Measuring user engagement during presentation of media content

• US 9,191,450 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Sidi, Ariff, Hedinsson, Skarpi, Manzari, Giuseppe, Liu, Ely
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US12/197,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,640 Days
• Field of Search: 715/721, 715/722, 715/741, 705/14.1, 705/14.12, 705/14.4, 705/14.41
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• 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 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

An example method is provided that includes determining a plurality of user interaction indices associated with a corresponding plurality of gated media content segment presentations, and identifying at least one subsequent media content segment based, at least in part, on at least two of the plurality of user interaction indices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

rendering a gating media content segment presentation on a display;

providing a user interface to a user viewing said gating media content segment presentation on said display;

determining at least two user interaction indices associated with said gating media content segment presentation being rendered; and

identifying a subsequent gating media content segment based, on said at least two user interaction indices including an under-threshold index and an over-threshold index;

wherein said determining determines said under-threshold index using a first user interaction data measured before a threshold event and said over-threshold index using a second user interaction data measured after said threshold event, wherein said threshold event occurs after beginning said rendering of said gating media content segment presentation,

wherein at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated using at least two values x and y obtained respectively from said first user interaction data and said second user interaction data, and wherein said at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated based on w₁*x+w₂*y, where each of said at least two values x and y corresponds to a type of user interactions with said user interface, and where w₁ is a first weight given to x and w₂ is a second weight given to y;

wherein said threshold event makes a user interactive mechanism selectable, and wherein said second user interaction data includes data corresponding to user selection of the user interactive mechanism, and

wherein said over-threshold index is given a greater weight than said under-threshold index for said identifying said subsequent gating media content segment.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said user interactions include at least one of a selection action, a pointer movement action, a pointer position action, and a key entry action.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said gating media content segment presentation comprises a first advertisement, and said subsequent gating media content segment presentation comprises a second advertisement.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein said first and second advertisements are the same advertisement.

5. A system comprising:

at least a first computing platform, said first computing platform having a central processing unit executing a software program to;

provide a user interface to a user viewing said gating media content segment presentation on said display;

determine at least two user interaction indices associated with said gating media content segment presentation being rendered; and

identify a subsequent gating media content segment based, on said at least two user interaction indices including an under-threshold index and an over-threshold index;

wherein determining said at least two user interaction indices determines said under-threshold index using a first user interaction data measured before a threshold event and said over-threshold index using a second user interaction data measured after said threshold event, wherein said threshold event occurs after beginning said rendering of said gating media content segment presentation,

wherein at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated using at least two values x and y obtained respectively from said first user interaction data and said second user interaction data, and wherein said at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated based on w₁*x+w₂*y, where each of said at least two values x and y corresponds to a type of user interactions with said user interface, and where w₁ is a first weight given to x and w₂ is a second weight given to y;

wherein said threshold event makes a user interactive mechanism selectable, and wherein said second user interaction data includes data corresponding to user selection of the user interactive mechanism, and

wherein said over-threshold index is given a greater weight than said under-threshold index for identifying said subsequent gating media content segment.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said user interactions include at least one of a selection action, a pointer movement action, a pointer position action, and a key entry action.

7. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said gating media content segment presentation comprises first advertisement information, and said subsequent gating media content segment presentation comprises second advertisement information.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein said first advertisement information is different from said second advertisement information.

9. An article comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed on a computing platform, are adapted to cause said computing platform to;

provide a user interface to a user viewing said gating media content segment presentation on said display;

determine at least two user interaction indices associated with said gating media content segment presentation being rendered; and

identify a subsequent gating media content segment based on said at least two user interaction indices including an under-threshold index and an over-threshold index;

wherein determining said at least two user interaction indices determines said under-threshold index using a first user interaction data measured before a threshold event and said over-threshold index using a second user interaction data measured after said threshold event, wherein said threshold event occurs after beginning said rendering of said gating media content segment presentation,

wherein at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated using at least two values x and y obtained respectively from said first user interaction data and said second user interaction data, and wherein said at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated based on w₁*x+w₂*y, where each of said at least two values x and y corresponds to a type of user interactions with said user interface, and where w₁ is a first weight given to x and w₂ is a second weight given to y;

wherein said threshold event makes a user interactive mechanism selectable, and wherein said second user interaction data includes data corresponding to user selection of the user interactive mechanism, and

wherein said over-threshold index is given a greater weight than said under-threshold index for identifying said subsequent gating media content segment.

10. A method comprising:

determining at least two user interaction indices associated with a gating media content segment presentation; and

identifying a subsequent gating media content segment based on said at least two user interaction indices including an under-threshold index and an over-threshold index;

wherein said determining determines said under-threshold index using a first user interaction data measured before a threshold event and said over-threshold index using a second user interaction data measured after said threshold event, wherein said threshold event occurs after beginning said rendering of said gating media content segment presentation,

wherein at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated using at least two values x and y obtained respectively from said first user interaction data and said second user interaction data, and wherein said at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated based on w₁*x+w₂*y, where each of said at least two values x and y corresponds to a type of user interactions with a user interface, and where w₁ is a first weight given to x and w₂ is a second weight given to y;

wherein said threshold event makes a user interactive mechanism selectable, and wherein said second user interaction data includes data corresponding to user selection of the user interactive mechanism, and

wherein said over-threshold index is given a greater weight than said under-threshold index for said identifying said subsequent gating media content segment.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said gating media content segment presentation comprises a first advertisement, and said subsequent gating media content segment presentation comprises a second advertisement.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said first and second advertisements are the same advertisement.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said user interactions include at least one of a selection action, a pointer movement action, a pointer position action, and a key entry action.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a computing platform, said computing platform having a central processing unit configured executing a software program to;

determine at least two user interaction indices associated with a gating media content segment presentation; and

identifying a subsequent gating media content segment based on said at least two user interaction indices including an under-threshold index and an over-threshold index;

wherein determining said at least two user interaction indices determines said under-threshold index using a first user interaction data measured before a threshold event and said over-threshold index using a second user interaction data measured after said threshold event, wherein said threshold event occurs after beginning said rendering of said gating media content segment presentation,

wherein at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated using at least two values x and y obtained respectively from said first user interaction data and said second user interaction data, and wherein said at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated based on w₁*x+w₂*y, where each of said at least two values x and y corresponds to a type of user interactions with a user interface, and where w₁ is a first weight given to x and w₂ is a second weight given to y;

wherein said threshold event makes a user interactive mechanism selectable, and wherein said second user interaction data includes data corresponding to user selection of the user interactive mechanism, and

wherein said over-threshold index is given a greater weight than said under-threshold index for identifying said subsequent gating media content segment.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said gating media content segment presentation comprises a first advertisement, and said subsequent gating media content segment presentation comprises a second advertisement.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said at least two user interaction indices further includes a time over-threshold index.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein upon said user selection of said user interactive mechanism said presentation is complete.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said user interactions include at least one of a selection action, a pointer movement action, a pointer position action, and a key entry action.

19. An article comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed on a computing platform, are adapted to cause said computing platform to;

determine at least two user interaction indices associated with a gating media content segment presentation; and

identifying a subsequent gating media content segment based on said at least two user interaction indices including an under-threshold index and an over-threshold index;

wherein determining said at least two user interaction indices determines said under-threshold index using a first user interaction data measured before a threshold event and said over-threshold index using a second user interaction data measured after said threshold event, wherein said threshold event occurs after beginning said rendering of said gating media content segment presentation begins,

wherein at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated using at least two values x and y obtained respectively from said first user interaction data and said second user interaction data, and wherein said at least one of said under-threshold index and said over-threshold index is calculated based on w₁*x+w₂*y, where each of said at least two values x and y corresponds to a type of user interactions with a user interface, and where w₁ is a first weight given to x and w₂ is a second weight given to y;

wherein said threshold event makes a user interactive mechanism selectable, and wherein said second user interaction data includes data corresponding to user selection of the user interactive mechanism, and

wherein said over-threshold index is given a greater weight than said under-threshold index for identifying said subsequent gating media content segment.

20. The article as recited in claim 19, wherein said user interactions include at least one of a selection action, a pointer movement action, a pointer position action, and a key entry action.

21. The article as recited in claim 19, wherein said gating media content segment presentation comprises a first advertisement, and said subsequent gating media content segment presentation comprises a second advertisement.

22. The article as recited in claim 21, wherein said first and second advertisements are the same advertisement.