ZONE CONTROL METHODS AND APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A method of ensuring delivery of program content and advertising content on-demand from a content delivery network to an Internet Protocol (IP)-capable user device, the advertising being selected based at least in part on an advertisement zone of a user of said IP-capable user device, said method comprising:
- receiving a request for said program content from said IP capable user device, said request comprising at least a user identifier (UID);
forwarding said UID to an entity of said network, said entity determining at least a Media Access Control (MAC) address of said IP capable user device from said UID;
receiving from said entity said MAC address;
forwarding said MAC address to a network controller of said network, said network controller determining at least a quatrature amplitude modulation (QAM) identifier using said MAC address;
receiving from said network controller said QAM identifier;
associating said QAM identifier to said advertisement zone; and
providing information regarding said advertisement zone to a content server of said network, said content server providing said program and said advertising content to said IP capable user device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for providing control over targeted secondary content based on a zone associated with a user. In one exemplary embodiment, a user request for primary content from a non-legacy device results in the delivery of the same secondary content which would have been provided had the request been generated at a legacy device (so-called “zone preservation”). To accomplish this, the devices are associated with a user'"'"'s zone at a zone preservation server in communication with the server providing content to the devices. The zone preservation server associates each user with an advertisement zone identifier, and utilizes the identifier to direct the delivery of primary and secondary content. In another embodiment, a prescribed rule set for one or more zones is employed, such as where certain types of advertisements or secondary content are inserted given a particular device or user context.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method of ensuring delivery of program content and advertising content on-demand from a content delivery network to an Internet Protocol (IP)-capable user device, the advertising being selected based at least in part on an advertisement zone of a user of said IP-capable user device, said method comprising:
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receiving a request for said program content from said IP capable user device, said request comprising at least a user identifier (UID); forwarding said UID to an entity of said network, said entity determining at least a Media Access Control (MAC) address of said IP capable user device from said UID; receiving from said entity said MAC address; forwarding said MAC address to a network controller of said network, said network controller determining at least a quatrature amplitude modulation (QAM) identifier using said MAC address; receiving from said network controller said QAM identifier; associating said QAM identifier to said advertisement zone; and providing information regarding said advertisement zone to a content server of said network, said content server providing said program and said advertising content to said IP capable user device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a content delivery network capable of providing program and advertising content to a plurality of legacy and non-legacy devices, a method of ensuring delivery of zone-preserved advertising content, said method comprising:
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receiving a request for program content from a non-legacy device, said device being associated with a user, said request comprising at least information identifying said user; forwarding said information identifying said user to at least one entity of said network, said entity being configured to associate said information to an address of said user; receiving an indicator of said address from said at least one entity; associating said indicator to at least one advertising zone; and providing information regarding said at least one advertising zone to a content server of said network, said content server being configured to provide said program and said advertising content to said legacy and non-legacy devices; wherein said advertising content received at said non-legacy device comprises the same content which would have been received by said user at a legacy device. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. In a content distribution network comprising at least a content server and a plurality of user devices capable of receiving primary and secondary content therefrom, a secondary content zone preservation server apparatus, said zone preservation server apparatus comprising:
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a first interface configured to receive a request from at least one of said plurality of user devices, said request comprising at least user identification information; a storage entity configured to store a plurality of records thereon, said records indicating at least one secondary content zone applicable to individual ones of a plurality of device indicators; a digital processor, said processor configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to determine at least one secondary content zone by; forwarding said user identification information to a network entity capable of providing a device indicator; receiving said device indicator; and comparing said device indicator to said plurality of records to identify at least one secondary content zone associated therewith; and a second interface configured to provide data related to said at least one secondary content zone to said content server. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of delivering primary and secondary content over a network, comprising:
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receiving a request for said primary content from a packet-enabled user device; receiving entitlement information relating to a subscriber making said request; using said entitlement information to associate said subscriber to a subscriber account, said account indicating said subscriber is authorized to receive the requested primary content; and delivering said primary content to said subscriber in a packetized format via said packet-enabled device, said primary content having secondary content contained therein which is zone-controlled with respect to delivery of said primary content via another non-packet enabled device of said subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of operating a network, comprising:
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receiving a user preference regarding advertising; creating a rule based on said preference; and implementing said rule with respect to requests for primary content that are received via one or more IP-enabled devices of said user that are located at a location different than the user'"'"'s premises. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of operating a network, comprising:
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receiving a request for primary content from an IP-enabled device of a user of said network; determining a first location of said device; and selecting and inserting secondary content that have one or more common attributes to secondary content that would be selected and inserted if the request were received from a non-IP enabled device of said user at a location different from said first location. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. Network apparatus, comprising:
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a processor; a storage device in data communication with said processor; and at least one computer program capable of being run on said processor and being stored in said storage device, the at least one program which is capable of, when executed; receiving a request for primary content originated from a user; and if the request originated from a legacy device of said user, determining an advertising zone associated with that legacy device;
orif the request originated from an IP-enabled non- legacy device of said user, applying the same rules for advertising selection or insertion that are applied for said advertising zone associated with the legacy device. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
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Specification