System and method for delivering content to users on a network

• US 8,880,677 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2006
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm Atheros Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm Connected Experiences, Inc. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Julia, Luc, Behrens, James, Le Nerriec, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Linglan
• Assistant Examiner(s): COSBY, LAWRENCE V
• Application Number:
  US11/325,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,227 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/437 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialisation, adaptation, distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Targeted content may be provided to a designated set of one or more interconnected resources. Programmatic operations are executed using resources that are private to the one or more interconnected devices. The operations, when executed, cause or result in (i) monitoring activities of one or more users of the designated set; (ii) developing profile information of the one or more users, where the profile information is based at least partially on information determined from monitoring activities of the one or more users; (iii) generating, from the profile information, a set of coded data that represent selection criteria; and (iv) communicating the set of coded data to a programmatic source external to the system, where the represented selection criteria enables programmatic selection of content resources from a content library for the system.

Claims

1. A method for providing content, the method comprising:

(a) identifying a plurality of devices that are part of a personal network of a user, the plurality of devices including at least a first device, and a second device that is connected to the first device across one or more networks;

(b) monitoring the plurality of devices in order to collect data that identifies a plurality of activities of different types performed by the user when operating individual devices of the personal network;

wherein monitoring the plurality of devices includes using the first device to monitor, across the one or more networks, at least the second device in order to collect data that identifies activities performed by the user when operating the second device;

(c) determining profile information for the user, wherein the profile information is based at least in part on data collected from monitoring the plurality of devices;

(d) receiving data from a source external to the personal network that specifies one or more rules or conditions;

(e) analyzing the profile information using the one or more rules or conditions;

(f) selecting one or more content items to target to the user based at least in part on analyzing the profile information; and

(g) distributing content that is based on the selected one or more content items, including distributing the content from at least the first device across the one or more networks to at least the second device;

wherein steps (a) through (g) are performed on resources that are part of the personal network of the user, without communicating the profile information outside of the personal network of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the plurality of devices includes monitoring at least the second device, from the first device, for a media rendering activity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the plurality of devices includes monitoring at least the second device, from the first device, for a streaming media selection.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the media rendering activity includes the user playing back music and/or video using a media file stored on the second device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the media rendering activity includes the user selecting to have media streamed from a network service to the second device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein (c) further comprises determining profile information through input provided by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the plurality of activities includes monitoring the user in using multiple devices in the plurality of devices that form the personal network.

8. A system comprising:

multiple devices that form a personal network of a user, the multiple computing devices including a first device that is connected to a second device across one or more networks;

wherein the first device operates to provide;

a profile engine to determine profile information for the user of the personal network, the profile information including information that identifies media consumption activities performed by the user on each of the multiple devices of the personal network;

a content selection module to communicate a set of coded data to an external source from the personal network of the user, wherein the set of coded data represents selection criteria determined from the profile information; and

a content distribution module that receives a set of content items from the external source that are selected for the personal network based at least in part on the selection criteria, the content distribution module distributing content corresponding to individual content items in the set of content items to at least the second device of the personal network across the one or more networks.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the profile engine monitors the second device in order to identify activities of the user in connection with the user rendering media using the second device.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a profile data store that retains the profile information on a resource of the personal network.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising a heuristic engine that uses a heuristic model to generate the set of coded data from the profile engine.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the heuristic model is created at least in part using heuristic model data received from the external source.

13. A system comprising:

multiple devices that form a personal network of a user, the multiple computing devices including a first device that is connected to a second device across one or more networks;

a plurality of agents, each agent operating on one or more of the multiple devices that are part of the personal network, the plurality of agents (i) identifying different types of activities, including at least one activity other than web browsing, in which the user selects to consume media, and (ii) obtain profile information about media that is consumed using each of the multiple devices of the personal network;

a heuristic engine provided on at least the first device to;

receive a set of heuristics from an external source;

identify profile information from the data structure based in part on the set of heuristics;

determine selection criteria based at least in part on the profile information; and

communicate the selection criteria to an external source from the personal network; and

a content distribution module provided on at least the first device, the content distribution module receiving a set of content items from the external source, the set of content items being selected for the personal network based at least in part on the selection criteria, wherein the content distribution module distributes content corresponding to individual content items in the set of content items to at least the second device of the personal network across the one or more networks;

wherein the profile information is (i) obtained by the plurality of agents, (ii) stored in the data structure, and (iii) used by the heuristic engine without the profile information being communicated outside of the personal network of the user.

14. A method for providing content items to a personal network of a user, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:

(a) monitoring multiple devices that form the personal network, in order to collect data that identifies activities of the user on each of the multiple devices in which the user selects to consume media, the multiple devices including at least a first device and a second device, the first device being connected to the second device across one or more networks;

(b) receiving heuristic model data to identify a set of heuristics;

(c) determining profile information based at least in part on the data collected from monitoring the multiple devices of the personal network;

(d) generating a coded data set based at least in part on the set of heuristics and the profile information, the coded data set corresponding to selection criteria that is based at least in part on the profile information;

(e) receiving, on at least the first device, a set of content items from an external source based at least in part on the selection criteria; and

(f) distributing, from at least the first device, content corresponding to individual content items in the set of content items to at least the second device across the one or more networks;

wherein at least (a) through (d) are performed privately, so as to be performed on resources that are part of the personal network of the user, and without the profile information being communicated outside of the personal network of the user.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising formulating a request for content that is selected based on the coded data set, the request being formulated without the profile information that identifies media rendered or consumed by the one or more users being communicated outside of the personal network of the user.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein (b) includes receiving updates to the heuristic model data.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein monitoring the plurality of devices includes monitoring at least the second device, from the first device, for a media rendering activity.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein monitoring the plurality of devices includes monitoring at least the second device, from the first device, a streaming media selection.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the media rendering activity includes the user playing back music and/or video using a media file stored on the second device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the media rendering activity includes the user selecting to have media streamed from a network service to the second device.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions, including instructions that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations that include:

(a) identifying a plurality of devices that are part of a personal network of a user, the personal network of the user including at least a first device and a second device, the second device being connected to the first device across one or more networks;

(b) monitoring the plurality of devices in order to collect data that identifies a plurality of activities of different types performed by the user when operating individual devices of the personal network;

wherein monitoring the plurality of devices includes using the first device to monitor, across the one or more networks, at least the second device in order to collect data that identifies activities performed by the user when operating the second device;

(c) determining profile information for the user, wherein the profile information is based at least in part on data collected from monitoring the plurality of devices;

(d) receiving data from a source external to the personal network that specifies one or more rules or conditions;

(e) analyzing the profile information using the one or more rules or conditions;

(f) selecting one or more content items to target to the user based at least in part on analyzing the profile information; and

(g) distributing content that is based on the selected one or more content items, including distributing the content from at least the first device across the one or more networks to one or more devices of the personal network, including the second device;

wherein (a) through (f) are performed on resources that are part of the personal network of the user, without communicating the profile information outside of the personal network of the user.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21,

wherein instructions for monitoring the plurality of devices includes monitoring, from the first device, a media rendering activity performed on the second device.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein instructions for monitoring the plurality of devices includes instructions for monitoring, from the first device, a streaming media selection made on the second device.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the media rendering activity includes the user playing back music and/or video using a media file stored on the second device.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the media rendering activity includes the user selecting to have media streamed from a network service to the second device.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions, including instructions that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations that include:

(a) monitoring multiple devices that form a personal network, in order to collect data that identifies activities of a user on each of the multiple devices in which the user selects to consume media, the multiple devices including at least a first device and a second device, the first device being connected to the second device across one or more networks;

(b) receiving heuristic model data to identify a set of heuristics;

(c) determining profile information based at least in part on the data collected from monitoring the multiple devices of the personal network;

(d) generating a coded data set based at least in part on the set of heuristics and the profile information, the coded data set corresponding to selection criteria that is based at least in part on the profile information;

(e) receiving, on at least the first device, a set of content items from an external source based at least in part on the selection criteria; and

(f) distributing, from at least the first device, content corresponding to individual content items in the set of content items to at least the second device across the one or more networks;

wherein at least (a) through (d) are performed privately, so as to be performed on resources that are part of the personal network of the user, and without the profile information being communicated outside of the personal network of the user.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for formulating a request for content that is selected based on the coded data set, the request being formulated without the profile information that identifies media rendered or consumed by the user being communicated outside of the personal network of the user.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein instructions for receiving the heuristic model data includes receiving updates to the heuristic model data.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein instructions for monitoring the multiple devices includes monitoring, from the first device, a media rendering activity performed on the second device.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein instructions for monitoring the multiple devices includes instructions for monitoring, from the first device, a streaming media selection made on the second device.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the media rendering activity includes the user playing back music and/or video using a media file stored on the second device.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the media rendering activity includes the user selecting to have media streamed from a network service to the second device.