Method and apparatus for callback supplementation of media program metadata

• US 8,392,452 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2010
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hulu LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Hulu LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Yang, Ting-hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Anh
• Application Number:
  US12/875,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20120059847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 707/769, 707/770, 707/665, 707/E17.014, 707/E17.108, 707/E17.028, 707/796, 725/32, 725/86, 725/88, 725/116, 709/203, 709/217, 709/237
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for obtaining media program metadata is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of receiving a media program callback message in a content delivery system from a client device displaying a webpage retrieved from a host server, the media program embedded in the retrieved webpage, the callback message comprising a callback address to the webpage, and storing the address as metadata associated with the media program in the database.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining metadata associated with a media program, the method comprising:

receiving a media program callback message to request the media program at a content delivery system from a client device displaying a webpage retrieved from a host server, wherein;

the media program is embedded in the retrieved webpage,

the callback message is generated by the client device executing coded instructions in a source code for the webpage, and

a callback address to the webpage is included in the callback message by virtue of the callback message being generated;

parsing the callback message to determine the callback address;

receiving information for the webpage at the callback address;

scraping the information for the webpage to determine first metadata that is determined to be relevant to the media program in the webpage; and

storing the callback address as second metadata associated with the media program and the first metadata in the database, wherein the second metadata indicates the media program in embedded in the webpage identified by the callback address.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for instructions for embedding the media program in the webpage; and

transmitting the instructions for embedding the media program in the webpage hosted by the host server, the instructions including a callback to the media program provider.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a search request implicating the media program;

transmitting a search request result, the search request result including the callback address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content delivery system comprises a media server for streaming the media program to the client device and a media program provider for providing an address to the media program stored on the media server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a request to the callback address for the information for the web page, wherein the information is received in response to the request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information for the webpage comprises webpage source code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein scraping comprises:

determining third metadata associated with the media program; and

using the third metadata during the scraping process to determine if the first metadata is relevant to the media program.

8. An apparatus for obtaining metadata associated with a media program, comprising:

a content delivery system comprising a communications module for;

receiving a media program callback message to request the media program from a client device displaying a webpage retrieved from a host server, wherein;

the media program is embedded in the retrieved webpage,

the callback message is generated by the client device executing coded instructions in a source code for the webpage, and

a callback address to the webpage is included in the callback message by virtue of the callback message being generated;

parsing the callback message to determine the callback address;

receiving information for the webpage at the callback address;

scraping the information for the webpage to determine first metadata that is determined to be relevant to the media program in the webpage; and

a database for storing the callback address as second metadata associated with the media program and the first metadata, wherein the second metadata indicates the media program in embedded in the webpage identified by the callback address.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the communication module further receives a request for instructions for embedding the media program in the webpage, and transmits the instructions for embedding the media program in the webpage hosted by the host server, the instructions including a callback to the media program provider.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the communications module further receives a search request implicating the media program and transmits a search request result, the search request result including the callback address.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the content delivery system comprises a media server for streaming the media program to the client device and a media program provider for providing an address to the media program stored on the media server.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the communication module transmits a request to the callback address for the information for the web page, wherein the information is received in response to the request.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the information for the webpage comprises webpage source code.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein scraping comprises:

determining third metadata associated with the media program; and

using the third metadata during the scraping process to determine if the first metadata is relevant to the media program.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions, that when executed, control a computer system to be configured for:

receiving a media program callback message to request the media program at a content delivery system from a client device displaying a webpage retrieved from a host server, wherein;

the media program is embedded in the retrieved webpage,

the callback message is generated by the client device executing coded instructions in a source code for the webpage, and

a callback address to the webpage is included in the callback message by virtue of the callback message being generated;

parsing the callback message to determine the callback address;

receiving information for the webpage at the callback address;

scraping the information for the webpage to determine first metadata that is determined to be relevant to the media program in the webpage; and

storing the callback address as second metadata associated with the media program and the first metadata in the database, wherein the second metadata indicates the media program in embedded in the webpage identified by the callback address.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further operable for:

receiving a request for instructions for embedding the media program in the webpage; and

transmitting the instructions for embedding the media program in the webpage hosted by the host server, the instructions including a callback to the media program provider.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, further operable for:

receiving a search request implicating the media program device;

transmitting a search request result, the search request result including the callback address.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the content delivery system comprises a media server for streaming the media program to the client device and a media program provider for providing an address to the media program stored on the media server.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further operable for:

transmitting a request to the callback address or the information for the web page, wherein the information is received in response to the request.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the information for the webpage comprises webpage source code.