Subscription and channel management technology

• US 8,904,422 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2013
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PurpleComm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PurpleComm Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, Jack H., Sheu, William H., Tuan, Sherman
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US13/758,417
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 725/27, 725 45- 47
• US Class Current: 725/27
• 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 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/458 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 21/4627 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 21/4753 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

Subscription and channel management technology, in which a system allows a user to subscribe to a subset of the available channels on a content delivery network and personalize at least one channel. The system identifies a user identity of the user and stores, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity based on the subset of channels to which the user subscribed and the user personalization. The system identifies a downloader device associated with the user identity and controls the downloader device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

enabling a user to subscribe to channels that are each available on a content delivery network and that each define content files selected by a content curator;

receiving, from the user, subscription to a subset of the channels that are each available on the content delivery network and that each define content entries selected by a content curator;

receiving, from the user, user personalization of a channel included in the subset of the channels, the user personalization including addition, to the channel, of one or more content files selected by user such that a version of the channel personalized for the user includes the one or more content files selected by user integrated with content files selected by the content curator associated with the channel;

identifying a user identity of the user;

storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity based on the subset of channels to which the user subscribed and the user personalization, the channel subscription information including a personalized definition of the channel for the user identity that defines the one or more content files selected by user and an order with which the one or more content files selected by user are integrated with the content files selected by the content curator associated with the channel; and

controlling a media device associated with the user identity based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database, the controlling including making the personalized definition of the channel available to the media device such that the media device is able to output the one or more content files selected by user in the order with which the one or more content files selected by user are integrated with the content files selected by the content curator associated with the channel.

2. The method of claim 1:

wherein enabling a user to subscribe to channels that are each available on a content delivery network and that each define content files selected by a content curator comprises displaying, to the user, channel information for channels available on the content delivery network; and

wherein receiving, from the user, subscription to a subset of the channels comprises receiving, from the user, user input subscribing to a subset of channels included in the displayed channel information.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein enabling a user to subscribe to channels that are each available on a content delivery network and that each define content files selected by a content curator further comprises:

displaying, to the user, preview content for the channels; and

enabling subscription to a subset of channels included in the displayed channel information based on review of the preview content.

4. The method of claim 1:

wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of a channel comprises receiving user input assigning a channel number to the channel subscribed to by the user;

wherein storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity comprises storing the assigned channel number of the channel in the user database; and

wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises making the channel available on the media device at the assigned channel number.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel comprises receiving user input assigning a genre to the channel subscribed to by the user;

wherein storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity comprises storing the assigned genre of the channel in the user database; and

wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises making the channel available on the media device at the assigned genre.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

retrieving, from the user database, channel links for the subset of channels subscribed to by the user;

sending the retrieved channels links to the media device; and

controlling the media device to monitor for updates to channel information for channels subscribed to by the user using the channel links.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

mapping the user identity to an address of the media device at which the media device is available on a network,

wherein sending the retrieved channels links to the media device comprises sending the retrieved channels links to the address.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

retrieving, from the user database, personalization information for the at least one channel;

sending the retrieved personalization information to the media device; and

controlling the media device to modify the channel in accordance with the retrieved personalization information.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

receiving an update to a channel subscribed to by the user;

controlling the media device to access updated channel information published at a channel link that corresponds to the updated channel; and

controlling the media device to access new content added to the updated channel based on the updated channel information.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

receiving an update to supplemental channel information for the channel subscribed to by the user;

controlling the media device to download the updated supplemental channel information published at a channel link that corresponds to the channel; and

controlling the media device to control content for the channel based on the updated supplemental channel information.

11. A system comprising:

at least one computer; and

at least one computer-readable medium coupled to the at least one computer having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one computer, causes the at least one computer to perform operations comprising;

enabling a user to subscribe to channels that are each available on a content delivery network and that each define content files selected by a content curator;

receiving, from the user, subscription to a subset of the channels that are each available on the content delivery network and that each define content entries selected by a content curator;

receiving, from the user, user personalization of a channel included in the subset of the channels, the user personalization including addition, to the channel, of one or more content files selected by user such that a version of the channel personalized for the user includes the one or more content files selected by user integrated with content files selected by the content curator associated with the channel;

identifying a user identity of the user;

storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity based on the subset of channels to which the user subscribed and the user personalization, the channel subscription information including a personalized definition of the channel for the user identity that defines the one or more content files selected by user and an order with which the one or more content files selected by user are integrated with the content files selected by the content curator associated with the channel; and

controlling a media device associated with the user identity based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database, the controlling including making the personalized definition of the channel available to the media device such that the media device is able to output the one or more content files selected by user in the order with which the one or more content files selected by user are integrated with the content files selected by the content curator associated with the channel.

12. The system of claim 11:

wherein enabling a user to subscribe to channels that are each available on a content delivery network and that each define content files selected by a content curator comprises displaying, to the user, channel information for channels available on the content delivery network; and

wherein receiving, from the user, subscription to a subset of the channels comprises receiving, from the user, user input subscribing to a subset of channels included in the displayed channel information.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein enabling a user to subscribe to channels that are each available on a content delivery network and that each define content files selected by a content curator further comprises:

displaying, to the user, preview content for the channels; and

enabling subscription to a subset of channels included in the displayed channel information based on review of the preview content.

14. The system of claim 11:

wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of a channel comprises receiving user input assigning a channel number to the channel subscribed to by the user;

wherein storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity comprises storing the assigned channel number of the channel in the user database; and

wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises making the channel available on the media device at the assigned channel number.

15. The system of claim 11:

wherein receiving, from the user, user personalization of at least one channel comprises receiving user input assigning a genre to the channel subscribed to by the user;

wherein storing, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity comprises storing the assigned genre of the channel in the user database; and

wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises making the channel available on the media device at the assigned genre.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

retrieving, from the user database, channel links for the subset of channels subscribed to by the user;

sending the retrieved channels links to the media device; and

controlling the media device to monitor for updates to channel information for channels subscribed to by the user using the channel links.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

mapping the user identity to an address of the media device at which the media device is available on a network,

wherein sending the retrieved channels links to the media device comprises sending the retrieved channels links to the address.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

retrieving, from the user database, personalization information for the at least one channel;

sending the retrieved personalization information to the media device; and

controlling the media device to modify the channel in accordance with the retrieved personalization information.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

receiving an update to a channel subscribed to by the user;

controlling the media device to access updated channel information published at a channel link that corresponds to the updated channel; and

controlling the media device to access new content added to the updated channel based on the updated channel information.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein controlling the media device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database comprises:

receiving an update to supplemental channel information for the channel subscribed to by the user;

controlling the media device to download the updated supplemental channel information published at a channel link that corresponds to the channel; and

controlling the media device to control content for the channel based on the updated supplemental channel information.