Media content device, system and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus for presenting and facilitating access to media content from disparate content providers and in disparate formats, at user devices having different format type criteria, the apparatus comprising:
- a media content formatter configured and arranged to format different types of the media content from the disparate content providers into a plurality of common format types based upon formatting criteria defined for each of the disparate content providers, each common formatting type corresponding to specific electronic interface characteristics for one of a plurality of disparate device types via which the media content is to be presented in one of the common format types;
a first filter configured and arranged to filter media content access based upon characteristics of a device to which the access is provided;
a second filter configured and arranged to filter media content access based upon stored time-based subscription data for a user identification associated with a content access request;
a third filter configured and arranged to filter media content access based upon access criteria specific to each of the disparate content providers for which the media content is provided;
a storefront formatting engine configured and arranged to, for each of a multitude of users each having a unique one of the user identifications, generate and format a user-specific storefront interface using the first, second and third filters, each storefront interface indicating media content that is available for access by the user based upon;
characteristics of the device via which the user is to access the media content, subscription data for the user and criteria set by the respective content providers for the respective media content, the storefront interface identifying media content to which the user has subscription access and media content to which the user does not have subscription access; and
an interface module configured and arranged torespond to requests for accessing media content received from a multitude of disparate devices, present data in the request to facilitate the presentation of a user identification for each user, to the second filter,for each of the multitude of disparate devices, communicate data for presenting the user-specific storefront interface generated at the formatting engine for the specific device and the specific user identification of the user of the device, andfor user-selections made via the user-specific storefront interface, facilitate the delivery of stored media content to the device via which the user-specific storefront interface is provided.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Access is provided for different types of media content provided by disparate publishers, and in formats corresponding to operating characteristics of respective user devices. As consistent with one or more example embodiments herein, media content access is filtered for users requesting access via different user devices, based upon characteristics of the device to which the access is provided, user subscription data and publisher-specific criteria. A user-specific storefront interface is generated for each of a multitude of users, based upon the filtering. Each storefront interface indicates media content that can be displayed at the device to which access is requested, and identifies media content to which the user does and does not have subscription access. The user-specific storefront interfaces are presented at respective user devices, and media content is delivered to each device in response to selections made via the user-specific storefront interfaces.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus for presenting and facilitating access to media content from disparate content providers and in disparate formats, at user devices having different format type criteria, the apparatus comprising:
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a media content formatter configured and arranged to format different types of the media content from the disparate content providers into a plurality of common format types based upon formatting criteria defined for each of the disparate content providers, each common formatting type corresponding to specific electronic interface characteristics for one of a plurality of disparate device types via which the media content is to be presented in one of the common format types; a first filter configured and arranged to filter media content access based upon characteristics of a device to which the access is provided; a second filter configured and arranged to filter media content access based upon stored time-based subscription data for a user identification associated with a content access request; a third filter configured and arranged to filter media content access based upon access criteria specific to each of the disparate content providers for which the media content is provided; a storefront formatting engine configured and arranged to, for each of a multitude of users each having a unique one of the user identifications, generate and format a user-specific storefront interface using the first, second and third filters, each storefront interface indicating media content that is available for access by the user based upon;
characteristics of the device via which the user is to access the media content, subscription data for the user and criteria set by the respective content providers for the respective media content, the storefront interface identifying media content to which the user has subscription access and media content to which the user does not have subscription access; andan interface module configured and arranged to respond to requests for accessing media content received from a multitude of disparate devices, present data in the request to facilitate the presentation of a user identification for each user, to the second filter, for each of the multitude of disparate devices, communicate data for presenting the user-specific storefront interface generated at the formatting engine for the specific device and the specific user identification of the user of the device, and for user-selections made via the user-specific storefront interface, facilitate the delivery of stored media content to the device via which the user-specific storefront interface is provided. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for presenting and facilitating access to media content from disparate content providers and in disparate formats, at user devices having different format type criteria, the method comprising:
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formatting different types of the media content from the disparate content providers into a plurality of common format types based upon formatting criteria defined for each of the disparate content providers, each common formatting type corresponding to specific electronic interface characteristics for one of a plurality of disparate device types via which the media content is to be presented in one of the common format types; filtering media content access based upon characteristics of a device to which the access is provided; filtering media content access based upon stored time-based subscription data for a user identification associated with a content access request; filtering media content access based upon access criteria specific to each of the disparate content providers for which the media content is provided; for each of a multitude of users each having a unique one of the user identifications, generating and formatting a user-specific storefront interface using first, second and third filters, each storefront interface indicating media content that is available for access by the user based upon;
characteristics of the device via which the user is to access the media content, subscription data for the user and criteria set by the respective content providers for the respective media content, the storefront interface identifying media content to which the user has subscription access and media content to which the user does not have subscription access;
responding to requests for accessing media content received from a multitude of disparate devices by presenting data in the request to facilitate the presentation of a user identification for each user, for filtering the media content access based upon the stored time-based subscription data,communicating data for presenting the user-specific storefront interface generated at a formatting engine for the specific device and the specific user identification of the user of the device, and for user-selections made via the user-specific storefront interface, facilitating the delivery of stored media content to the device via which the user-specific storefront interface is provided. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus comprising a plurality of modules executable to carry out respective operations and activities for presenting and facilitating access to media content for disparate publishers and in disparate formats, at user devices having different format type criteria, the apparatus comprising:
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a filtering module configured and arranged to filter media content access for each user requesting access via one of the user devices, based upon characteristics of the device to which the access is provided, upon time-based subscription data for a user identification associated with a content access request, and upon criteria specific to each of the disparate publishers on behalf of which the media content is provided, and in response thereto generate filter data identifying media content that can be presented at each of the respective user devices; a storefront interface module configured and arranged to generate a user-specific storefront interface for each of a multitude of users each having a user identification, based upon the generated filter data for that user identification, each storefront interface indicating media content that can be displayed at the device to which access is requested, and identifying media content to which the user has subscription access and media content to which the user does not have subscription access; a communication module configured and arranged to communicate data to each user device for presenting the user-specific storefront interfaces thereat, and to respond to user-selections made via the user-specific storefront interface by facilitating the delivery of stored media content to the device via which the user-specific storefront interface is provided, and a content formatting module configured and arranged to format different types of the media content from the disparate content providers into a plurality of common format types based upon formatting criteria defined for each of the disparate content providers, each common formatting type corresponding to specific electronic interface characteristics for one of a plurality of disparate device types via which the media content is to be presented in one of the common format types, wherein the communication module communicates data to each user device using the formatted media content in a common format type associated with the electronic interface characteristics for the device to which the media content access is facilitated.
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Specification