Apparatus and method for managing media content
First Claim
1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- monitoring media content for presentation by a set top box, wherein the monitoring of the media content is based on information extracted from at least one of playback recordings and viewing of regularly scheduled recordings, wherein the scheduled recordings are of media programming scheduled for future broadcast;
monitoring at least a query of a plurality of media sources over the Internet for ancillary information;
determining related media content having a degree of relation to the media content while the media content is being presented and having a degree of relation to the query of the plurality of media sources for ancillary information, wherein the media content and the related media content differ in content;
querying the plurality of media sources over the Internet for the ancillary information associated with the related media content;
parsing the ancillary information based on content criteria, wherein the ancillary information is at least one among a video blog, a pod cast, and a website, and wherein the content criteria is based at least in part on viewed previous ancillary information;
retrieving access information associated with each of the media sources and the related media content;
presenting viewing options based at least in part on the media content and the access information, wherein the access information includes information regarding complimentary episodes and fee-based episodes; and
providing access to the related media content based upon a selection of one of the viewing options.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box having a controller to present media content to a user, and provide the user with access to related media content based upon access information, where the related media content is determined based upon monitoring of the media content, where the related media content is retrieved based on a query of a plurality of sources over the Internet, and where the access information is associated with each of the plurality of sources. Other embodiments are disclosed.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
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monitoring media content for presentation by a set top box, wherein the monitoring of the media content is based on information extracted from at least one of playback recordings and viewing of regularly scheduled recordings, wherein the scheduled recordings are of media programming scheduled for future broadcast; monitoring at least a query of a plurality of media sources over the Internet for ancillary information; determining related media content having a degree of relation to the media content while the media content is being presented and having a degree of relation to the query of the plurality of media sources for ancillary information, wherein the media content and the related media content differ in content; querying the plurality of media sources over the Internet for the ancillary information associated with the related media content; parsing the ancillary information based on content criteria, wherein the ancillary information is at least one among a video blog, a pod cast, and a website, and wherein the content criteria is based at least in part on viewed previous ancillary information; retrieving access information associated with each of the media sources and the related media content; presenting viewing options based at least in part on the media content and the access information, wherein the access information includes information regarding complimentary episodes and fee-based episodes; and providing access to the related media content based upon a selection of one of the viewing options. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A server, comprising a memory coupled with a controller configured to:
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monitor media content for presentation by a set top box, wherein the monitoring of the media content is based on scheduled recordings of media programming scheduled for future broadcast; monitor at least a query of a plurality of sources over the Internet for ancillary information; determine related media content having a degree of relation to the media content while the media content is being presented by the set top box and having a degree of relation to the query of the plurality of sources for ancillary information, wherein the media content and the related media content are distinct; query the plurality of sources over the Internet for the ancillary information associated with the related media content and access information associated with each of the plurality of sources; parse the ancillary information based on content criteria, wherein the ancillary information is at least one among a video blog, a pod cast, and a website, and wherein the content criteria is based at least in part on viewed previous ancillary information; and provide access on the set top box to a selected one of the related media content based upon the access information, wherein the access information includes information distinguishing between complimentary episodes and fee-based episodes. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A server, comprising a memory coupled with a controller configured to:
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monitor media content for presentation by a set top box wherein the monitoring of the media content is based on scheduled recordings of media programming scheduled for future broadcast; monitor at least a query of a plurality of sources over the Internet for ancillary information having a degree of relation to the media content while the media content is being presented, wherein the media content and the ancillary information differ in content; determine related media content having a degree of relation to the media content while the media content is being presented by the set top box and having a degree of relation to the query of the plurality of sources for ancillary information; query the plurality of sources over the Internet for the ancillary information associated with the related media content and access information associated with each of the plurality of sources; parse the ancillary information based on a content criteria wherein the ancillary information is at least one among a video blog, a pod cast, and a website, and wherein the content criteria is based at least in part on viewed previous ancillary information; and provide access on the set top box to a selected one of the related media content based upon the access information, wherein the access information includes information distinguishing between complimentary episodes and fee-based episodes. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A set top box, comprising a controller to:
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present media content, wherein the media content is monitored based on at least scheduled recordings of media programming scheduled for future broadcast and based on at least a query of a plurality of media sources over the Internet for ancillary information; provide access to related media content based upon access information, wherein the related media content is determined according to a degree of relation to the media content while the media content is being presented and based on a degree of relation to the query of the plurality of media sources for ancillary information, wherein the related media content is retrieved based on the query of a plurality of sources over the Internet, and wherein the access information is associated with each of the plurality of sources, and the access information includes information distinguishing between complimentary episodes and fee-based episodes; wherein the controller is adapted to provide access to a selection of ancillary information, wherein the ancillary information is determined based at least in part on the viewed previous ancillary information and based at least in part on the monitoring of the media content and a query of a plurality of sources over the Internet for the ancillary information, and wherein the ancillary information is parsed by the controller based on a content criteria wherein the ancillary information is at least one among a video blog, a pod cast, and a website; and present viewing options based on the media content and the access information. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method at a network element, comprising:
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monitoring media content for presentation by a set top box, wherein the monitoring of the media content is based on at least scheduled recordings of media programming scheduled for future broadcast; monitoring at least a query of a plurality of media sources over the Internet for ancillary information determining related media content having a degree of relation to the media content while the media content is being presented and having a degree of relation to the query of the plurality of media sources for ancillary information; querying the plurality of media sources over the Internet for the ancillary information associated with the related media content from the network element; parsing the ancillary information based on content criteria, wherein the ancillary information is at least one among a video blog, a pod cast, and a website, and wherein the content criteria is based at least in part on viewed previous ancillary information; retrieving access information associated with each of the media sources wherein the access information includes information distinguishing between complimentary episodes and fee-based episodes; and presenting viewing options based on the media content and the access information.
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Specification