Subscription and channel management technology

• US 8,370,874 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PurpleComm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PurpleComm Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, Jack H., Sheu, William H., Tuan, Sherman
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US12/795,019
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 725 44- 47, 725/116
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

Subscription and channel management technology, in which a system allows a user to subscribe to a subset of the available channels on a content delivery network and personalize at least one channel. The system identifies a user identity of the user and stores, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity based on the subset of channels to which the user subscribed and the user personalization. The system identifies a downloader device associated with the user identity and controls the downloader device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database.

Claims

1. A method of providing channel information to users of a content delivery network, the method comprising:

enabling a user to subscribe to available channels on a content delivery network;

receiving, from the user, subscription to a subset of the available channels on the content delivery network;

receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel;

identifying a user identity of the user;

storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity based on the subset of channels to which the user subscribed and the user personalization;

identifying a media device associated with the user identity; and

controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database,

wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel comprises;

displaying representations of content files from a private collection of the user;

after displaying representations of content files included in the private collection of the user, receiving, from the user, input selecting one or more of the content files from the private collection of the user to include in a channel to which the user subscribed; and

based on the input selecting the one or more content files, including the one or more content files from the private collection of the user in the channel to which the user subscribed such that the channel includes content files added to the channel by a content curator that is different than the user and the one or more content files from the private collection of the user.

2. The method of claim 1:

wherein enabling a user to subscribe to available channels on a content delivery network comprises displaying, to the user, channel information for channels available on the content delivery network,

wherein receiving, from the user, subscription to a subset of the available channels on the content delivery network comprises receiving, from the user, user input subscribing to a subset of channels included in the displayed channel information.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein enabling a user to subscribe to available channels on a content delivery network further comprises:

displaying, to the user, preview content for the channels available on the content delivery network; and

enabling subscription to a subset of channels included in the displayed channel information based on review of the preview content.

4. The method of claim 1:

wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel comprises receiving user input assigning a channel number to a channel subscribed to by the user;

wherein storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity comprises storing the assigned channel number of the channel in the user database; and

wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises making the channel available on the media device at the assigned channel number.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel comprises receiving user input assigning a genre to a channel subscribed to by the user;

wherein storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity comprises storing the assigned genre of the channel in the user database; and

wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises making the channel available on the media device at the assigned genre.

6. The method of claim 1:

wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel comprises receiving, from the user, user input adding one or more content files to a channel;

wherein storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity comprises setting a personalized definition of the channel based on the received user input and storing the personalized definition of the channel in the user database; and

wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises making the personalized definition of the channel available to the media device.

7. The method of claim 6:

wherein receiving, from the user, user input adding one or more content files to a channel comprises receiving, from the user, user input adding one or more content files to a user-defined channel that only includes content files added by the user;

wherein setting a personalized definition of the channel based on the received user input comprises defining the user-defined channel to include the one or more content files; and

wherein making the personalized definition of the channel available to the media device comprises making the user-defined channel available to the media device.

8. The method of claim 6:

wherein receiving, from the user, user input adding one or more content files to a channel comprises receiving, from the user, user input adding one or more content files to a channel defined by a content curator that includes content files added by the content curator;

wherein setting a personalized definition of the channel based on the received user input comprises supplementing the channel to include the one or more content files added by the user in addition to the content files added by the content curator; and

wherein making the personalized definition of the channel available to the media device comprises making the supplemented channel available to the media device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

retrieving, from the user database, channel links for the subset of channels subscribed to by the user;

sending the retrieved channels links to the media device; and

controlling the media device to monitor for updates to channel information for channels subscribed to by the user using the channel links.

10. The method of claim 9:

wherein identifying a media device associated with the user identity comprises mapping the user identity to an address of the media device at which the media device is available on a network; and

wherein sending the retrieved channels links to the media device comprises sending the retrieved channels links to the address.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

retrieving, from the user database, personalization information for the at least one channel;

sending the retrieved personalization information to the media device; and

controlling the media device to modify the at least one channel in accordance with the retrieved personalization information.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

receiving an update to a channel subscribed to by the user;

controlling the media device to download updated channel information published at a channel link that corresponds to the updated channel; and

controlling the media device to download new content added to the updated channel based on the updated channel information.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving an indication that the media device downloaded the new content added to the updated channel; and

storing a download record in the user database to indicate that the media device has downloaded the new content added to the updated channel.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

receiving an update to supplemental channel information for a channel subscribed to by the user;

controlling the media device to download the updated supplemental channel information published at a channel link that corresponds to the channel; and

controlling the media device to control previously-stored content for the channel based on the updated supplemental channel information.

15. The method of claim 1:

wherein receiving, from the user, subscription to a subset of the available channels on the content delivery network comprises receiving, from a first user, subscription to a first subset of the available channels on the content delivery network and receiving, from a second user, subscription to a second subset of the available channels on the content delivery network, the first user being different than the second user and the first subset of the channels being different than the second subset of the channels;

wherein identifying a user identity of the user comprises identifying a first user identity of the first user and identifying a second user identity of the second user;

wherein storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity comprises storing, in the user database, first channel subscription information for the first user identity based on the first subset of channels to which the first user subscribed and storing, in the user database, second channel subscription information for the second user identity based on the second subset of channels to which the second user subscribed;

wherein identifying a media device associated with the user identity comprises identifying a first media device associated with the first user identity and identifying a second media device associated with the second user identity; and

wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises controlling the first media device based on the first channel subscription information stored in the user database and controlling the second media device based on the second channel subscription information stored in the user database.

16. The method of claim 1:

wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel comprises receiving, from a first user, first personalization of a first channel subscribed to by the first user and receiving, from a second user, second personalization of the first channel subscribed to by the second user, the first user being different than the second user and the first personalization being different than the second personalization;

wherein identifying a user identity of the user comprises identifying a first user identity of the first user and identifying a second user identity of the second user;

wherein storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity comprises storing, in the user database, first channel subscription information for the first user identity based on the first personalization to the first channel and storing, in the user database, second channel subscription information for the second user identity based on the second personalization to the first channel;

wherein identifying a media device associated with the user identity comprises identifying a first media device associated with the first user identity and identifying a second media device associated with the second user identity; and

wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises controlling the first media device to personalize the first channel for the first user based on the first channel subscription information stored in the user database and controlling the second media device to personalize the first channel for the second user based on the second channel subscription information stored in the user database.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein enabling a user to subscribe to available channels on a content delivery network comprises enabling a user to subscribe to available channels that are each defined by a different content curator.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

retrieving, from the user database, the channel subscription information; and

sending the retrieved channel subscription information to the media device.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel comprises receiving, from the user, input defining a personal channel for the user that includes content files selected by the user to include in the personal channel.

20. A system comprising:

at least one computer; and

at least one computer-readable medium coupled to the at least one computer having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one computer, causes the at least one computer to perform operations comprising;

enabling a user to subscribe to available channels on a content delivery network;

receiving, from the user, subscription to a subset of the available channels on the content delivery network;

receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel;

identifying a user identity of the user;

storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity based on the subset of channels to which the user subscribed and the user personalization;

identifying a media device associated with the user identity; and

controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database,

wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel comprises;

displaying representations of content files from a private collection of the user;

after displaying representations of content files included in the private collection of the user, receiving, from the user, input selecting one or more of the content files from the private collection of the user to include in a channel to which the user subscribed; and

based on the input selecting the one or more content files, including the one or more content files from the private collection of the user in the channel to which the user subscribed such that the channel includes content files added to the channel by a content curator that is different than the user and the one or more content files from the private collection of the user.

21. At least one computer-readable storage medium encoded with at least one computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

enabling a user to subscribe to available channels on a content delivery network;

receiving, from the user, subscription to a subset of the available channels on the content delivery network;

receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel;

identifying a user identity of the user;

storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity based on the subset of channels to which the user subscribed and the user personalization;

identifying a media device associated with the user identity; and

controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database,

wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel comprises;

displaying representations of content files from a private collection of the user;

after displaying representations of content files included in the private collection of the user, receiving, from the user, input selecting one or more of the content files from the private collection of the user to include in a channel to which the user subscribed; and

based on the input selecting the one or more content files, including the one or more content files from the private collection of the user in the channel to which the user subscribed such that the channel includes content files added to the channel by a content curator that is different than the user and the one or more content files from the private collection of the user.