Content distribution system for generating content streams to suit different users and facilitating E-commerce transactions using broadcast content metadata

• US 8,032,580 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Inventors: Slik, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAYLES, ASHFORD S
• Application Number:
  US11/400,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,003 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A content distribution system is provided to facilitate e-commerce transactions for products and services associated with distributed content. A content stream comprising content blocks, reference content blocks and floating reference content blocks uses metadata to identify products and services associated with content blocks. The metadata and floating reference content blocks are used to substitute dynamically selected content for content blocks based on profiles of user(s), the broadcast station, the advertisement spot defined in the stream and content available for substitution. A market server determines optimal matches to support content substitution, and performs brokerage and bidding functions among suppliers of products or services associated with content selected by users.

Claims

1. A method of generating data streams with dynamically selected content comprising:

generating a data stream comprising content and metadata describing the content and how the content can be used and storing the data stream in a storage device for substitution;

transferring the data stream comprising the content and the metadata to another storage device that was selected depending on the metadata;

opening, at a router connected to at least one of the storage devices or other routers, a first user stream for transmission via a network to a user that is packetized into logical content blocks of different types comprising content blocks and at least one floating reference content block, and said floating reference content block being initially empty and later resolved to a content block; and

via the router, at least part of the data stream for said floating reference substituting, content block in said first user stream by looking up a reference in said floating reference content block to content selected for the user based on its metadata, the reference corresponding to the data stream, and opening the data stream from whichever one of said storage device and said another storage device is local to the user.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said storage device and said another storage device is a distribution router that is locally-connected to the user.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein transferring comprises transferring the data stream comprising the content and the metadata to different storage locations depending on the metadata.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first user stream is packetized into logical content blocks of said different types comprising said content blocks, reference content blocks and said floating reference content blocks, said content blocks comprising at least one of metadata and data, said reference content blocks comprising a reference to another content block, and said floating reference content block being initially empty and later resolved to a content block or reference content block, and substituting further comprises:

resolving said floating reference block into at least one of a content block comprising the selected content and a reference content block comprising a reference to at least one content block comprising the selected content.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metadata comprises data specifying at least one of duration of a content block, number of bytes in a content block, title of content, type of block, security options, security options relating to at least one of encryption, decryption and integrity of the content, a description of the content, format of the at least one of content in a content block selected from the group consisting of audio, video, text, graphics, multimedia information, and data, a description of associated products, a description of the content owner, a description of user rights, unique block identifiers, and a description of how content can be used.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metadata is transferred via at least one of in-band transmission by embedding in said first content stream and out-of-band transmission.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data stream is used to generate different content streams having different content selected for different users and specified via reference content blocks resolved from said floating reference content blocks in said data stream, and said user devices are operable to switch between said different content streams using the metadata.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said content blocks are selected from the group consisting of text, graphics, and multimedia information.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein substituting further comprises:

selecting a first content block from among a plurality of content blocks comprising unique identifiers in said first user stream;

receiving a first stream address corresponding to the first requested content block;

opening a first stream using the first stream address;

receiving a reference content block in said first stream, said reference content block comprising a reference to another one of said plurality of content blocks;

requesting a second content block associated with said another one of said plurality of content blocks;

receiving a second stream address corresponding to said second requested content block; and

opening a second stream using said second stream address.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a floating reference content block in said first user stream that comprises no content;

resolving said floating reference content block into at least one of a selected content block and a reference content block that refers to another selected content block based on said user; and

substituting at least one of said selected content block and said reference content block for said floating reference content block in said first user stream.