Device-Agnostic Content Management, Playback and Status Monitoring System

• US 20130290401A1
• Filed: 08/07/2012
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xola, Inc.
• Original Assignee: WireSpring Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Zaretzky, Jeremy, Gerba, William F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44226 on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4425 Monitoring of client processing errors or hardware failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection

Abstract

A system is provided that includes a software agent, an electronic device, a display, and a content management system. The electronic device accesses the software agent and interprets it with a software application, such as a web browser. Embedded within the software agent is a playback system, which dictates content to be shown, and a monitoring system, which collects logging and status data. At least some of the content is stored on the electronic device prior to display, and at least some of the logging and status data is stored on the electronic device prior to being transferred to the content management system.

Claims

1. A system for content playback and management comprising:

a software agent accessed by an electronic device that is in communication with a display and that contains a software application which interprets the software agent, wherein the software agent contains HTML code and the software application is a web browser;

a content management system in communication with the software agent;

a playback system embedded within the software agent that dictates content to be shown by the electronic device, wherein at least some of the content and instructions pertaining to the content are sent from the content management system and stored on the electronic device prior to display; and

a monitoring system embedded within the software agent that collects logging data pertaining to the activity of the playback system and status data pertaining to other activity of the electronic device, wherein at least some of the data is stored on the electronic device prior to transfer of the data to the content management system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a mobile phone, a desk phone, a tablet, a set-top box, a television, an embedded system, or a dynamic sign.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the content is any of the following:

video, animation, still image, uniform resource locator (URL), scrolling text, or templated content.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the content is live or streaming video obtained from a source selected from the group consisting of antenna, cable, and satellite.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are contained within a playlist.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a password must be entered in order for content to be shown.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the content is selectively delivered to the electronic device based on an association between the electronic device and an intended viewer of the content.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the playback system renders two or more display modules on the display at once, enabling multiple content files to be shown simultaneously.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring system listens for any of the following input events and relays them to the playback system:

touches on a touch screen, presses of an attached button, or input from a connected sensor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the logging data and status data includes any of the following:

content playbacks, input events, network connection status, or wireless signal strength.

11. A method for content playback and management comprising the steps of:

sending content and instructions pertaining to the content from a content management system to a playback system that is embedded in a software agent that is accessed by an electronic device that is in communication with a display and that contains a software application which interprets the software agent, wherein the software agent contains HTML code and the software application is a web browser;

storing at least some of the content and instructions pertaining to the content on the electronic device prior to display;

displaying content dictated by the playback system on the electronic device;

collecting logging data pertaining to the activity of the playback system and status data pertaining to other activity of the electronic device through a monitoring system embedded within the software agent; and

storing at least some of the logging and status data on the electronic device prior to transferring the data to the content management system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic device is a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a mobile phone, a desk phone, a tablet, a set-top box, a television, an embedded system, or a dynamic sign.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the content is any of the following:

video, animation, still image, uniform resource locator (URL), scrolling text, or templated content.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the content is live or streaming video obtained from a source selected from the group consisting of antenna, cable, and satellite.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the instructions are contained within a playlist.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein a password must be entered in order for content to be shown.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the content is selectively delivered to the electronic device based on an association between the electronic device and an intended viewer of the content.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the playback system renders two or more display modules on the display at once, enabling multiple content files to be shown simultaneously.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring system listens for any of the following input events and relays them to the playback system:

touches on a touch screen, presses of an attached button, or input from a connected sensor.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the logging data and status data includes any of the following:

content playbacks, input events, network connection status, or wireless signal strength.