Methods, apparatus, and program products for providing supplemental content to a recorded experiential data stream

• US 7,424,545 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 6, LLC
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Nickell, Eric S., Thornton, James D., Bobrow, Daniel G., Edwards, W. Keith, Ducheneaut, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phuoc H
• Application Number:
  US10/997,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/205, 709/213, 709/217, 709/226, 709/231
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a computer controlled method configured to provide content to be presented with a presentation of an experiential data stream. The method includes receiving a request to provide the content which is configured to be included in the presentation of the experiential data stream, determining one or more content parameters related to the request, and providing the content. The content is structured to be able to be presented in conjunction with at least one prerecorded portion of the experiential data stream, and the content is either presented in addition to the prerecorded portion of the experiential data stream or presented instead of a target portion of the prerecorded portion of the experiential data stream.

Claims

1. A computer controlled method configured to provide supplemental content to be presented with a presentation of an experiential data stream in a shared social space, said method comprising:

receiving a request to provide said content, said content configured to be included in said presentation of said experiential data stream, wherein a respective audience member in said shared social space has at least partially a prerecorded version of said experiential data stream that is substantially the same as that recorded by other audience members;

determining one or more content parameters related to said request;

selecting said content responsive to the step of determining;

providing said content to audience members;

wherein said content is structured to be able to be presented in conjunction with at least one prerecorded portion of said experiential data stream, presented either in addition to said at least one prerecorded portion of said experiential data stream, or to replace a targeted portion of said prerecorded portion of said experiential data stream; and

wherein the step of providing said content further comprises;

receiving state information and a group of pictures (GOP) alignment identifications from an audience member'"'"'s device;

updating the state information of the device;

determining whether the device is tracking the playback position of a remote device; and

adjusting playback vector of the experiential data stream for the device.

2. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein said request is invoked by an audience member.

3. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein said request specifies a delivery mode for providing said content.

4. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing said content further comprises:

accessing said content;

sending said content over a network to satisfy said request.

5. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing said content further comprises shipping a tangible computer-usable data carrier having said content embodied within to satisfy said request.

6. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting is at least partially responsive to a preference specified by an audience member.

7. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting is at least partially responsive to a preference specified by an advertisement provider.

8. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting is at least partially responsive to demographic information.

9. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein said content is a commentary audio clip.

10. The computer controlled method of claim 9, wherein said commentary audio clip contains analysis audio, opinion audio, critical audio, parody audio, entertainment audio, participant audio related to said experiential data stream;

or advertising audio.

11. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein said content is replacement/additional content.

12. The computer controlled method of claim 11, wherein said replacement/additional content is supplemental content for said experiential data stream, replacement content for said experiential data stream, additional content for said experiential data stream, or commercial content.

13. The computer controlled method of claim 11, wherein said replacement/additional content is an advertisement.

14. The computer controlled method of claim 11, wherein said replacement/additional content is related to said targeted portion of said experiential data stream.

15. The computer controlled method of claim 14, wherein said replacement/additional content is a parody content related to said experiential data stream, is additional content available but omitted from said experiential data stream, or is content having a different parental rating than the corresponding content in said targeted portion.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which when executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request to provide said content, said content configured to be included in said presentation of said experiential data stream, wherein each audience member in said shared social space has at least partially a prerecorded version of said experiential data stream that is substantially the same as that recorded by other audience members;

determining one or more content parameters related to said request;

selecting said content responsive to the step of determining;

providing said content; and

wherein said content is structured to be able to be presented in conjunction with at least one prerecorded portion of said experiential data stream, presented either in addition to said at least one prerecorded portion of said experiential data stream, or replacing a targeted portion of said prerecorded portion of said experiential data stream; and

wherein the step of providing said content further comprises;

receiving state information and a group of pictures (GOP) alignment identifications from an audience member'"'"'s device;

updating the state information of the device;

determining whether the device is tracking the playback position of a remote device; and

adjusting playback vector of the experiential data stream for the device.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said request is invoked by an audience member.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said request specifies a delivery mode for providing said content.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the step of providing said content further comprises:

accessing said content;

sending said content over a network to satisfy said request.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the step of providing said content further comprises shipping a tangible computer-usable data carrier having said content embodied within to satisfy said request.

21. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the step of selecting is at least partially responsive to a preference specified by an audience member.

22. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the step of selecting is at least partially responsive to a preference specified by an advertisement provider.

23. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the step of selecting is at least partially responsive to demographic information.

24. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said content is a commentary audio clip.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein said commentary audio clip contains analysis audio, opinion audio, critical audio, parody audio, entertainment audio, participant audio related to said experiential data stream;

or advertising audio.

26. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said content is replacement/additional content.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein said replacement/additional content is supplemental content for said experiential data stream, replacement content for said experiential data stream, additional content for said experiential data stream, or commercial content.

28. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein said replacement/additional content is an advertisement.

29. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein said replacement/additional content is related to said targeted portion of said experiential data stream.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein said replacement/additional content is a parody content related to said experiential data stream, is additional content available but omitted from said experiential data stream, or is content having a different parental rating than the corresponding content in said targeted portion.

31. An apparatus configured to deliver supplemental content to be presented with a presentation of an experiential data stream in a shared social space, said apparatus comprising:

a network interface;

a receiver configured receive to a request to provide said content, said content configured to be included in said presentation of said experiential data stream, the receiver in communication with the network interface, wherein each audience member in said shared social space has at least partially a prerecorded version of said experiential data stream that is substantially the same as that recorded by other audience members;

a determination logic configured to determine one or more content parameters related to said request;

a content selection logic configured to select said content responsive to the determination logic;

a request fulfillment logic configured to initiate delivery of said content; and

wherein said content is structured to be able to be presented in conjunction with at least one prerecorded portion of said experiential data stream, presented either in addition to said at least one prerecorded portion of said experiential data stream, or replacing a targeted portion of said prerecorded portion of said experiential data; and

wherein the request fulfillment logic further comprises;

a receiving logic configured to receive state information and a group of pictures (GOP) alignment identifications from an audience member'"'"'s device;

an updating logic configured to update the state information of the device;

a determination logic configured to determine whether the device is tracking the playback position of a remote device; and

an adjustment logic configured to adjust playback vector of the experiential data stream for the device.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said request is invoked by an audience member.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said request specifies a delivery mode for providing said content.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the request fulfillment logic further comprises:

an access logic configured to access said content;

a communication logic configured to send said content over said network to satisfy said request.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the request fulfillment logic further comprises a shipping notification logic configured to initiate a shipment of a tangible computer-usable data carrier having said content embodied within to satisfy said request.

36. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the content selection logic is at least partially responsive to a preference specified by an audience member.

37. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the content selection logic is at least partially responsive to a preference specified by an advertisement provider.

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the content selection logic is at least partially responsive to demographic information.

39. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said content is a commentary audio clip.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said commentary audio clip contains analysis audio, opinion audio, critical audio, parody audio, entertainment audio, participant audio related to said experiential data stream;

or advertising audio.

41. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said content is replacement/additional content.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said replacement/additional content is supplemental content for said experiential data stream, replacement content for said experiential data stream, additional content for said experiential data stream, or commercial content.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said replacement/additional content is an advertisement.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said replacement/additional content is related to said targeted portion of said experiential data stream.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said replacement/additional content is a parody content related to said experiential data stream, is additional content available but omitted from said experiential data stream, or is content having a different parental rating than the corresponding content in said targeted portion.