Content interaction technology

• US 9,288,249 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PurpleComm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PurpleComm Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, Jack H., Sheu, William H., Tuan, Sherman
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Kyung H
• Application Number:
  US13/958,498
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 715/717, 715/719, 715/968, 725/109, 725/35, 725/43, 725/12, 725/16, 709/203, 709/204, 709/219, 340/995, 340/14, 701/25, 701/455
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/489 using time information
• 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: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

Content interaction technology, in which data used in defining a point of interest that supplements content arranged in a channel is accessed. The accessed data defines timing information that indicates when the point of interest is used, output information that defines how the point of interest is output, and action information that defines one or more actions that occur based on user interaction with the point of interest. The point of interest is defined based on the timing information, the output information, and the action information and associated with the channel and/or a content link arranged in the channel. During a time at which a user has selected the channel, output of the point of interest in addition to content defined by the channel is controlled. An indication that the user interacted with the point of interest is received and an action defined by the action information is performed.

Claims

1. A method of defining a point of interest for content, the method comprising:

accessing data used in defining a point of interest that supplements content arranged in a channel associated with a content curator on a content delivery network, the accessed data defining;

timing information that indicates when the point of interest is used to supplement content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network,

output information that defines how the point of interest is output with content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network, and

action information that defines one or more actions that occur based on user interaction with the point of interest;

defining the point of interest based on the timing information, the output information, and the action information;

associating the point of interest with at least one of (1) the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network and (2) a content link arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network;

during a time at which a user has selected the channel associated with the content curator and is experiencing content defined by the channel associated with the content curator, controlling, based on the timing information and the output information, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator;

receiving an indication that the user interacted with the point of interest output in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator;

based on the indication that the user interacted with the point of interest, performing, by at least one processor, an action defined by the action information;

tracking, across multiple, different content curators that define channels on the content delivery network, points of interests that have been defined by the multiple, different content curators and that have been output to users of the content delivery network;

tracking, across the multiple, different content curators that define channels on the content delivery network, user responses to the points of interests that have been defined by the multiple, different content curators and that have been output to users of the content delivery network; and

determining, for each of the multiple, different content curators, statistics related to use of points of interests by that content curator and effectiveness of points of interests defined by that content curator based on the tracking of the points of interests and the user responses to the points of interests.

2. The method of claim 1:

wherein the timing information indicates that the point of interest is to be output at a specific time during output of content linked to by the content link arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network;

wherein associating the point of interest with at least one of (1) the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network and (2) a content link arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network comprises associating the point of interest with the content link arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network; and

wherein controlling, based on the timing information and the output information, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises controlling, at the specific time during output of the content linked to by the content link, output of the point of interest in addition to the content linked to by the content link.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein associating the point of interest with the content link arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network comprises making the point of interest available in multiple channels that are associated with the content curator and that each include the content link.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising withholding the point of interest from channels that are defined by other content curators on the content delivery network and that include the content link such that the point of interest is output only when the user is experiencing the content linked to by the content link from the channel associated with the content curator.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein the timing information indicates that the point of interest is to be output at a specific time during selection of the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network;

wherein associating the point of interest with at least one of (1) the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network and (2) a content link arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network comprises associating the point of interest with the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network; and

wherein controlling, based on the timing information and the output information, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises controlling, at the specific time during selection of the channel associated with the content curator, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein controlling, at the specific time during selection of the channel associated with the content curator, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises controlling, at the specific time during selection of the channel associated with the content curator, output of the point of interest regardless of how the channel has been controlled during selection such that the point of interest is output with different content for different users.

7. The method of claim 1:

wherein the timing information indicates a duration of how long the point of interest is output to supplement content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network; and

wherein controlling, based on the timing information and the output information, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises controlling, for the duration indicated by the timing information, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator.

8. The method of claim 1:

wherein the output information defines text to be displayed with content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network; and

wherein controlling, based on the timing information and the output information, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises adding the text defined by the output information to a display of the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator.

9. The method of claim 1:

wherein the output information defines one or more user input controls to be displayed with content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network; and

wherein controlling, based on the timing information and the output information, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises adding the one or more user input controls defined by the output information to a display of the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator.

10. The method of claim 1:

wherein the action information defines a notification action that occurs based on user interaction with the point of interest; and

wherein performing the action defined by the action information comprises;

accessing information defined, by the notification action, to be communicated to the user that interacted with the point of interest;

identifying communication information associated with the user that interacted with the point of interest, the communication information being for a communication mechanism that is different than a mechanism used in communicating the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator; and

sending, to the user that interacted with the point of interest using the identified communication information, the accessed information.

11. The method of claim 10:

wherein identifying communication information associated with the user that interacted with the point of interest comprises identifying an electronic mail address associated with the user that interacted with the point of interest; and

wherein sending, to the user that interacted with the point of interest using the identified communication information, the accessed information comprises sending, to the user that interacted with the point of interest using the identified electronic mail address, the accessed information.

12. The method of claim 10:

wherein identifying communication information associated with the user that interacted with the point of interest comprises identifying device information for a communication device of the user that is different than a device outputting the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator; and

wherein sending, to the user that interacted with the point of interest using the identified communication information, the accessed information comprises sending, to the communication device of the user using the identified device information, the accessed information.

13. The method of claim 1:

wherein the action information defines a scheduled notification action that occurs based on user interaction with the point of interest; and

wherein performing the action defined by the action information comprises;

accessing information defined, by the scheduled notification action, to be communicated to the user that interacted with the point of interest;

determining a time, defined by the scheduled notification action, at which to deliver the accessed information;

identifying communication information associated with the user that interacted with the point of interest, the communication information being for a communication mechanism that is different than a mechanism used in communicating the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator;

monitoring for the time at which to deliver the accessed information; and

based on the monitoring, sending, using the identified communication information, the accessed information to the user that interacted with the point of interest at the time at which to deliver the accessed information.

14. The method of claim 1:

wherein the action information defines a poll action that occurs based on user interaction with the point of interest;

wherein controlling, based on the timing information and the output information, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises controlling, based on the timing information and the output information, output of a poll with a question and multiple answer input controls in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator;

wherein receiving the indication that the user interacted with the point of interest output in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises receiving an indication of a selection, by the user, of one of the multiple answer input controls; and

wherein performing the action defined by the action information comprises;

determining an answer to the poll for the user that corresponds to the one of the multiple answer input controls selected by the user;

updating data tracking results of the poll based on the determined answer to the poll for the user;

determining a result of the poll based on the updated data tracking results of the poll; and

controlling output, to the user, of the determined result of the poll.

15. The method of claim 1:

wherein the point of interest is an episode point of interest;

wherein the timing information indicates that the episode point of interest is to be output at a specific time during output of content linked to by the content link arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network; and

wherein associating the point of interest with at least one of (1) the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network and (2) a content link arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network comprises associating the episode point of interest with the content link arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network, further comprising;

receiving, from the content curator, additional input defining a channel point of interest that supplements content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network, the received additional input defining;

additional timing information that indicates when the channel point of interest is used to supplement content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network,

additional output information that defines how the channel point of interest is output with content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network, and

additional action information that defines one or more actions that occur based on user interaction with the channel point of interest;

defining the channel point of interest based on the additional timing information, the additional output information, and the additional action information;

associating the channel point of interest with the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network;

determining that the channel point of interest conflicts with the episode point of interest;

based on the determination that the channel point of interest conflicts with the episode point of interest, accessing one or more rules used in resolving conflicts for points of interest;

analyzing the channel point of interest and the episode point of interest with respect to the one or more rules; and

based on the analysis, selecting one of the channel point of interest and the episode point of interest to output in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator.

16. The method of claim 15:

wherein accessing one or more rules used in resolving conflicts for points of interest comprises accessing a rule that prioritizes channel points of interest over episode points of interest; and

wherein selecting one of the channel point of interest and the episode point of interest comprises selecting the channel point of interest.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing data used in defining the point of interest that supplements content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network comprises receiving, from the content curator, input defining the point of interest that supplements content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing data used in defining the point of interest that supplements content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network comprises automatically, without input from the content curator, determining data used in defining the point of interest based on one or more rules that control definition of points of interest for the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network.

19. The method of claim 1:

wherein controlling output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises controlling a television to output the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator; and

wherein receiving the indication that the user interacted with the point of interest output in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises receiving, from a remote control that controls the television, one or more commands interacting with the point of interest.

20. The method of claim 1:

wherein controlling output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises controlling a mobile device to output the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator; and

wherein receiving the indication that the user interacted with the point of interest output in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises receiving, from a touch screen interface that controls the mobile device, touch input interacting with the point of interest.

21. The method of claim 1:

wherein controlling output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises controlling a computer to output the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator; and

wherein receiving the indication that the user interacted with the point of interest output in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator comprises receiving, from at least one of a mouse and keyboard that control the computer, one or more commands interacting with the point of interest.

22. A system comprising:

at least one computer; and

at least one computer-readable medium coupled to the at least one computer having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one computer, causes the at least one computer to perform operations comprising;

accessing data used in defining a point of interest that supplements content arranged in a channel associated with a content curator on a content delivery network, the accessed data defining;

timing information that indicates when the point of interest is used to supplement content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network,

output information that defines how the point of interest is output with content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network, and

action information that defines one or more actions that occur based on user interaction with the point of interest;

defining the point of interest based on the timing information, the output information, and the action information;

associating the point of interest with at least one of (1) the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network and (2) a content link arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network;

during a time at which a user has selected the channel associated with the content curator and is experiencing content defined by the channel associated with the content curator, controlling, based on the timing information and the output information, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator;

receiving an indication that the user interacted with the point of interest output in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator;

based on the indication that the user interacted with the point of interest, performing an action defined by the action information;

tracking, across multiple, different content curators that define channels on the content delivery network, points of interests that have been defined by the multiple, different content curators and that have been output to users of the content delivery network;

tracking, across the multiple, different content curators that define channels on the content delivery network, user responses to the points of interests that have been defined by the multiple, different content curators and that have been output to users of the content delivery network; and

determining, for each of the multiple, different content curators, statistics related to use of points of interests by that content curator and effectiveness of points of interests defined by that content curator based on the tracking of the points of interests and the user responses to the points of interests.

23. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with at least one computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

accessing data used in defining a point of interest that supplements content arranged in a channel associated with a content curator on a content delivery network, the accessed data defining;

timing information that indicates when the point of interest is used to supplement content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network,

output information that defines how the point of interest is output with content arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network, and

action information that defines one or more actions that occur based on user interaction with the point of interest;

defining the point of interest based on the timing information, the output information, and the action information;

associating the point of interest with at least one of (1) the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network and (2) a content link arranged in the channel associated with the content curator on the content delivery network;

during a time at which a user has selected the channel associated with the content curator and is experiencing content defined by the channel associated with the content curator, controlling, based on the timing information and the output information, output of the point of interest in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator;

receiving an indication that the user interacted with the point of interest output in addition to the content defined by the channel associated with the content curator;

based on the indication that the user interacted with the point of interest, performing an action defined by the action information;

tracking, across multiple, different content curators that define channels on the content delivery network, points of interests that have been defined by the multiple, different content curators and that have been output to users of the content delivery network;

tracking, across the multiple, different content curators that define channels on the content delivery network, user responses to the points of interests that have been defined by the multiple, different content curators and that have been output to users of the content delivery network; and

determining, for each of the multiple, different content curators, statistics related to use of points of interests by that content curator and effectiveness of points of interests defined by that content curator based on the tracking of the points of interests and the user responses to the points of interests.