Content delivery system with customizable content

• US 9,154,535 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Original Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUTAH, ALINA A
• Application Number:
  US13/791,802
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/231, 709/234, 715/716, 705/52
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• 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

Abstract

An Internet content delivery system provides information to a number of different users. The system attempts to provide the same information to many different users while also providing the illusion to each of the users that they were receiving the content individually. The system attempts to minimize individualized bandwidth allocation by sending the same information to multiple different users while taking into account individualization requests of the multiple different users. An Internet or a playlist creator is also defined which allows a number of different items to be presented at different times depending on the playlist setting of the playlist.

Claims

1. An internet content delivery system, comprising:

a server computer, operating to provide content to a number of users, where the server computer operates to initially provide individual content to a first user when the first user initially requests the content, and after providing the individual content to the first user, to provide the same content to the first user that is provided to other users other than the first user,

said server computer providing a control which allows a user to set an amount of desired customization as a function of how much the user will pay for the desired customization.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the server computer determines a length of time between the content being delivered to the first user and the content being delivered to the other users, and provides content to the first user that brings the first user closer into sync with the other users.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the server computer creates a virtual playlist that is used for multiple of said users, and takes actions for each of said users to cause the content provided to said each of said users to stay in sync with said playlist.

4. The system as in claim 3, wherein said actions include keeping said each of said users within n seconds of the virtual playlist.

5. The system as in claim 3, wherein said actions include terminating content before a normal end of the content.

6. The system as in claim 3, wherein there are multiple versions of the content, and said actions include selecting one of said multiple versions that has a time that more closely syncs the user to the virtual playlist.

7. A system comprising:

a client computer, receiving content over the Internet,

wherein said client computer initially receives individual content when the client computer begins playing a content channel, and after receiving the individual content, receives the same content that is provided to other client computers at the same time that the other client computers receive said content,

wherein said client computer receiving a control which allows setting an amount of desired customization as a function of how much the user will pay for the desired customization, wherein said control enables selecting multiple levels between full customization of the content for payment, and less customization of the content for less amount of payment.

8. The system as in claim 7, wherein the client computer receives content that has a length that brings the client computer closer into sync with the other client computers.

9. The system as in claim 7, wherein the client computer receives a virtual playlist that is used for multiple of said client computers, and receives content to stay in sync with said virtual playlist.

10. The system as in claim 9, wherein said sync is staying within n seconds of the virtual playlist.

11. The system as in claim 7, wherein said control is a virtual dial.

12. The system as in claim 7, wherein said control also includes a capability of indicating a genre of content to be received by the client computer.

13. The system as in claim 12, wherein said control allows selecting multiple different genres at once.

14. A system comprising:

a client computer, receiving content over the Internet,

wherein said client computer includes a control that allows selecting multiple different items of content to play based on different temporal cues in the future, at least one of said items of content is a channel on an internet content receiving service, and another of said items of content is from a repository that is specific to a user of the client computer,

where said client computer plays said channel and said another item at times indicated by said temporal cues

and where said client computer receives providing a control which allows the user to set an amount of desired customization as a function of how much the user will pay for the desired customization.

15. The system as in claim 14, wherein said client when playing said internet content receiving service initially receives individual content when the client computer begins playing a content channel, and after receiving the individual content, receives the same content that is provided to other client computers at the same time that the other client computers receive said content.

16. The system as in claim 14, wherein said repository is a local hard drive of the client computer.

17. The system as in claim 14, wherein said temporal cues include an indication that an item of content should be played starting in a time at the future, but also reference to a moment when playing content is finished.