SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATICALLY OBTAINING COST-EFFICIENT ACCESS TO A MEDIA CONTENT COLLECTION

• US 20140007146A1
• Filed: 06/27/2012
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROVI Product Corporation (Xperi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Peterson, Brian Craig, Korbecki, William J., Arme, Jonathan, Fife, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 9,609,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically obtaining cost-efficient access to a media content collection are provided. A user selection of a media content collection, which consists of a number of media assets, is received. A first price is determined for receiving access to the entire media content collection using a single transaction. For each media asset of the media content collection a set of providers of the media asset are identified, and the lowest price for receiving access to each media asset is determined. The lowest price for receiving access to each media asset of the media content collection is accumulated to determine a second price for receiving access to the media content collection using multiple transactions. The first and the second price are compared, and access to the media content collection is received based on this comparison.

Claims

1. A method for receiving access to a media content collection, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of a media content collection that includes a plurality of media assets;

retrieving a first data structure from a provider of the media content collection;

processing the first data structure to determine a first price for receiving access to the media content collection from the provider using a single transaction;

storing the first price and data identifying the provider in a second data structure;

for each of the plurality of media assets in the media content collection;

identifying a plurality of providers of the media asset;

determining a price for receiving access to the media asset from each of the plurality of providers; and

storing a lowest of the determined prices and data identifying the provider associated with the lowest price in a third data structure;

accumulating the lowest prices stored in the third data structure to compute a second price for receiving access to the media content collection using multiple transactions;

comparing the second price with the first price; and

using, based on the comparison, one of the first data structure and the second data structure to receive access to the media content collection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the media content collection is one of a season of episodes of a show and all episodes of the show; and

the plurality of media assets in the media content collection are a plurality of episodes that constitute the media content collection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving access to the media content collection using multiple transactions comprises:

communicating with a first server to complete a first financial transaction;

in response to completing the first financial transaction, receiving access to a first media asset in the media content collection from a first provider, wherein the first provider is associated with the lowest price for the first media asset;

communicating with a second server to complete a second financial transaction; and

in response to completing the second financial transaction, receiving access to a second media asset in the media content collection from a second provider, wherein the second provider is associated with the lowest price for the second media asset.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving access to the media content collection using multiple transactions further comprises receiving digital data comprising each media asset over a network connection from a server associated with the corresponding provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving access to the media content collection using multiple transactions comprises storing received digital data as a plurality of digital media files, wherein each digital media file comprises one media asset.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving access to the media content collection using a single transaction comprises:

communicating with a server to complete a single financial transaction; and

causing the provider of the media content collection to transfer physical merchandise comprising the media content collection to a location associated with the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving access to the media content collection using a single transaction comprises:

communicating with a server to complete a single financial transaction, wherein the financial transaction comprises charging the user for a single item; and

in response to completing the financial transaction, receiving digital data comprising the media content collection over a network connection from a server associated with the provider of the media content collection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of providers of the media asset comprises:

generating a search query comprising information identifying the media asset;

transmitting the search query over a network connection; and

receiving, in response to the search query, a fourth data structure comprising information identifying the plurality of providers of the media asset.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of providers of the media asset comprises:

retrieving a fourth data structure from memory, wherein the fourth data structure comprises information identifying a plurality of potential providers;

for each of the plurality of potential providers;

communicating with a server associated with the potential provider to determine whether the potential provider can provide access to the media asset; and

if the potential provider can provide access to the media asset, determining that the potential provider is one of the plurality of providers of the media asset.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, for each of the plurality of media assets in the media content collection:

determining if the media asset is accessible without a financial transaction; and

if the media asset is accessible without a financial transaction, storing zero as the lowest of the determined prices in the third data structure.

11. A system for receiving access to a media content collection, the system comprising control circuitry configured to:

receive a user selection of a media content collection that includes a plurality of media assets;

retrieve a first data structure from a provider of the media content collection;

process the first data structure to determine a first price for receiving access to the media content collection from the provider using a single transaction;

store the first price and data identifying the provider in a second data structure;

for each of the plurality of media assets in the media content collection;

identify a plurality of providers of the media asset;

determine a price for receiving access to the media asset from each of the plurality of providers; and

store a lowest of the determined prices and data identifying the provider associated with the lowest price in a third data structure;

accumulate the lowest prices stored in the third data structure to compute a second price for receiving access to the media content collection using multiple transactions;

compare the second price with the first price; and

use, based on the comparison, one of the first data structure and the second data structure to receive access to the media content collection.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the media content collection is one of a season of episodes of a show and all episodes of the show; and

the plurality of media assets in the media content collection are a plurality of episodes that constitute the media content collection.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry receives access to the media content collection using multiple transactions by being further configured to:

communicate with a first server to complete a first financial transaction;

in response to completing the first financial transaction, receive access to a first media asset in the media content collection from a first provider, wherein the first provider is associated with the lowest price for the first media asset;

communicate with a second server to complete a second financial transaction; and

in response to completing the second financial transaction, receive access to a second media asset in the media content collection from a second provider, wherein the second provider is associated with the lowest price for the second media asset.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry receives access to the media content collection using multiple transactions by being further configured to receive digital data comprising each media asset over a network connection from a server associated with the corresponding provider.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry receives access to the media content collection using multiple transactions by being further configured to store received digital data as a plurality of digital media files, wherein each digital media file comprises one media asset.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry receives access to the media content collection using a single transaction by being further configured to:

communicate with a server to complete a single financial transaction; and

cause the provider of the media content collection to transfer physical merchandise comprising the media content collection to a location associated with the user.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry receives access to the media content collection using a single transaction by being further configured to:

communicate with a server to complete a single financial transaction, wherein the financial transaction comprises charging the user for a single item; and

in response to completing the financial transaction, receive digital data comprising the media content collection over a network connection from a server associated with the provider of the media content collection.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry identifies the plurality of providers of the media asset by being further configured to:

generate a search query comprising information identifying the media asset;

transmit the search query over a network connection; and

receive, in response to the search query, a fourth data structure comprising information identifying the plurality of providers of the media asset.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry identifies the plurality of providers of the media asset by being further configured to:

retrieve a fourth data structure from memory, wherein the fourth data structure comprises information identifying a plurality of potential providers;

for each of the plurality of potential providers;

communicate with a server associated with the potential provider to determine whether the potential provider can provide access to the media asset; and

if the potential provider can provide access to the media asset, determine that the potential provider is one of the plurality of providers of the media asset.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to, for each of the plurality of media assets in the media content collection:

determine if the media asset is accessible without a financial transaction; and

if the media asset is accessible without a financial transaction, store zero as the lowest of the determined prices in the third data structure.

21-30. -30. (canceled)