Guide based content services

• US 8,595,373 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tunein Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tuneln Incorporated
• Inventors: Moore, William, Hutchings, Thomas, McIntosh, David, Lau, Edwin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zong, Ruolei
• Application Number:
  US12/011,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20090193134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/200, 709/213, 709217-219, 709/224, 709201-203, 707/711, 707/755
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44226 on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Systems are described for a guide of audio, video, multimedia transmission, receiving and playback with advertising and bi-directional fulfillment of goods and services over the Internet. A method of streaming content distribution includes creating data on streaming content; creating data on network locations of streaming content; creating data on access characteristics; locating a source of streaming content with a with a streaming content guide; and starting playback of streaming content from the source of streaming content. A streaming content distribution system includes a streaming content guide through which a user locates a source of streaming content and starts playback of streaming content; data on streaming content; data on network locations of streaming content; and data on access characteristics.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of facilitating access to streaming content, the method being implemented in a computer system that includes one or more physical processors, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a user device for access to user selected content, where the user device includes a central processor unit and a physical display;

invoking a streaming content guide that indicates where content streams are available to the user device over a network, the streaming content guide including;

data on content available in the content streams; and

data on the content streams, such data including an individual content stream network location and one or more stream parameters;

locating in the streaming content guide a plurality of content streams available to the user device, wherein the plurality of content streams includes the user selected content;

identifying one of the plurality of content streams that includes the user selected content for access by the user device based on at least one of the one or more stream parameters included in the streaming content guide, wherein the at least one stream parameter on which the identification of the identified content stream is based includes one or more of a metric related to historical playback reliability or a commercial business relationship; and

facilitating access to the identified content stream for the user device by providing a content stream network location indicated in the streaming content guide for the identified content stream to the user device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data on the content is collected using automated software importing structured feeds and external sources, a web-based content management system for manual entry, and feedback and edits supplied by a moderated or un-moderated user community that include feedback and edits.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system implementing the method is physically and logically discrete from providers of the content streams that provide the content streams in which the content is available to the public.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providers of the content streams which are physically and logically discrete from the computer system implementing the method are owners of the streaming content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content stream network location is hosted separately from the streaming content guide.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein access to the data on the content is available through an application programming interface.

7. The method of claim 6, where the application programming interface is accessible to a player for streaming content to provide a user access to the guide on the player.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified content streams are hosted by different content stream providers.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein metadata related to the content stream is hosted is hosted separately from the streaming content guide and is available at the content stream network location.

10. A streaming content distribution system, comprising:

a server hosting a streaming content guide that facilitates access to a plurality of content streams that are hosted separately from the streaming content guide by other servers,

the server including;

non-transient electronic storage media that stores;

data on content available in the content streams; and

data on the content streams, such data including an individual content stream network location and one or more stream parameters; and

a processor configured;

to receive a request from a user device for access to user selected content, where the user device includes a central processor unit and a physical display;

to locate in the streaming content guide a plurality of content streams available to the user device, wherein the plurality of content streams includes the user selected content;

to identify one of the plurality of content streams that includes the user selected content for access by the user device based on at least one of the one or more stream parameters included in the streaming content guide, wherein the at least one stream parameter on which the identification of the identified content stream is based includes one or more of a metric related to historical playback reliability or a commercial business relationship; and

to facilitate access to the identified content stream for the user device by providing a content stream network location indicated in the streaming content guide for the identified content stream to the user device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein access to the streaming content guide is available through an application programming interface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein a player for streaming content executed on the user device uses the application programming interface to provide a user access to the streaming content guide.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the server is logically and physically discrete from the other servers hosting the content streams.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic storage media and the processor are further configured such that the identified content streams are hosted by different content stream providers.