Content broker that offers preloading opportunities

• US 9,210,217 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Partners II LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Partners II LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G., Tellado, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US13/789,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics

Abstract

Embodiments of methods, systems and apparatuses for a content broker that offers preloading opportunities, are disclosed. One content broker system includes at least one content distribution server coupled through one or more communications networks to a plurality of user devices and one or more content providers. The at least one content distribution server is operative to obtain at least one of a user device parameter or a user parameter, wherein the user parameter is associated with at least one user associated with one or more of the plurality of user devices. The at least one content distribution server is further operative to classify a plurality of storage elements associated with the plurality of user devices based on the at least one of the user device parameter or the user parameter, offer preloading opportunities to at least one of the one or more content providers, select a content from a plurality of content available from the one or more content providers based on the classified plurality of storage elements and responses to the offered preloading opportunities, and assist preloading of at least a portion of the selected content to at least one of the plurality of storage elements.

Claims

1. A content broker system, comprising:

at least one content distribution server connectable to a user device having an internal storage element through a first communication network, and connectable to an external storage element associated with the user device through a second communication network, the at least one content distribution server operative to;

obtain at least one of a user device parameter or a user parameter, wherein the user device parameter is associated with the user device, and wherein the user parameter is associated with at least one user associated with the user device;

classify the internal and the external storage elements based on the at least one of the user device parameter or the user parameter;

offer preloading opportunities to at least one of one or more content providers;

select a content from a plurality of content available from the one or more content providers based on the classified internal and external storage elements and responses to the offered preloading opportunities; and

assist preloading of at least a portion of the selected content to the external storage element through the second communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the preloading is additionally assisted based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is less than the cost of usage of the first communication network; and

assist in providing an additional portion of the selected content onto the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through the first communication network, wherein the at least a portion of the selected content is larger than the additional portion of the selected content, wherein content from the at least a portion of the selected content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the mobile device, wherein the additional portion of the selected content in conjunction with the moved content allows a user to consume one or more content items from the selected content.

2. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the offered preloading opportunities are based at least in part on the classified internal and external storage elements.

3. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the classification of the internal and external storage elements is based at least in part on one or more responses of the one or more content providers to the offered preloading opportunities.

4. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the at least one content distribution server is further operative to allow the one or more content providers to assist in defining the preloading opportunities offers.

5. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the at least one content distribution server is further operative to:

provide the one of more content providers with the at least one of user device parameters or user parameters; and

allow the one of more content providers to assist in defining the preloading opportunities offers.

6. The content broker system of claim 5, wherein the storage element parameter includes a communication network parameter associated with one or more of the internal and the external storage elements.

7. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the at least one content distribution server is further operative to provide the one of more content providers with the at least one of user device parameter or the user parameter;

and

allow the one of more content providers to assist in selecting the content from the plurality of content.

8. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein obtaining at least one of a user device parameter or a user parameter is updated over time.

9. The content broker system of claim 8, wherein the user device parameter or user parameter are updated based on one or more time events, wherein the one or more time events includes at least one of periodic updates, polling based updates or event interrupt based updates.

10. The content broker system of claim 1, further comprising classifying the internal and external storage elements based on a storage element parameter.

11. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the user device parameter comprises a storage element availability of one or more of the internal and external storage elements.

12. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the user parameter comprises one or more of a user preference, user history, user location, or user state.

13. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the classification of the internal and external storage elements based on the user parameter comprises a user population parametrized by one or more of a user preference or user demographic or a user history or a user state.

14. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein at least one user device includes a device agent, wherein the device agent at least assists the obtaining user parameters.

15. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein at least one user device includes a device agent, wherein the device agent at least assists the selecting of the content.

16. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein at least one user device includes a device agent, wherein the device agent assists consumption of the selected content.

17. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the at least the portion of the content is encrypted, and further comprising providing a selected user device with an ability to decrypt the preloaded at least the portion of the selected content.

18. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the at least one content distribution server is further operative to:

receive bids from at least one of the one or more content providers based on the preloading opportunity offers;

select at least one bid;

further select the content based on the at least one selected bid.

19. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the at least one content distribution server is further operative to:

receive bids from at least one of the one or more content providers based on the preloading opportunity offers;

select at least one bid;

further classify the internal and external storage elements based on the at least one selected bid.

20. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the at least one content distribution server is further operative to facilitate billing of the selected content.

21. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the at least one content distribution server is further operative to provide the one of more content providers with a user interface.

22. The content broker system of claim 21, wherein the user interface allows the one or more content providers to manage preloading opportunities offers.

23. The content broker system of claim 22, wherein the user interface allows the one or more content providers to manage preloading opportunities offers includes allowing at least one content provider to at least one of pay, bid, modify, specify, design, define preloading opportunities.

24. The content broker system of claim 21, wherein the user interface allows the one or more content providers assist in selecting the content from the plurality of content.

25. The content broker system of claim 21, wherein the user interface allows the one or more content providers to manage the preloaded at least the portion of the selected content.

26. The content broker system of claim 25, wherein allowing one or more content provider to manage the preloaded at least the portion of the selected content includes allowing at least one content provider to at least one of monitor, generate statistics, track or post-process information associated with the preloaded at least the portion of the selected content.

27. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein classifying the internal and external storage elements or selecting the content is additionally based on at least information associated with other content available on the internal and external storage elements.

28. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein classifying the internal and external storage elements or selecting the content is additionally based on at least information associated with plurality of communications networks that couple the at least one content distribution server to one or more of the internal and external storage elements.

29. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein classifying the internal and external storage elements or selecting the content is additionally based on at least information associated with a plurality of communication networks that couples the the user device to one or more of the internal and external storage elements.

30. The content broker system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one content distribution server or a processor associated with one or more of the storage elements operative to determine an association of the one or more of the internal and external storage elements storage elements with the user device, and wherein classifying the one or more of the internal and external storage elements or selecting the content is additionally based on the user device or a plurality of users associated with the one or more the internal and external storage elements.

31. The content broker system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one content distribution server or a processor associated with one or more of the internal and external storage elements is operative to assist in deleting of at least a portion of a second content available on one or more of the internal and external storage elements.

32. The content broker system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one content distribution server or a processor associated with one or more of the internal and external storage elements operative to assist in moving at least a portion of a second content available on one or more of the internal and external storage elements to a second storage element associated with a user or user device.

33. The content broker system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one content distribution server or a processor associated with one or more of the internal and external storage elements is operative to:

classify each of the internal and external storage elements based on a plurality of content parameters;

select the content based on the classifications.

34. The content broker system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one content distribution server or a processor associated with one or more of the internal and external storage elements is operative to assist in presentation of information related to the selected content to at least one of the user device associated with the one or more of the internal and external storage elements.

35. The content broker system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one content distribution server or a processor associated with one or more of the internal and external storage elements is operative to obtain information associated with the preloaded at least the portion of selected content based on prior preloading, and evaluating interaction with the preloaded at least the portion of selected content.

36. The content broker system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one content distribution server or a processor associated with one or more of the internal and external storage elements, operative to:

select a first plurality of storage elements;

preload at least a portion of a first content onto the first plurality of storage elements, wherein the first plurality of storage elements are associated with a first plurality of user devices;

obtain information associated with user interaction of the at least one user with the first content preloaded onto the first plurality of storage elements.

37. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein the selected content comprises an advertisement, and further comprising the at least one content distribution server or a processor associated with one or more of the internal and external storage elements, operative to:

select the advertisement;

assist in presentation of the advertisement at one or more of a plurality of user devices.

38. The content broker system of claim 1, wherein a cost for consuming the selected content is based on a cost parameter associated with one or more of the internal and external storage elements or at least one of a plurality of communication networks.

39. A content broker system, comprising:

at least one content distribution server connectable to a user device having an internal storage element through a first communication network, and connectable to an external storage element associated with the user device through a second communication network, the at least one content distribution server operative to;

obtain at least one of a user device parameter or a user parameter, wherein the user parameter is associated with at least one user associated with the user device;

offer preloading opportunities to at least one of one or more content providers;

classify the internal and the external storage elements associated with the user device based on responses of the one or more content providers to the offered preloading opportunities and based on the at least one of the user device parameter or the user parameter;

select a content from a plurality of content available from the one or more content providers based on the classified plurality of storage elements and responses to the offered preloading opportunities;

assist preloading of at least a portion of the selected content to the external storage element through the second communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the preloading is additionally assisted based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is less than the cost of usage of the first communication network; and

assist in providing an additional portion of the selected content onto the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through the first communication network, wherein the at least a portion of the selected content is larger than the additional portion of the selected content, wherein content from the at least a portion of the selected content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the mobile device, wherein the additional portion of the selected content in conjunction with the moved content allows a user to consume one or more content items from the selected content.

40. A content broker method, comprising:

obtaining at least one of a user device parameter or a user parameter, wherein the user parameter is associated with at least one user associated with a user device;

classifying internal and external storage elements associated with the user device based on the at least one of the user device parameter or the user parameter;

offering preloading opportunities to at least one of one or more content providers, wherein at least one content provider server is coupled through one or more communications networks to the user device and to the one or more content providers, wherein the at least one content provider server is connectable to an internal storage element of the user device through a first communication network, and connectable to an external storage element associated with the user device a second communication network,

selecting a content from a plurality of content available from the one or more content providers based on the classified internal and external storage elements and responses to the offered preloading opportunities;

assisting preloading of at least a portion of the selected content to the external storage element through the second communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the preloading is additionally assisted based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is less than the cost of usage of the first communication network; and

assisting in providing an additional portion of the selected content onto the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through the first communication network, wherein the at least a portion of the selected content is larger than the additional portion of the selected content, wherein content from the at least a portion of the selected content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the mobile device, wherein the additional portion of the selected content in conjunction with the moved content allows a user to consume one or more content items from the selected content.

41. A content broker, comprising:

at least one processor coupled through one or more communications networks to one or more content providers, and connectable to a user device having an internal storage element through a first communication network, and connectable to an external storage element associated with the user device through a second communication network;

the at least one processor operative to;

obtain at least one of a user device parameter or a user parameter, wherein the user parameter is associated with at least one user associated with the user device;

classify the internal and the external storage elements associated with the user device based on the at least one of the user device parameter or the user parameter;

offer preloading opportunities to at least one of the one or more content providers;

assist selecting a content from a plurality of content available from the one or more content providers based on the classified internal and external storage elements and responses to the offered preloading opportunities;

assist preloading of at least a portion of the selected content to the the external storage element through the second communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the preloading is additionally assisted based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is less than the cost of usage of the first communication network; and

assist in providing an additional portion of the selected content onto the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through the first communication network, wherein the at least a portion of the selected content is larger than the additional portion of the selected content, wherein content from the at least a portion of the selected content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the mobile device, wherein the additional portion of the selected content in conjunction with the moved content allows a user to consume one or more content items from the selected content.

42. A content broker system, comprising:

at least one content distribution server coupled through a plurality of communications networks to one or more content providers, and connectable to a user device having an internal storage element through a first communication network, and connectable to an external storage element associated with the user device through a second communication network, the at least one content distribution server operative to;

determine a value metric, wherein the value metric comprises at least one of a user device parameter or a user parameter, wherein the user parameter is associated with at least one user associated with the user device;

classify the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device based on the value metric;

offer preloading opportunities to at least one of the one or more content providers;

select a content from a plurality of content available from the one or more content providers based on a value metric and responses to the offered preloading opportunities;

assist preloading of at least a portion of the selected content to the external storage element associated with the user device through the first communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the preloading is additionally assisted based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is greater than the cost of usage of the first communication network; and

assist in providing an additional portion of the selected content onto the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through the second communication network, wherein the at least the portion of the selected content is larger than the additional portion of the selected content, wherein data from the at least the portion of the selected content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the mobile device, wherein the additional portion of the selected content in conjunction with the data from the at least the portion of the selected content allows a user to consume one or more content items from the selected content.

43. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of brokering of content, the method comprising:

obtaining at least one of a user device parameter or a user parameter, wherein the user parameter is associated with at least one user associated with a user device;

classifying internal and external storage elements associated with the user device based on the at least one of the user device parameter or the user parameter;

offering preloading opportunities to at least one of one or more content providers, wherein at least one content provider server is coupled through one or more communications networks to the user device and to the one or more content providers, wherein the at least one content provider server is connectable to an internal storage element of the user device through a first communication network, and connectable to an external storage element associated with the user device a second communication network,

selecting a content from a plurality of content available from the one or more content providers based on the classified internal and external storage elements and responses to the offered preloading opportunities;

assisting preloading of at least a portion of the selected content to the external storage element through the second communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the preloading is additionally assisted based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is less than the cost of usage of the first communication network; and

assisting in providing an additional portion of the selected content onto the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through the first communication network, wherein the at least a portion of the selected content is larger than the additional portion of the selected content, wherein content from the at least a portion of the selected content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the mobile device, wherein the additional portion of the selected content in conjunction with the moved content allows a user to consume one or more content items from the selected content.