Controlling on-demand video trick mode enablement

• US 9,225,998 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Gaurav, Migos, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, JOSHUA D
• Application Number:
  US13/762,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20130152124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440281 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Various embodiments related to delivery of advertising content for video on-demand are disclosed. One example embodiment comprises receiving a set of VOD metadata including a first configuration of ad avails to be included in a VOD content item. The first configuration specifies a first set of locations of ad avails and a size of each ad avail in the first configuration. The method further includes comparing the VOD metadata to a set of one or more policy rules specifying a second configuration of ad avails to be included in the VOD content item, the second configuration of ad avails specifying a second set of locations of ad avails and a size of each ad avail in the second configuration. The method further includes determining a number of advertisements to be included in the VOD content item based upon a result of the comparing and obtaining an ad decision.

Claims

1. On a VOD client, a method for controlling delivery of advertising content for a VOD content item, the method comprising:

during a first viewing session, playing a VOD content item;

reaching an ad avail during playback of the VOD content item in the first viewing session, then;

if the ad avail has been previously viewed, enabling trick mode playback for the ad avail, and

if the ad avail has not been previously viewed, disabling the trick mode playback for the ad avail;

determining a start of a new viewing session;

responsive to determining the start of the new viewing session, requesting a new ad decision;

receiving the new ad decision, wherein the new ad decision includes one or more ad identifiers that specify one or more advertisements to include in the ad avail;

receiving the one or more advertisements for including in the ad avail;

reaching the ad avail during playback in the new viewing session; and

if the ad avail has been previously viewed, enabling trick mode playback for one or more advertisements included in the ad avail, and

if the ad avail has not been previously viewed, disabling the trick mode playback for the one or more advertisements included in the ad avail.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the ad avail has not been previously viewed, the disabling includes passing the ad avail in trick mode playback and then playing the ad avail prior to resuming normal playback.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein if the ad avail has been previously viewed, enabling the trick mode playback for the ad avail includes enabling the trick mode playback if a threshold amount of the one or more advertisements in the ad avail has previously been viewed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the start of the new viewing session includes one or more of receiving a resume playback command after a playback pause for a predetermined duration, receiving an input requesting trick mode playback after the predetermined duration, and receiving a client restart.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying one or more of a frame-based navigation user interface and a time-based navigation user interface, and receiving a navigation input via the navigation user interface requesting the trick mode playback.

6. A VOD system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising instructions stored thereon to control delivery of advertising content for a VOD content item by

playing a VOD content item in a first viewing session;

reaching an ad avail during playback of the VOD content item in the first viewing session,

if the ad avail has been previously viewed, enabling trick mode playback for the ad avail, and

if the ad avail has not been previously viewed, disabling the trick mode playback for the ad avail;

determining a start of a new viewing session;

responsive to determining the start of the new viewing session, requesting a new ad decision;

receiving the new ad decision, wherein the new ad decision includes one or more ad identifiers that specify one or more advertisements to include in the ad avail;

receiving the one or more advertisements;

reaching the ad avail during playback of the VOD content item in the new viewing session; and

if the ad avail has been previously viewed, enabling trick mode playback for the one or more advertisements included in the ad avail, and

if the ad avail has not been previously viewed, disabling the trick mode playback for the one or more advertisements included in the ad avail.

7. The VOD system of claim 6, wherein the instructions are further executable to, if the ad avail has not been previously viewed, disable the trick mode playback by passing the ad avail in trick mode playback and then playing the ad avail prior to resuming normal playback.

8. The VOD system of claim 6, wherein the instructions are further executable to, if the ad avail has been previously viewed, enable the trick mode playback if a threshold amount of one or more advertisements in the ad avail has previously been viewed.

9. The VOD system of claim 6, wherein the instructions are further executable to determine the start of the new viewing session by one or more of receiving a resume playback command after a playback pause for a predetermined duration, receiving an input requesting trick mode playback after the predetermined duration, and receiving a client restart.

10. The VOD system of claim 6, wherein the instructions are further executable to display one or more of a frame-based navigation user interface and a time-based navigation user interface, and receive a navigation input via the navigation user interface requesting the trick mode playback.