level.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

a docking station module; and

wherein the communications module is further configurable to receive plurality of episodic secondary content items and the episodic manifest through an internet connection established through an interaction with a docking station.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a memory management module for:

determining if the episodic manifest index corresponds to the plurality of episodic secondary content items stored in the cache memory coupled to the mobile device; and

upon a determination that the episodic manifest index corresponds to the plurality of episodic secondary content items, allowing presentation of the initial episodic secondary content item by the user interface.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the communications module is further configurable to receive at least one primary content item on the mobile device through at least one of a broadcast, or a multicast, or a unicast transmission from a content distribution system.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the communications module is further configurable to receiving the plurality of episodic secondary content items prior to reception of the at least one primary content item.

24. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a reporting module for

determining if the initial episodic secondary content item was interrupted prior to complete presentation;

and

upon a determination that the initial episodic secondary content item was interrupted prior to complete presentation, including data associated with the interruption with the aggregated data.

25. At least one processor configured for serving episodic secondary content in a mobile device, the at least one processor comprising:

a first module for receiving, in the mobile device, a plurality of episodic secondary content items corresponding to an episodic secondary content set and an episodic manifest, the episodic manifest including indexes coupling at least two episodic secondary content items from the episodic secondary content set;

a second module for presenting an initial episodic secondary content item during a predetermined break in presentation of a primary content item on the mobile device;

a third module for prompting a user of the mobile device to select an additional episodic secondary content item from the set, the plurality of episodic secondary content items coupled to the initial episodic secondary content item and determined by the episodic manifest; and

a fourth module for receiving a user selection of the additional episodic secondary content item to be presented during a subsequent predetermined break in presentation of the primary content item on the mobile device.

26. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to receive a plurality of episodic secondary content items corresponding to an episodic secondary content set and an episodic manifest, the episodic manifest including indexes coupling at least two episodic secondary content items from the episodic secondary content set;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to present an initial episodic secondary content item during a predetermined break in presentation of a primary content item;

a third set of codes for causing the computer to prompting a user to select an additional episodic secondary content item from the set, the plurality of episodic secondary content items coupled to the initial episodic secondary content item and determined by the episodic manifest; and

a fourth set of codes for causing the computer to receive a user selection of the additional episodic secondary content item to be presented during a subsequent predetermined break in presentation of the primary content item on the mobile device.

27. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving, in the mobile device, a plurality of episodic secondary content items corresponding to an episodic secondary content set and an episodic manifest, the episodic manifest including indexes coupling at least two episodic secondary content items from the episodic secondary content set;

means for presenting an initial episodic secondary content item during a predetermined break in presentation of a primary content item on the mobile device;

means for prompting a user of the mobile device to select an additional episodic secondary content item from the set, the plurality of episodic secondary content items coupled to the initial episodic secondary content item and determined by the episodic manifest; and

means for receiving a user selection of the additional episodic secondary content item to be presented during a subsequent predetermined break in presentation of the primary content item on the mobile device.

28. A method for providing episodic secondary content to a mobile device, the method comprising:

transmitting, to the mobile device, a plurality of episodic secondary content items corresponding to an episodic secondary content set and an episodic manifest, the episodic manifest including indexes coupling at least two episodic secondary content items from the episodic secondary content set;

transmitting a primary content item to the mobile device, the primary content item including a predetermined break in the presentation to allow the mobile device to present an initial secondary content item; and

receiving aggregated data from the mobile device including data associated with a user selection of at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items and data associated with at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising

transmitting a trigger message during transmission of the primary content item, the trigger message indicating a forth coming break in presentation of the primary content item.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising transmitting the episodic secondary content set and the episodic manifest during period when network activity with the mobile device is below a predetermined threshold level.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the aggregated data further includes data associated with an interruption of the initial episodic second content item, upon a determination that the initial episodic secondary content item was interrupted prior to complete presentation.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

analyzing the aggregated data to determine user metrics; and

modifying a subsequent plurality of episodic secondary content items from an episodic secondary content set for transmission in response to the user metrics.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein modifying a subsequent plurality of episodic secondary content items from an episodic secondary content set transmission includes at least one of:

increasing the frequency of the plurality of episodic secondary content item transmissions in response to the user metrics indicating an interactive user, or

increasing the pricing structure for episodic secondary content provider in response to the user metrics indicating an interactive user.

34. An apparatus for providing episodic secondary content to a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:

a communications module configurable to;

transmit, to the mobile device, a plurality of episodic secondary content items corresponding to an episodic secondary content set and an episodic manifest, the episodic manifest including indexes coupling at least two episodic secondary content items from the episodic secondary content set;

transmit a primary content item to the mobile device, the primary content item including a predetermined break in the presentation to allow the mobile device to present an initial secondary content item; and

receive aggregated data from the mobile device including data associated with a user selection of at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items and data associated with at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the communications module is further configurable to transmit a trigger message during transmission of the primary content item, the trigger message indicating a forth coming break in presentation of the primary content item.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the communications module is further configurable to transmit the episodic secondary content set and the episodic manifest during period when network activity with the mobile device is below a predetermined threshold level.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the communications module is further configurable to include data associated with an interruption of the initial episodic second content item, upon a determination that the initial episodic secondary content item was interrupted prior to complete presentation.

38. The apparatus of claim 34 further comprising a user metrics module configurable to:

analyze the aggregated data to determine user metrics; and

generate instructions to modify a subsequent plurality of episodic secondary content items from an episodic secondary content set transmission in response to user metrics.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein modifying a subsequent plurality of episodic secondary content items from an episodic secondary content set transmission includes at least one of:

increasing the frequency of the plurality of episodic secondary content items transmissions in response to the user metrics indicating an interactive user, or

increasing the pricing structure for episodic secondary content provider in response to the user metrics indicating an interactive user.

40. At least one processor configured to for providing episodic secondary content to a mobile device, the at least one processor comprising:

a first module for transmitting, to the mobile device, a plurality of episodic secondary content items corresponding to an episodic secondary content set and an episodic manifest, the episodic manifest including indexes coupling at least two episodic secondary content items from the episodic secondary content set;

a second module for transmitting a primary content item to the mobile device, the primary content item including a predetermined break in the presentation to allow the mobile device to present an initial secondary content item; and

a third module for receiving aggregated data from the mobile device including data associated with a user selection of at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items and data associated with at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items.

41. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to transmit, to the mobile device, a plurality of episodic secondary content items corresponding to an episodic secondary content set and an episodic manifest, the episodic manifest including indexes coupling at least two episodic secondary content items from the episodic secondary content set;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to transmit a primary content item to the mobile device, the primary content item including a predetermined break in the presentation to allow the mobile device to present an initial secondary content item; and

a third set of codes for causing the computer to receive aggregated data from the mobile device including data associated with a user selection of at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items and data associated with at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items.

42. An apparatus, comprising:

means for transmitting, to the mobile device, an episodic secondary content set and an episodic manifest, a plurality of episodic secondary content items corresponding to the episodic manifest including indexes coupling at least two episodic secondary content items from the episodic secondary content set;

means for transmitting a primary content item to the mobile device, the primary content item including a predetermined break in the presentation to allow the mobile device to present an initial secondary content item; and

means for receiving aggregated data from the mobile device including data associated with a user selection of at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items and data associated with at least one of the plurality of episodic secondary content items.