Personalized content

• US 8,893,196 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2006
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Weigand, Gilbert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parra, Omar S
• Application Number:
  US11/563,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20070094697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,913 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/95
• 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 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23116 involving data replication, e.g. over plural servers synchronization of replicated data G06F11/1658; error detection or correction by means of data replication G06F11/2053; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/10; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/27; replication or mirroring of data in data networks H04L67/1095
• 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 21/25891 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• 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 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A media switch enables a terminal to access content by receiving a content request from a terminal for a first piece of content to be distributed over a cable system, identifying a personal channel within resources available in the cable system to distribute the first piece of content to the terminal, transmitting access information to the terminal to enable the terminal to access the first piece of content through the personal channel, and interfacing with a cable headend to provide the first piece of content on the personal channel.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a terminal to access content requested by the terminal, the method comprising the following operations performed by one or more processors:

enabling a terminal to interface with a media switch to receive real-time broadcast content, wherein the media switch is configured to arrange transmission of the real-time broadcast content to more than one terminal simultaneously;

allocating a personalized data store for the terminal on the media switch;

designating a first piece of content for storage into the personalized data store;

storing, for a first user using the terminal, the first piece of content into the personalized data store in response to the designation;

receiving, from the terminal, a request for distribution of the first piece of content;

identifying a personal cable channel over which to distribute the requested first piece of content to the terminal;

transmitting, from the media switch to the terminal, reusable access information associated with the personal cable channel to enable the terminal to access the requested first piece of content from a cable headend, the reusable access information including information specifying a process identification number; and

transmitting, from the media switch to the cable headend, the first piece of content for transmission to the terminal as a video or audio feed on the identified personal cable channel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein designating the first piece of content for storage into the personalized data store comprises enabling user identification of the first piece of content to be stored into the personalized data store.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein designating the first piece of content for storage into the personalized data store comprises identifying the first piece of content to be stored into the personalized data store without having received an instruction from a user associated with the terminal to store the first piece of content.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein allocating the personalized data store includes allocating the personalized data store that is only available to a user associated with the terminal.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that the user is interested in a specified type of content;

identifying a second piece of content associated with the specified type; and

storing the second piece of content in the personalized data store.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein storing the second piece of content in the personalized data store includes storing the second piece of content without having received an instruction from a user associated with the terminal to store the second piece of content.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising determining that the user associated with the terminal requested a particular television show and storing episodes of the particular television show as the first and other pieces of content in the personalized data store so that the episodes are available for the user to access.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting a list of available on-demand content appearing in the personalized data store, the available on-demand content including the first piece of content.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein receiving the content request includes receiving the content request in response to the user selecting an entry appearing in the list of available on-demand content and corresponding to the first piece of content.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising loading to the personalized data store the first piece of content that has been identified by an administrator.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling a user to manage the personalized data store.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling a user to manage the personalized data store in response to enrolling in a special service associated with additional costs to a subscriber.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling a user to pause rendering of the first piece of content.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising enabling the user to resume rendering of the first piece of content after the first piece of content has been paused.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling a user to advance through first piece of content to access a desired portion of the first piece of content.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the content request includes receiving the content request to receive content over a fiber optic distribution system.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the content request includes receiving the content request to receive content over a fiber-to-the-home distribution system.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the content request includes receiving the content request to receive content over a wireless local loop distribution system.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the process identification number identifies a channel or frequency associated with the cable headend.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the process identification number identifies a channel quadrature arm multiplexed around a base band signal of the cable headend.

19. A system including a processor enabling a terminal to access content requested by the terminal, the system executing instructions to:

enable a terminal to interface with a media switch to receive real-time broadcast content, wherein the media switch is configured to arrange transmission of the real-time broadcast content to more than one terminal simultaneously;

allocate a personalized data store for the terminal on the media switch;

designate a first piece of content for storage into the personalized data store;

store, for a first user using the terminal, the first piece of content into the personalized data store in response to the designation;

receive, from the terminal, a request for distribution of the first piece of content;

identify a personal cable channel over which to distribute the requested first piece of content to the terminal;

transmit, from the media switch to the terminal, reusable access information associated with the personal cable channel to enable the terminal to access the requested first piece of content from a cable headend, the reusable access information including information specifying a process identification number; and

transmit, from the media switch to the cable headend, the first piece of content for transmission as a video or audio feed to the terminal on the identified personal cable channel.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein designating the first piece of content for storage into the personalized data store comprises enabling user identification of the first piece of content to be stored into the personalized data store.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein designating the first piece of content for storage into the personalized data store comprises identifying the first piece of content to be stored into the personalized data store without having received an instruction from a user associated with the terminal to store the first piece of content.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein allocating the personalized data store includes allocating the personalized data store that is only available to a user associated with the terminal.

23. The system of claim 19 further executing instructions that:

determine that the user is interested in a specified type of content;

identify a second piece of content associated with the specified type; and

store the second piece of content in the personalized data store.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein storing the second piece of content in the personalized data store includes storing the second piece of content without having received an instruction from a user associated with the terminal to store the second piece of content.

25. The system of claim 24 further comprising instructions that determine that the user associated with the terminal requested a particular television show and storing episodes of the particular television show as the first and other pieces of content in the personalized data store so that the episodes are available for the user to access.

26. The system of claim 19 further executing instructions that present a list of available on-demand content appearing in the personalized data store, the available on-demand content including the first piece of content.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein receiving the content request includes receiving the content request in response to the user selecting an entry appearing in the list of available on-demand content and corresponding to the first piece of content.

28. The system of claim 19 further comprising loading to the personalized data store the first piece of content that has been identified by an administrator.

29. The system of claim 19 further comprising enabling a user to manage the personalized data store.

30. The system of claim 19 further comprising enabling a user to manage the personalized data store in response to enrolling in a special service associated with additional costs to a subscriber.

31. The system of claim 19 further comprising enabling a user to pause rendering of the first piece of content.

32. The system of claim 19 further comprising enabling the user to resume rendering of the first piece of content after the first piece of content has been paused.

33. The system of claim 19 further comprising enabling a user to advance through first piece of content to access a desired portion of the first piece of content.

34. The system of claim 19 wherein receiving the content request includes receiving the content request to receive content over a fiber optic distribution system.

35. The system of claim 19 wherein receiving the content request includes receiving the content request to receive content over a fiber-to-the-home distribution system.

36. The system of claim 19 wherein receiving the content request includes receiving the content request to receive content over a wireless local loop distribution system.

42. The system of claim 19, wherein the process identification number identifies a channel or frequency associated with the cable headend.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the process identification number identifies a channel quadrature arm multiplexed around a base band signal of the cable headend.

37. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform a method of enabling a terminal to access content requested by the terminal, the method comprising:

enabling a terminal to interface with a media switch to receive real-time broadcast content, wherein the media switch is configured to arrange transmission of the real-time broadcast content to more than one terminal simultaneously;

allocating a personalized data store for the terminal on the media switch;

designating a first piece of content for storage into the personalized data store;

storing, for a first user using the terminal, the first piece of content into the personalized data store in response to the designation;

receiving, from the terminal and over a cable system, a request for distribution of the first piece of content;

identifying a personal cable channel over which to distribute the requested first piece of content to the terminal;

transmitting, from the media switch to the terminal, reusable access information associated with the personal cable channel to enable the terminal to access the requested first piece of content from a cable headend, the reusable access information including information specifying a process identification number; and

transmitting, from the media switch to the cable headend, the first piece of content for transmission as a video or audio feed to the terminal on the identified personal cable channel.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the process identification number identifies a channel or frequency associated with the cable headend.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the process identification number identifies a channel quadrature arm multiplexed around a base band signal of the cable headend.