Multiple device storefront for video provisioning system

• US 8,910,212 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Harris, Jeffery Lionel, Trimper, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruckart, Benjamin R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malangone, Carmine
• Application Number:
  US13/196,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20120079529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 725/46, 725/48, 725/80, 725/58
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0618 Psychological treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739

Abstract

A system may process metadata associated with video assets; generate, based on the metadata, a first listing of the video assets, where the first listing is compatible with a first type of user device that corresponds to a set top box; and provide the first listing to the first type of user device. The system may further generate, based on the metadata, a second listing of the video assets, where the second listing is formatted to be compatible with a second type of user device that is a different type than the set top box; and provide the second listing to the second type of user device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

registering, by a server device, a plurality of types of user devices;

receiving, by the server device, metadata associated with two or more video assets;

generating, by the server device and based on the metadata, first formatted metadata of the two or more video assets,

the first formatted metadata being formatted to be compatible with a first type of user device, of the plurality of types of user devices, that corresponds to a set top box;

providing, by the server device and via a storefront, the first formatted metadata to the first type of user device;

generating, by the server device and based on the metadata, second formatted metadata of the two or more video assets,

the second formatted metadata being formatted to be compatible with a second type of user device, of the plurality of types of user devices, that is a different type of device than the set top box;

providing, by the server device and via the storefront, the second formatted metadata to the second type of user device;

receiving, by the server device and from a user device of the plurality of types of user devices, a request to bookmark a video asset of the two or more video assets;

obtaining, by the server device, a profile associated with the user device;

updating, by the server device, the profile to include a reference to metadata associated with the video asset,

the reference enabling the metadata associated with the video asset to be accessed within a period of time that is less than another period of time associated with accessing the metadata associated with the video asset via the storefront;

receiving, by the server device, a request for the video asset from the user device;

retrieving, by the server device, information associated with the profile,

the information associated with the profile identifying a particular type of user device, of the plurality of types of user devices, associated with the user device; and

transmitting, by the server device and to the user device, information identifying a uniform resource locator (URL) for obtaining a copy of the video asset that is formatted for the particular type of user device,

the information identifying the URL including a reference to a video on-demand (VOD) network that enables streaming access to the video asset when the video asset is a VOD video asset, and

the information identifying the URL including a reference to a content delivery network that enables non-streaming access to the video asset when the video asset is not the VOD video asset.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from one of the first type of user device or the second type of user device, a selection of a particular video asset, of the two or more video assets; and

providing, to the one of the first type of user device or the second type of user device, additional metadata associated with the particular video asset,

where the additional metadata differs from the received metadata associated with the two or more video assets, and

where the additional metadata is formatted for presentation on the one of the first type of user device or the second type of user device.

3. The method of claim 1, where the server device includes an application server and an interactive media guide (IMG) server,

where providing the first formatted metadata to the first type of user device includes providing the first formatted metadata through the IMG server, and

where providing the second formatted metadata to the second type of user device includes providing the second formatted metadata via the application server.

4. The method of claim 1, where the metadata includes one or more of:

a plurality of respective identifiers that correspond to the two or more video assets;

a plurality of respective prices associated with the two or more video assets;

a plurality of respective descriptions associated with the two or more video assets;

information associated with respective genres associated with the two or more video assets;

or

information associated with respective ratings associated with the two or more video assets.

5. The method of claim 1, where the method further comprises:

accessing a first profile associated with the first type of user device,

where the first profile includes first configuration information for the first type of user device, and

accessing a second profile associated with the second type of user device,

where the second profile includes second configuration information for the second type of user device,

where generating the first formatted metadata of the two or more video assets is based on the first profile, and

where generating the second formatted metadata of the two or more video assets is based on the second profile.

6. The method of claim 5, where at least one of the first profile or the second profile further includes video asset selection criteria, and

where receiving the metadata associated with the two or more video assets further includes:

receiving metadata associated with a plurality of video assets that include the two or more video assets,

selecting, based on the video asset selection criteria, the two or more video assets, from the plurality of video assets, and

identifying the metadata associated with the two or more video assets.

7. The method of claim 1, where providing the first formatted metadata to the first type of user device further includes:

displaying the first formatted metadata via an interactive program guide that is accessible by the first type of user device, and

where providing the second formatted metadata to the second type of user device further includes;

displaying the second formatted metadata via a webpage that is accessible by the second type of user device.

8. A device comprising:

a memory to store metadata associated with a video asset; and

a processor to;

register two or more different types of user devices,

process the metadata to enable the video asset to be advertised to the two or more different types of user devices,

the two or more different types of user devices including a set top box type of user device and another type of user device that is a different type of device than the set top box type of user device,

the processor, when processing the metadata, being further to;

generate first formatted metadata, associated with the video asset, that is compatible with the set top box type of user device and is not compatible with the other type of user device, and

generate second formatted metadata, associated with the video asset, that is compatible with the other type of user device and is not compatible with the set top box type of user device,

transmit, via a storefront, the first formatted metadata to the set top box type of user device,

transmit, via the storefront, the second formatted metadata to the other type of user device,

receive, from a user device of the two or more different types of user devices, a request to bookmark the video asset,

retrieve a profile associated with the user device,

update the profile to include a reference to the video asset,

the reference enabling the user to access the video asset within a period of time that is less than another period of time associated with accessing the video asset via the storefront, receive, from the user device, a request for the video asset, retrieve information associated with the profile,

the information associated with the profile identifying a particular type of user device, of the two or more different types of user devices associated with the user device and

transmit, to the user device, information identifying a uniform resource locator (URL) that enables the user device to obtain a copy of the video asset that is formatted for the particular type of user device,

when the video asset is a video on-demand (VOD) video asset, the information identifying the URL including a first reference to a VOD network that enables streaming access to the VOD video asset, and

when the video asset is not the VOD video asset, the information identifying the URL including a second reference to a content delivery network that enables non-streaming access to the video asset.

9. The device of claim 8, where the memory is further to store metadata associated with a plurality of video assets, and

where the processor is further to:

form, based on the metadata associated with the plurality of video assets, a listing that identifies the plurality of video assets,

send the listing to the two or more different types of user devices, and

receive, from at least one of two or more different types of user devices, a selection from the listing,

where the selection identifies the video asset, and

where the processor transmits the processed metadata, associated with the video asset, to at least one of the two or more different types of user devices based on receiving the selection.

10. The device of claim 9, where the processor, when forming the listing, is further to:

form a first listing that is compatible with the set top box type of user device and is not compatible with the other type of user device, and

form a second listing that is compatible with the other type of user device and is not compatible with the set top box type of user device, and

where the processor, when sending the listing, is further to;

send the first listing to the set top box type of user device, and

send the second listing to the other type of user device.

11. The device of claim 8, where the processor, when processing the metadata, is further to:

determine a video asset group that includes the video asset, and

indicate, via the first formatted metadata and the second formatted metadata, that the video asset is included in the video asset group.

12. The device of claim 8, where, when registering the two or more different types of user devices, the processor is to:

receive information indicating that the storefront is to be provided to the user device via a first network only when a second network is unavailable for providing the storefront to the user device.

13. The device of claim 8, where the processor is further to:

access a first profile associated with the set top box type of user device,

where the first profile includes first configuration information associated with the set top box type of user device; and

access a second profile associated with the other type of user device,

where the second profile includes second configuration information associated with the other type of user device,

where, when generating the first formatted metadata, the processor is to;

generate the first formatted metadata based on the first configuration information, and

where, when generating the second formatted metadata, the processor is to;

generate the second formatted metadata based on the second configuration information.

14. The device of claim 8, where the device includes at least one of an application server or an interactive media guide (IMG) server, and

where at least one of:

when, transmitting the first formatted metadata to the set top box type of user device, the processor is to transmit the first formatted metadata through the IMG server, or

when, transmitting the second formatted metadata to the other type of user device, the processor is to transmit the second formatted metadata via the application server.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium to store instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by a processor of a server device, cause the processor to;

register a plurality of user devices associated with a user,

the plurality of user devices including a first user device that is associated with a television service provider network and a second user device that is associated with a data service provider network,

the first user device being a different device type than the second user device;

form a storefront,

the one or more instructions to form the storefront including;

one or more instructions to format metadata, related to a video asset, in a first format associated with the first user device, and

one or more instructions to format the metadata, related to the video asset, in a second format associated with the second user device;

provide the storefront to the first user device and the second user device,

the one or more instructions to provide the storefront including;

one or more instructions to transmit the metadata, in the first format, to the first user device, and

one or more instructions to transmit the metadata, in the second format, to the second user device;

receive, from one of the first user device or the second user device, a request to bookmark the video asset;

obtain a profile associated with the one of the first user device or the second user device;

update the profile to include a reference to the video asset,

the reference enabling the video asset to be accessed within a period of time that is less than another period of time associated with accessing the video asset via the storefront;

receive, from the one of the first user device or the second user device, a request for the video asset;

retrieve information associated with the profile,

the information associated with the profile identifying a particular type of user device associated with the one of the first user device or the second user device; and

transmit, to the one of the first user device or the second user device, information identifying a uniform resource locator (URL) for obtaining a copy of the video asset that is formatted for the particular type of user device,

when the video asset is a video on-demand (VOD) video asset, the information identifying the URL including a first reference to a VOD network that enables streaming access to the VOD video asset, and

when the video asset is not the VOD video asset, the information identifying the URL including a second reference to a content delivery network that enables non-streaming access to the video asset.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to identify a first network location associated with a first copy of the video asset,

where the first copy is compatible with the first user device; and

one or more instructions to identify a second network location associated with a second copy of the video asset,

where the second copy is compatible with the second user device; and

where the one or more instructions to transmit the information identifying the URL include;

one or more instructions to send, when the request is received from the first user device, information identifying the first network location to the first user device; and

one or more instructions to send, when the request is received from the second user device, information identifying the second network location to the second user device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, where the first network location is associated with streaming video associated with the video asset, and

where the second network location is associated with non-streaming access to the video asset.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the video asset is one of a plurality of video assets, and

where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to form a listing that identifies the plurality of video assets;

one or more instructions to transmit the listing to the first user device and to the second user device; and

one or more instructions to receive, from at least one of the first user device or the second user device, a selection of the video asset,

where the one or more instructions to transmit the metadata, in the first format, include;

one or more instructions to transmit the metadata, in the first format, to the first user device based on receiving the selection, and

where the one or more instructions to transmit the metadata, in the second format, include;

one or more instructions to transmit the metadata, in the second format, to the second user device based on receiving the selection.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, where the one or more instructions to form the listing further include:

one or more instructions to format the listing in the first format;

one or more instructions to format the listing in the second format;

one or more instructions to transmit the listing, in the first format, to the first user device; and

one or more instructions to transmit the listing, in the second format, to the second user device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to access a first profile associated with the first user device,

where the first profile includes first configuration information for the first user device; and

one or more instructions to access a second profile associated with the second user device,

where the second profile includes second configuration information for the second user device,

where the one or more instructions to format the metadata in the first format include;

one or more instructions to format the metadata based on the first configuration information, and

where the one or more instructions to format the metadata in the second format include;

one or more instructions to format the metadata based on the second configuration information.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to access the profile associated with the one of the first user device or the second user device,

where the profile includes information associated with one or more user preferences;

one or more instructions to identify, based on the information associated with the one or more user preferences, a video asset group; and

one or more instructions to determine that the video asset is included in the identified video asset group,

where the one or more instructions to transmit the metadata, in the first format, include;

one or more instructions to transmit the metadata, in the first format, to the first user device based on determining that the video asset is included in the video asset group, and

where the one or more instructions to transmit the metadata, in the second format, include;

one or more instructions to transmit the metadata, in the second format, to the second user device based on determining that the video asset is included in the video asset group.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, where the information associated with the one or more user preferences includes at least one of:

an input, from a user, identifying the one or more user preferences,

data related to prior transactions associated with the user, or

data related to the bookmark.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to receive, from the one of the first user device or the second user device, a request for another video asset group that differs from the identified video asset group,

where the other video asset group does not include the video asset and includes another video asset;

one or more instructions to access metadata associated with the other video asset; and

one or more instruction to update the storefront to include;

an indication of the identified video asset group, and

the metadata associated with the other video asset.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to receive, from one of the first user device or the second user device, a request to receive additional information about the video asset;

one or more instructions to access additional metadata associated with the video asset; and

one or more instructions to update the storefront to include the additional metadata associated with the video asset.