Consuming paid media in an internet-based content platform

• US 8,850,490 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, John, Balasubramanian, Prabhu, Parikh, Akash Hasmukh, Thompson, Robert Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Saltarelli, Dominic D
• Application Number:
  US13/921,489
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• 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 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• 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 21/25891 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 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4185 for payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed

Abstract

An internet-based content platform that includes subscribable paid channels is provided. The internet-based content platform receives, via a user interface, a request of an end user to subscribe to a paid channel. The paid channel is one of a plurality of channels of the internet-based content platform and has dynamically changed content. The internet-based content platform requests, via the user interface, end user information that includes payment information of the end user. The internet-based content platform receives the end user information and creates a subscription to the paid channel for the end user based on the end user information. The internet-based content platform provides, via the user interface, access to the content of the paid channel to the end user at substantially the same time as creating the subscription for the end user.

Claims

1. A method, implemented by an internet-based content platform, comprising:

receiving, via a user interface, a request of an end user to subscribe to a paid channel of the internet-based content platform, the paid channel being one of a plurality of channels of the internet-based content platform and having dynamically changed content, the paid channel being presented to the end user with an indicator of a subscription status of the end user with respect to the paid channel;

identifying end user information comprising payment information of the end user;

creating a subscription to the paid channel for the end user based on the end user information;

providing, via the user interface, access to the content of the paid channel to the end user at substantially the same time as creating the subscription for the end user; and

causing the indicator of the subscription status of the end user to be changed to indicate that the end user is subscribed to the paid channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the internet-based content platform facilitates at least one of content uploading, content sharing, feedback sharing, or content curation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels are curated by different channel curators.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising

receiving a request of a curator of the paid channel to add a new media item to the paid channel;

adding the new media item to the paid channel in real time in response to the request of the curator of the paid channel to the internet-based content platform; and

presenting the new media item as part of the paid channel immediately after the new media item is added to the paid channel.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising

receiving a request of a curator of the paid channel to remove an existing media item from the paid channel;

and

removing the existing media item from the paid channel in real time in response to the request of the curator of the paid channel to the internet-based content platform.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the end user information comprises receiving payment information from the end user, wherein the payment information comprises one of:

credit card information, bank information, digital currency information, digital wallet information, or electronic payment information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the access to the content of the paid channel is provided to the end user via a user device used by the end user to submit the request to subscribe to the paid channel, wherein the user device is one of a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet, an e-reader, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a cellular phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access to the content of the paid channel to the end user comprises:

adding media items of the paid channel to a user feed generated for the end user; and

presenting the user feed to the end user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user feed comprises at least one free media item and at least one paid media item, wherein the at least one free media item is available via the user feed after the user has subscribed to the paid channel.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a request to unsubscribe the end user from the paid channel; and

preventing media items of the paid channel from appearing in the user feed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access to the content of the paid channel to the end user comprises:

adding the paid channel to a user subscription list of the end user;

presenting the user subscription list to the end user;

receiving a selection of the paid channel from the user subscription list; and

presenting media items of the paid channel to the end user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access to the content of the paid channel to the end user comprises:

receiving, via the user interface, a search query from the end user;

presenting, via the user interface and in response to the search query, a search result comprising at least one media item of the paid channel;

receiving, via the user interface, a selection of one of the at least one media item of the paid channel; and

playing, via the user interface, the selected media item of the paid channel to the end user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing access to the content of the paid channel to the end user via an additional user interface of the internet-based content platform, the additional user interface (UI) comprising at least one of a channel UI, a composite channel UI, a component channel UI, a video recommendation UI.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the paid channel is a composite channel that comprises a plurality of component channels.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the paid channel is a composite channel comprising at least one component channel and at least one media item that is not part of any component channel.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising

receiving a request to unsubscribe the end user from the paid channel;

causing the indicator of the subscription status of the end user to be changed to indicate that the end user is not subscribed to the paid channel; and

preventing the end user from accessing paid items of the paid channel in response to the request to unsubscribe.

17. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processing device coupled with the memory, the processing device being configured to

receive a request of an end user to subscribe to a paid channel of an internet-based content platform, the paid channel being one of a plurality of channels of the internet-based content platform and having dynamically changed content, the paid channel being presented to the end user with an indicator of a subscription status of the end user with respect to the paid channel;

identify end user information comprising payment information of the end user;

create a subscription to the paid channel for the end user based on the end user information;

provide access to the content of the paid channel to the end user at substantially the same time as creating the subscription for the end user; and

cause the indicator of the subscription status of the end user to be changed to indicate that the end user is subscribed to the paid channel.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the internet-based content platform facilitates at least one of content uploading, content sharing, feedback sharing, or content curation.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing device is further configured to

receive a request of a curator of the paid channel to remove an existing media item from the paid channel;

and

remove the existing media item from the paid channel in real time in response to the request of the curator of the paid channel to the internet-based content platform.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein when identifying the end user information, the processing device being further configured to receive payment information from the end user, wherein the payment information comprises one of:

credit card information, bank information, digital currency information, digital wallet information, or electronic payment information.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein when providing access to the content of the paid channel to the end user, the processing device being configured to

add media items of the paid channel to a user feed generated for the end user;

and

present the user feed to the end user.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, having instructions stored therein, which when executed, cause a processing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, via a user interface, a request of an end user to subscribe to a paid channel of an internet-based content platform, the paid channel being one of a plurality of channels of an internet-based content platform and having dynamically changed content, the paid channel being presented to the end user with an indicator of a subscription status of the end user with respect to the paid channel;

identifying end user information comprising payment information of the end user;

creating a subscription to the paid channel for the end user based on the end user information;

providing, via the user interface, access to the content of the paid channel to the end user at substantially the same time as creating the subscription for the end user; and

causing the indicator of the subscription status of the end user to be changed to indicate that the end user is subscribed to the paid channel.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the processing device to further perform operations comprising:

receiving a request of a curator of the paid channel to add a new media item to the paid channel;

adding the new media item to the paid channel in real time in response to the request of the curator of the paid channel to the internet-based content platform; and

presenting the new media item as part of the paid channel immediately after the new media item is added to the paid channel.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the processing device to further perform operations comprising

receiving a request of a curator of the paid channel to remove an existing media item from the paid channel;

and

removing the existing media item from the paid channel in real time in response to the request of the curator of the paid channel to the internet-based content platform.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the processing device to further perform operations comprising:

adding media items of the paid channel to a user feed generated for the end user, wherein the user feed comprises at least one free media item and at least one paid media item, wherein the at least one free media item is available via the user feed after the user has subscribed to the paid channel; and

presenting the user feed to the end user.