Methods and apparatus for selecting and pushing customized electronic media content

• US 8,429,702 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yasrebi, Mehrad, Ku, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saint Cyr, Jean D
• Application Number:
  US11/530,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20080086750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,416 Days
• Field of Search: 725/105
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/60 Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client , e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information

Abstract

Methods and an apparatus for selecting and pushing customized electronic media content are disclosed. An example method selects a piece of electronic media content based on user characteristic data associated with a user; identifies a storage capacity of a user device associated with the user; and pushes at least a first portion of the selected piece of electronic media content to a user device associated with the user prior to the user demanding the selected piece of electronic media content, the first portion being selected based on the storage capacity of the user device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

comparing at a headend a characteristic associated with a user to an attribute associated with a first piece of electronic media content, wherein the user has a first media device having first capabilities and a second media device having second capabilities;

automatically selecting, via a processor, the first piece of electronic media content to convey to the user when the attribute associated with the first piece of electronic media content matches the characteristic associated with the user;

segmenting the first piece of electronic media content into a first plurality of portions in a first manner according to the first capabilities of the first device and storing the first plurality of portions in a buffer;

when the second capabilities of the second device are different from the first capabilities of the first device, segmenting the first piece of electronic media content into a second plurality of portions in a second manner different from the first manner according to the second capabilities of the second device and storing the second plurality of portions in the buffer, the second plurality of portions to be sized differently than the first plurality of portions;

pushing a first one of the first plurality of portions of the first piece of electronic media content to the first device prior to the user requesting the first piece of electronic media content, and conveying a second one of the first plurality of portions to the first device in response to a user request; and

pushing a first one of the second plurality of portions of the first piece of electronic media content to the second device prior to the user requesting the first piece of electronic media content and conveying a second one of the second plurality of portions to the second device after waiting a threshold period of time from the pushing of the first one of the second plurality of portions, the first and second user devices having a tangible memory to store the selected piece of electronic media content, and the pushing of the selected piece being initiated by the processor;

wherein the selection and the pushing of the electronic media content are done based on a current and a future geographic location of the user and personal interests and preferences of the user and based on a commute time duration associated with a trip to be taken by the user and weighting values or scores associated with the electronic media content.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first piece of electronic media content comprises a piece of Internet protocol television content.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first user device includes at least one of a television set-top-box, a mobile set-top-box, a personal computer, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, or a portable media player.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein selecting the first piece of electronic media content further comprises selecting the first piece of electronic media content based on historical web search information associated with the user.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein selecting the piece of electronic media content further comprises:

obtaining a user data set numerically representing the characteristic associated with the user;

obtaining a first set of match variables associated with the piece of electronic media content;

obtaining a second set of match variables associated with a second piece of electronic media content;

computing a first aggregated score reflecting a degree of matching between the user data set and the first set of match variables;

computing a second aggregated score reflecting a degree of matching between the user data set and the second set of match variables; and

selecting the first piece of electronic media content to push to the user when the first aggregated score is greater than the second aggregated score.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, further comprising:

obtaining a set of weighting values; and

combining the user data set and the set of weighting values such that each of the weighting values weights a respective one of one or more characteristics in the user data set.

7. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein computing the first aggregated score comprises computing a dot product of the user data set and the second set of match variables.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first capabilities of the first user device include at least one of a class of the user device, a throughput to the user device, the storage capacity of the user device, a processing speed of the user device, or a storage access latency of the user device.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising automatically identifying the trip to be taken by the user with the processor based on an electronic calendar entry associated with the user.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising calculating the commute time duration associated with the trip by identifying a start time associated with an onset of a commute and identifying an end time associated with an end of the commute.

11. A tangible machine readable storage device located at a headend having instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to perform a method comprising:

comparing a characteristic associated with a user to an attribute associated with a first piece of electronic media content, wherein the user has a first media device having first capabilities and a second media device having second capabilities;

automatically selecting the first piece of electronic media content to convey to the user when the attribute associated with the first piece of electronic media content matches the characteristic associated with the user;

segmenting the first piece of electronic media content into a first plurality of portions in a first manner according to the first capabilities of the first device and storing the first plurality of portions in a buffer;

segmenting the first piece of electronic media content into a second plurality of portions in a second manner different from the first manner according to the second capabilities of the second device and storing the second plurality of portions in the buffer, the second plurality of portions to be sized differently than the first plurality of portions;

pushing a first one of the first plurality of portions of the first piece of electronic media content to the first device prior to a user request for the first piece of electronic media content;

pushing a first one of the second plurality of portions of the first piece of electronic media content to the second device prior to the user request;

when the user request is received from the first user device, conveying a second one of the first plurality of portions of the first piece of electronic media; and

when the user request is received from the second user device, conveying a second one of the second plurality of portions of the first piece of electronic media content to the second user device;

wherein the selection and the pushing of the electronic media content are done based on a current and a future geographic location of the user and personal interests and preferences of the user and based on a commute time duration associated with a trip to be taken by the user and weighting values or scores associated with the electronic media content.

12. A storage device as defined in claim 11, wherein the first user device includes at least one of a television set-top-box, a mobile set-top-box, a personal computer, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, or a portable media player.

13. A storage device as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions cause the machine to select the piece of electronic media content by:

obtaining a user data set numerically representing the characteristic associated with the user;

obtaining a first set of match variables associated with a first piece of electronic media content;

obtaining a second set of match variables associated with a second piece of electronic media content;

computing a first aggregated score reflecting a degree of matching between the user data set and the first set of match variables;

computing a second aggregated score reflecting a degree of matching between the user data set and the second set of match variables; and

selecting the first piece of electronic media content to push to the user when the first aggregated score is greater than the second aggregated score.

14. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 11 wherein the instructions cause the machine to calculate the commute time duration of a commute associated with the trip to be taken by the user by identifying a start time associated with an onset of the commute and identifying an end time associated with an end of the commute.

15. An apparatus located at a headend comprising:

a memory storing machine readable instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to implement operations comprising;

comparing a characteristic associated with a user to an attribute associated with a first piece of electronic media content, wherein the user has a first media device having first capabilities and a second media device having second capabilities;

selecting the first piece of electronic media content to convey to the user when the first piece of electronic media content matches the characteristic associated with the user;

segmenting the first piece of electronic media content into a first plurality of portions in a first manner according to the first capabilities of the first device and storing the first plurality of portions in a buffer;

when the second capabilities of the second device are different from the first capabilities of the first device, segmenting the first piece of electronic media content into a second plurality of portions in a second manner different from the first manner according to the second capabilities of the second device and storing the second plurality of portions in the buffer, the second plurality of portions to be sized differently than the first plurality of portions;

pushing a first one of the first plurality of portions of the first piece of electronic media content to the first device prior to the user requesting the first piece of electronic media content, and conveying a second one of the first plurality of portions to the first device in response to a user request; and

pushing a first one of the second plurality of portions of the first piece of electronic media content to the second user device prior to the user requesting the first piece of electronic media content and conveying a second one of the second plurality of portions to the second device after waiting a threshold period of time from the pushing of the first one of the second plurality of portions;

wherein the selection and the pushing of the electronic media content are done based on a current and a future geographic location of the user and personal interests and preferences of the user and based on a commute time duration associated with a trip to be taken by the user and weighting values or scores associated with the electronic media content.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the pushed electronic media content comprises Internet protocol television content.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the first user device includes at least one of a television set-top-box, a mobile set-top-box, a personal computer, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, or a portable media player.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise selecting the first piece of electronic media content based on historical web search information associated with the user.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise selecting the first piece of electronic media content based on at least one of a current geographic location associated with the user, a demographic characteristic associated with the user, or a psychographic characteristic associated with the user.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise selecting the piece of electronic media content by:

obtaining a user data set numerically representing the characteristic associated with the user;

obtaining a first set of match variables associated with the first piece of electronic media content;

obtaining a second set of match variables associated with a second piece of electronic media content;

computing a first aggregated score reflecting a degree of matching between the user data set and the first set of match variables;

computing a second aggregated score reflecting a degree of matching between the user data set and the second set of match variables; and

selecting the first piece of electronic media content to push to the user when the first aggregated score is greater than the second aggregated score.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein the operations further comprise selecting the piece of electronic media content by:

obtaining a set of weighting values; and

combining the user data set and the set of weighting values such that each of the weighting values weights a respective one of one or more characteristics in the first set.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein the operations further comprise computing the first aggregated score by computing a dot product of the user data set and the second set of match variables.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the attribute of the first user device includes at least one of a class of the user device, a throughput to the user device, a processing speed of the user device, or a storage access latency of the user device.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise calculating the commute time duration associated with the trip to be taken by the user by identifying a start time associated with an onset of a commute and identifying an end time associated with an end of the commute.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the operations further comprise automatically identifying the start time and the end time based on an electronic calendar entry associated with the user.