SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS FOR STREAMING MULTIPLE DIFFERENT MEDIA CONTENT IN A DIGITAL CONTAINER

• US 20120173981A1
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InstaVid LLC
• Original Assignee: InstaVid LLC
• Inventors: Day, Alexandrea L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/743 a collection of video files or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

A user interface is configured to present a plurality of user-selectable icons. Each user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons is individually configured to trigger playing of different streaming media content in an area on the user interface of the user-selectable icon upon a cursor-over or hover action on the user-selectable icon or other selection action by the user. The user-selectable icons are presented in a digital container wherein the container is configured to display contents of the container within a defined area on the user interface such as a Web page. The container may include a single user-selectable icon that is individually configured to trigger playing of streaming media content or multiple different user-selectable icons that are each individually configured to trigger playing of different streaming media content based on assigned specifications or selected criteria.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

configuring a user interface to present a plurality of user-selectable icons, wherein each user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons is individually configured to trigger playing of different streaming media content in an area on the user interface of the user-selectable icon upon a selection of the user-selectable icon; and

configuring the user interface to present the plurality of user-selectable icons in a container wherein the container is configured to display contents of the container within a defined area on the user interface.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the user-selectable icon is a cursor-over action on the user-selectable icon.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

configuring each user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons to play different streaming media content based upon an Internet protocol address associated with a user that selects the user-selectable icon.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the configuring each user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons to play different streaming media content includes configuring each user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons to play different streaming media content based upon a location associated with the Internet protocol address.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the streaming media content includes at least streaming digital video.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

configuring at least one user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons to play a video preview of a video program upon the cursor-over action on the user-selectable icon; and

configuring the at least one user-selectable icon to play the video program upon an additional indication of selection of the at least one user-selectable icon different than the cursor-over action.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein additional indication of selection of the at least one user-selectable icon is a mouse click on the at least one user-selectable icon.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein the at least one user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons is a still frame of the video program.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 further comprising:

configuring the at least one user-selectable icon to pause the video preview at a current location in playback upon an ending of the cursor-over action; and

configuring the at least one user-selectable icon to continue to play the video preview from the current location in playback upon another cursor-over action on the at least one user-selectable icon.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the cursor-over action is hovering of a cursor over the user-selectable icon.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the selection of the user-selectable icon includes touching of a touch screen in an area on the touch screen on which the user-selectable icon is displayed.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the container has a rectangular shape.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the user interface is a Web page.

14. A system, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one processor-readable memory that stores instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to;

receive input indicative of which user-selectable icon of a plurality of user-selectable icons presented on a user interface within a container is selected, wherein the container is configured to display contents of the container within a defined area on the user interface; and

in response to the received input;

select streaming media content associated with the selected user-selectable icon for play in an area on the user interface of the selected user-selectable icon, wherein the selected streaming media content associated with the selected user-selectable icon is selected from among other different streaming media content associated with other user selectable icons of the plurality of user-selectable icons; and

provide the selected streaming media content associated with the selected user-selectable icon for play in the area on the user interface of the selected user-selectable icon.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions executable by the at least one processor further cause the at least one processor to:

receive input indicative of an Internet protocol address associated with a user that selected the selected user-selectable icon, and wherein the selection of streaming media content associated with the selected user-selectable icon is based at least in part on the received input indicative of an Internet protocol address.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the selection of streaming media content associated with the selected user-selectable icon is based at least in part on a location associated with the Internet protocol address.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the user interface is a Web page and the instructions executable by the at least one processor further cause the at least one processor to:

receive input indicative of a specific product or service associated with the container;

receive input indicative of selection of another selected one of the plurality of user-selectable icons;

select other different streaming media content associated with the other selected one of the plurality of user-selectable icons from among the other different streaming media content associated with other user selectable icons of the plurality of user-selectable icons based on the product or service associated with the container regardless of the location associated with the Internet protocol address; and

provide the selected streaming media content associated with the other selected one of the plurality of user-selectable icons for play in the area on the user interface of the other selected one of the plurality of user-selectable icons.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the selected streaming media content associated with the selected user-selectable icon is streaming digital video associated with a local retailer of the product or local agent of the service associated with the location associated with the Internet protocol address, and wherein the selected other different streaming media content selected based on the product or service associated with the container regardless of the location associated with the Internet protocol address is streaming digital video associated with a brand of the product or service.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions executable by the at least one processor further cause the at least one processor to:

receive input indicative of user preference information of a specific user associated with the selected user-selectable icon, and wherein the selection of the streaming media content associated with the selected user-selectable icon is based at least in part on the received input indicative of the user preference information.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the instructions executable by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to provide the selected streaming media content over a network for display on a device on which the user interface is displayed.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that when executed by at least one computer system cause the at least one computer system to perform:

configuring a user interface to present a plurality of user-selectable icons on a Web search results page;

configuring each user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons to trigger playing of different streaming media content in an area on the search results page of the user-selectable icon upon a cursor-over action on the user-selectable icon; and

configuring each user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons to play different streaming media content based upon search terms used in a search resulting in the Web search results page.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the instructions further cause the at least one computer system to perform:

configuring the user interface to present the plurality of user-selectable icons in a container wherein the container is configured to fit within an advertising unit space on the Web search results page.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the instructions further cause the at least one computer system to perform:

configuring each user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons to play different streaming media content based upon one or more of;

user preferences of a user that performed the search, an Internet protocol address associated with a user that performed the search, a location of the container on the Web search results page, a current date, a current time, previous streaming media played as a result of selection of one or more of the plurality of user-selectable icons, a number of times streaming media has been previously played as a result of selection of one or more of the plurality of user-selectable icons, a product or service associated with the container, a category associated with the container, input indicating revenue received for a playing of particular streaming media, a daily promotion associated with an advertiser associated with the container, an advertising campaign associated with an advertiser associated with the container, feedback received from a user that performed the search, interactions of a user with the search results, and account settings of a user that performed the search.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein streaming media content includes streaming digital video and wherein each user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons is a frame of a different digital video associated with the user-selectable icon and wherein the configuring each user-selectable icon of the plurality of user-selectable icons to trigger playing of different streaming media content includes playing the different streaming media content in the area on the search results page of the user-selectable icon upon the cursor-over action on the user-selectable icon using a digital video frame size for playing the streaming media content that is larger than a frame size of the user-selectable icon.

25. A computer-implemented method comprising:

configuring a user interface to present at least one user-selectable icon;

triggering playing of streaming media content in an area on the user interface of the at least one user-selectable icon upon a cursor-over action on the one user-selectable icon; and

configuring the user interface to present the at least one user-selectable icon in a container.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 25 wherein the triggering playing comprises:

sending a request to a server for streaming media content associated with the at least one user-selectable icon upon a cursor-over action on the one user-selectable icon; and

in response to the request, playing received streaming media content in an area on the user interface of the at least one user-selectable icon.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 25 wherein the triggering playing comprises, in response to the request, playing embedded media content previously saved on a local memory of a device on which the user interface is displayed in an area on the user interface of the at least one user-selectable icon.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 25 wherein the streaming media content includes at least streaming digital video and wherein the container is configured to display contents of the container within an advertising unit space on the user interface.