Web-Based Video Broadcasting System Having Multiple Channels

• US 20110271314A1
• Filed: 04/29/2010
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Partners of Iowa LLC
• Original Assignee: Apple Partners of Iowa LLC
• Inventors: Hoshall, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 10,080,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/109
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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

Abstract

A video broadcast system comprising a web page having a web page address and being in communication with a host system to permit users and a content providers to access the host system. The host system is programmed to permit the content provider to register at least one channel and associate the channel with the content provider, selectively upload to the host system a video file and associate the video file with the channel, and associate a link source address with the channel, wherein the link source address is different from the web page address. The host system is further programmed to permit the content provider to determine which of the channels registered with the host system are accessible by the user accessing the host system from the link source address.

Claims

1. A video broadcast system comprising:

at least one web page having a web page address, the at least one web page in communication with a host system to permit a plurality of users and a plurality of content providers to access the host system;

wherein the host system is programmed to permit at least one content provider to register at least one channel and associate the channel with the content provider;

wherein the host system is further programmed to permit the at least one content provider associated with the channel to selectively upload to the host system at least one video file and associate the at least one video file with the channel;

wherein the host system is further programmed to permit the at least one content provider to associate a link source address with the channel, wherein the link source address is different from the web page address of the at least one web page, and wherein a user accessing the link source address is redirected to the web page address;

wherein the host system is further programmed to permit the at least one content provider to determine which of the channels registered with the host system are accessible by the user accessing the host system from the link source address; and

wherein the host system is adapted to determine if a user is accessing the host system by the web page address or by the link source address, and, in response, provide the user access to the channels as determined by the content provider if the user is accessing the host system by the link source address.

2. The video broadcast system of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein the host system is adapted to monitor and store user information indicative of the video files accessed by the user; and

wherein the host system is adapted to provide to the content provider the user information indicative of the number of users who accessed video files uploaded by the content provider.

3. A web-based video broadcast system, comprising:

at least one web page in communication with a one or more host systems to permit a plurality of users and a plurality of content providers to access the one or more host systems, wherein the one or more host systems are associated with a host system identifier;

wherein the one or more host systems are programmed to permit at least one content provider to register at least one channel and associate the channel with a channel page identifier;

wherein the one or more host systems are further programmed to permit the at least one content provider associated with the channel to selectively upload to the one or more host systems at least one video file and associate the at least one video file with the channel, wherein the video file is further associated with a media identifier; and

at least one user device accessing the at least one web page wherein the at least one web page is adapted to provide to the user device an entry web page, the entry web page adapted to receive from the at least one user device information selected from the group consisting of the host system identifier, the channel page identifier, the media identifier, or combinations thereof;

wherein a user inputting the host system identifier into the entry web page is thereby directed to the desired host system.

4. The web-based video broadcasting system of claim 3, further comprising:

wherein a user inputting the host system identifier and the channel page identifier into the entry web page is thereby directed to the channel corresponding to the channel page identifier.

5. The web-based video broadcasting system of claim 3, further comprising:

wherein a user inputting the host system identifier, the channel page identifier, and the media identifier into the entry web page is thereby directed to the video file corresponding to the media identifier.