System and method for managing, converting and displaying video content on a video-on-demand platform, including ads used for drill-down navigation and consumer-generated classified ads

• US 9,066,118 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BBiTV, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Broadband iTV, Inc.
• Inventors: Diaz Perez, Milton
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, MUSHFIKH I
• Application Number:
  US13/830,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20130254814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 725 74-104, 25 74-104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234309 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• 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 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25858 involving client software characteristics, e.g. OS identifier
• 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 21/26225 involving billing parameters, e.g. priority for subscribers of premium services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 : involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system has a VOD Application Server which manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The templates include those for higher-order displays which have one or more links to lower-order displays of specific content. The VOD Application Server, in response to viewer request, displays a high-order templatized display, and in response to viewer selection of a link, displays the lower-order display of specific content. The hierarchical templatized displays enable viewers to navigate to an end subject of interest while having a unique visual experience of moving through a series of displays to the end subject of interest.

Claims

1. A web-based content management system, comprising:

(a) an input module stored on first non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to one or more computers and configured to receive at the one or more computers from a content provider device via the Internet at least the following digital content;

(i) a video content, along with

(ii) respective content-characterizing data comprising;

(1) respective title information comprising a respective title, and

(2) respective content provider designated hierarchically arranged category information and

subcategory information to specify a location of the respective title information for the video content in an interactive user interface of a predetermined video-on-demand application, said content provider designated category and subcategory information associated with the respective title information of the video content using a same hierarchical structure of categories and subcategories for placement of respective title information of associated video content as is to be used in the interactive user interface of the predetermined video-on-demand application;

(b) a content screening module stored on second non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to the one or more computers and configured to screen by the one or more computers the video content for at least one of objectionable text, objectionable audio, objectionable video, or objectionable images to determine whether to include or reject from inclusion the video content in the predetermined video-on-demand application;

(c) an encoding module stored on third non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to the one or more computers and configured to encode by the one or more computers the video content to an encoded video content file in a format capable of playback on the predetermined video-on-demand application;

(d) a video-on-demand application-readable metadata generating module stored on fourth non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to the one or more computers and configured to generate associated video-on-demand application-readable metadata for the encoded video content file by converting at least a portion of the content-characterizing data into a format readable by the predetermined video-on-demand application so that the associated video-on-demand application-readable metadata can be used with the encoded video content file in order to specify the respective title information for the video content in the interactive user interface of the predetermined video-on-demand application presenting the respective title information in a hierarchical ordering according to the received content provider designated hierarchically arranged category information and subcategory information so that the video content is locatable by a television user when using the predetermined video-on-demand application offered by a digital television service provider system; and

(e) a packaging module stored on fifth non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to the one or more computers and configured to generate a data package for transport, directly or indirectly, from the one or more computers to the predetermined video-on-demand application, the data package comprising the encoded video content file and the associated video-on-demand application-readable metadata.

2. The web-based content management system of claim 1 further comprising:

a scheduling module stored on sixth non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to the one or more computers and configured to establish by the one or more computers a schedule when the data package is to be delivered to the video-on-demand application.

3. The web-based content management system of claim 2, wherein the associated video-on-demand application-readable metadata further comprises time information for scheduling of viewing of the encoded video file through the predetermined video-on-demand application.

4. The web-based content management system of claim 1, wherein the video-on-demand application is used to display the encoded video file on a television display.

5. The web-based content management system of claim 1, wherein the input module is further configured to receive additional data comprising images and text used to generate the data package, and wherein the packaging module is further configured to use the additional data in the generating of the data package.

6. The web-based content management system of claim 1, wherein the encoding module is further configured to perform size and resolution processing.

7. The web-based content management system of claim 1, wherein the content screening module is further configured to screen the content-characterizing data for at least one of objectionable text, objectionable audio, objectionable video, or objectionable images.

8. A web-based content management system, comprising:

(a) an input module stored on first non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to one or more computers and configured to receive at the one or more computers from a content provider device via the Internet at least the following digital content;

(i) a video content, along with

(ii) respective content-characterizing data comprising;

(1) respective title information comprising a respective title, and

(2) respective content provider designated hierarchically arranged category information and subcategory information to specify a location of the respective title information for the video content in an interactive user interface of a predetermined video-on-demand application, said content provider designated category and subcategory information associated with the respective title information of the video content using a same hierarchical structure of categories and subcategories for placement of respective title information of associated video content as is to be used in the interactive user interface of the predetermined video-on-demand application;

(b) a content screening module stored on second non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to the one or more computers and configured to screen by the one or more computers the content-characterizing data for at least one of objectionable text, objectionable audio, objectionable video, or objectionable images to determine whether to include or reject from inclusion the video content in the predetermined video-on-demand application;

(c) an encoding module stored on third non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to the one or more computers and configured to encode by the one or more computers the video content to an encoded video content file in a format capable of playback on the predetermined video-on-demand application;

(d) a video-on-demand application-readable metadata generating module stored on fourth non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to the one or more computers and configured to generate associated video-on-demand application-readable metadata for the encoded video content file by converting at least a portion of the content-characterizing data into a format readable by the predetermined video-on-demand application so that the associated video-on-demand application-readable metadata can be used with the encoded video content file in order to specify the respective title information for the video content in the interactive user interface of the predetermined video-on-demand application presenting the respective title information in a hierarchical ordering according to the received content provider designated hierarchically arranged category information and subcategory information so that the video content is locatable by a television user when using the predetermined video-on-demand application offered by a digital television service provider system; and

(e) a packaging module stored on fifth non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to the one or more computers and configured to generate a data package for transport, directly or indirectly, from the one or more computers to the predetermined video-on-demand application, the data package comprising the encoded video content file and the associated video-on-demand application-readable metadata.

9. The web-based content management system of claim 8, wherein the content screening module is further configured to screen the video content for at least one of objectionable text, objectionable audio, objectionable video, or objectionable images.

10. The web-based content management system of claim 8, further comprising:

a scheduling module stored on sixth non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to the one or more computers and configured to establish by the one or more computers a schedule when the data package is to be delivered to the predetermined video-on-demand application.

11. The web-based content management system of claim 10, wherein the associated video-on-demand application-readable metadata further comprises time information for scheduling of viewing of the encoded video file through the predetermined video-on-demand application.

12. The web-based content management system of claim 8, wherein the video-on-demand application is used to display the encoded video file on a television display.

13. The web-based content management system of claim 8, wherein the input module is further configured to receive additional data comprising images and text used to generate the data package, and wherein the packaging module is further configured to use the additional data in the generating of the data package.

14. The web-based content management system of claim 8, wherein the encoding module is further configured to perform size and resolution processing.