Secondary content insertion apparatus and methods

• US 9,386,327 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: La Joie, Michael L., Hayashi, Michael, Riedl, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Vostal, Ondrej C.
• Application Number:
  US11/441,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20070276926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,695 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/218
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• 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: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Apparatus and associated methods that allow a user (e.g., cable or satellite network subscriber) to access content, such as a video program, from a location outside the subscriber'"'"'s network, with dynamic or adaptive insertion of secondary content (e.g., advertisements or promotions) that are more relevant for that context. In one embodiment, a personal content server streams the content to the subscriber over a network connection from the local e.g., (subscription) network to a remote network upon authorization by a content manager process; secondary content is evaluated and selectively inserted or replaced depending on factors such as the user'"'"'s remote location, the configuration of their platform, the date and time of their access request, and/or the subject matter of the primary content.

Claims

1. A personal content distribution system, comprising:

a first network configured to distribute programming content to a first client device at a first location, said programming content being stored at an entity associated with said first client device;

a personal content server in operative communication with said first network further comprising a storage entity configured to store multiple copies of said programming content, said multiple copies each being configured for respective multiple conditions for each of said first network and a second network; and

said second network in data communication with said first network via said personal content server and adapted to receive a request to access said programming content from a second client device at a second location remote from said first location, said second client device being permitted to only access particular ones of said programming content which are determined to be currently received by said first client device;

wherein said first client device and said second client device are associated with a common subscriber of said first network, said association being determined at least in part authentication information provided by said common subscriber via said second client device, said authentication information being useful for authentication of said common subscriber to said first network;

wherein said distribution system is configured to selectively insert advertising content into said particular ones of said programming content for delivery to said second client device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said selective insertion of said advertising content is based at least in part on said second location.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said advertising content comprises content that is specifically adapted to one or more attributes of said second location, said one or more attributes being selected from the group consisting of:

(i) local weather, (ii) local sports teams, and (iii) local television programming.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said advertising content is selected for said selective insertion based at least in part on a date and/or time of day.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said advertising content is topically related to at least a portion of said programming content.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said advertising content is stored in a variety of different formats, each of said formats adapted for a given software environment within said second client device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said selective insertion of said advertising content is based at least in part on a type or capabilities of said second client device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said first network comprises a cable television network, and said second network comprises a packet-switched internetwork.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said first network comprises a cable or satellite content distribution network, and said second network comprises a cellular network configured to distribute content to a plurality of mobile users, said second client device comprising a mobile device, and said advertising content is substantially optimized for capabilities of said mobile device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said access comprises delivery of said particular ones of said programming content to said second client device, and said personal content server is operative to dynamically select at least one of the following for delivery of said particular ones of said programming content to said second client device:

(i) encoding/decoding format;

(ii) conditional access format; and

(iii) a network interface over which said particular ones of said programming content is delivered to said second client device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first network or second network comprises an apparatus adapted to mitigate a spoof of said personal content server by an unauthorized device or user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said apparatus configured to mitigate a spoof of said personal content server by said unauthorized device or user comprises a Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) server.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said second client device is capable of being moved to a plurality of different locations within said second network, and said personal content server is adapted to authenticate said second client device at each of said different locations.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third network in communication with said first network;

wherein said second client device is capable of being moved between said second and third networks, and said personal content server is adapted to authenticate said second client device at each of said second and third networks.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said personal content server is further operative to perform rate shaping on said programming and advertising content.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said personal content server comprises a first processor and a first portion of a distributed software application configured to run thereon, and said second client device comprises a second processor and a second portion of said distributed software application configured to run on said second processor, said first and second portions of said application being in communication with one another over at least said second network and which, when executed on said first and second processors, respectively, provide said access to said programming content.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said advertising content is logically proximate to said programming content.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said advertising content is selected before insertion, and said selection is based at least in part on metadata associated with said advertising content.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said metadata is identified by a search algorithm using at least one search term.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said search term is provided by metadata associated with said programming content.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said search term is related to a geographic location of said second client device.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein said advertising content is obtained from a third-party source based on at least one search term.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein said programming content is segmented into a plurality of segments in accordance with a segmentation algorithm, said advertising content being inserted substantially between at least two of said segments.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein said advertising content comprises interactive advertising content, and said second client device comprises a client application configured to run thereon, said client application configured to enable a user of said second client device to interact with said interactive advertising content.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein said advertising content comprises relational content, and said second client device comprises a client application configured to run thereon, said client application configured to enable a user of said second client device to interact with another entity based on relational information present within said advertising content.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said relational information comprises a universal resource locator (URL).

27. The system of claim 1, wherein said advertising content comprises content selected based on at least one particular attribute of a user.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said at least one particular attribute is stored in a subscriber database, said subscriber database also directly or indirectly correlated to said user to said second client device.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein said at least one attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

(i) annual income;

(ii) type of car owned or leased; and

(iii) large item purchase history.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein said at least one attribute comprises a type of second client device that made said access request.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein said delivery occurs in accordance with a broadcast schedule and said first content comprises content simultaneously delivered to said first client device at said first location and said second client device at said second location.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein said delivery occurs from a digital video recorder (DVR), said DVR located at said first location.

33. A method of delivering content over one or more content delivery networks, comprising:

receiving a first request for access to first content via a first network from a first client device at a first location, said first location being serviced by a switching node;

selecting second content for inclusion with said first content;

causing delivery of said first content and second content to said first client device via said switching node;

receiving a second request for access to said first content from a second client device at a second location different from said first location via a second network in data communication with said first network;

determining whether to provide said first content to said second client device based at least in part on said first client device being currently tuned to said first content;

selecting third content for inclusion with said first content based at least in part on a hardware and/or software configuration of said second client device, said third content being different than said second content; and

causing delivery of said first content and third content to said second client device;

wherein said first client device and said second client device are associated with at least a common subscriber of said first network, said association being determined at least in part by said at least common subscriber providing authentication information via said second client device.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said selecting said second content for inclusion with said first content comprises analyzing a location of said second client device issuing said second request.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said configuration is determined at least in part on a message sent from said second client device to a network server.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein said configuration is determined at least in part on a stored record containing configuration information for said first device.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein said act of causing delivery comprises causing delivery of at least one of said first and second and third content from a proxy server.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein said act of receiving comprises receiving a streaming request via a session-based protocol.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one of said first and second networks comprises a cable television network having a broadcast switched architecture (BSA) and a plurality of hub sites, and at least said act of selecting is performed by execution of a plurality of instructions stored on a computer readable media by a server disposed at one of said hub sites.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein an apparatus at one of said plurality of hub sites is configured to insert said second and third content into said first content.

41. Server apparatus configured to use in a content distribution network, comprising:

a storage device, said storage device configured to store multiple copies of first content, said multiple copies each being configured for respective multiple network conditions;

a first network interface in data communication with said content distribution network;

a second network interface in data communication with a remote entity located in a second network, said second network being outside of said content distribution network; and

a processor in data communication with said storage device, said processor configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said computer program configured to, when executed, cause said server apparatus to;

receive an access request to one of said copies of said first content from a client device in said second network via said second network interface;

evaluate said access request in order to identify;

a copy of said first content out of said multiple copies of said first content stored in said storage device based on a network condition being experienced by said second network;

whether a second client device at a remote location from said client device and associated with a common user of said client device currently receives said first content; and

second content to be inserted into said copy of said first content appropriate for delivery to said second network; and

based at least in part on said evaluation, deliver said copy of said first content to said second network.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said content distribution network comprises a cable television network, and said at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed, cause said server apparatus to cause a session to be created between said apparatus and said client device in said second network substantially over said second network, said session configured to deliver said requested first content.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said content distribution network comprises a cable television network, and said at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed, cause said server apparatus to cause a session to be created between a proxy of said apparatus and said client device in said second network substantially over said second network, said session configured to deliver said second or a third content as applicable.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said evaluation of whether said second content is appropriate for delivery comprises a determination of whether said second content is related to at least one aspect of said first content or at least one aspect of said client device.

45. A method of delivering content over a first network, said first network being in communication with a second network;

receiving a first content request from a first client device, said first client device being associated with a subscriber, said first content having been previously requested by, and currently delivered to, said subscriber at a second client device via said second network;

authenticating said subscriber via said first client device;

determining that said first content is permitted to be delivered to said first device in response to said request based at least in part on said previous request and current delivery to said second device; and

causing delivery of said first content to said first client device over said first network.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said first client device is remote to said second client device, said second network comprises a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network, and said first network comprises a packet-switched network.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein said authenticating comprises comparing at least one of a media access control (MAC) address and an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with said first device to a subscriber database.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein said determining that said first content is permitted to be delivered in response to said request based at least in part on said previous request and current delivery comprises accessing a third-party content authority (CA) database which stores data relating to at least one prior content purchase of said subscriber.

49. A non-transitory computer-readable apparatus comprising media configured to store a computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed by a processing apparatus:

receive a first request for access to first content via a first network from a first client device at a first location, said first location being serviced by a switching node;

select second content for inclusion with said first content;

cause delivery of said first content and second content to said first client device via said switching node;

receive a second request for access to said first content from a second client device at a second location different from said first location via a second network in data communication with said first network;

determine whether to provide said first content to said second client device based at least in part on said first client device being currently tuned to said first content;

select third content for inclusion with said first content based at least in part on a hardware and/or software configuration of said second client device, said third content being different than said second content; and

cause delivery of said first content and third content to said second client device;

wherein said first client device and said second client device are associated with at least a subscriber of said first network, said association being determined at least in part by said at least subscriber providing authentication information via said second client device.

50. The non-transitory computer-readable apparatus of claim 49, wherein said selection of said second content for inclusion with said first content comprises an analysis of a location of said second client device.

51. The non-transitory computer-readable apparatus of claim 50, wherein said configuration is determined at least in part on a message sent from said second client device to a network server.

52. The non-transitory computer-readable apparatus of claim 50, wherein said configuration is determined at least in part on a stored record configured to contain configuration information for said first device.

53. The non-transitory computer-readable apparatus of claim 50, wherein said delivery comprises delivery of at least one of said first and second and third content from a proxy server.

54. A non-transitory computer-readable apparatus comprising media configured to store a computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed by a processing apparatus:

receive a first content request from a first client device, said first client device being associated with a subscriber, said first content having been previously requested by, and currently delivered to, said subscriber at a second client device via said second network, said second network being in communication with a first network;

authenticate said subscriber via said first client device;

determine that said first content is permitted to be delivered to said first device in response to said request based at least in part on said previous request and current delivery to said second device; and

cause delivery of said first content to said first client device over said first network.

55. The non-transitory computer-readable apparatus of claim 54, wherein said first client device is remote to said second client device, said second network comprises a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network, and said first network comprises an intemetwork.

56. The non-transitory computer-readable apparatus of claim 54, wherein said authentication comprises a comparison of at least one of a media access control (MAC) address and an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with said first device to a subscriber database.

57. The non-transitory computer-readable apparatus of claim 54, wherein said determination that said first content is permitted to be delivered in response to said request based at least in part on said previous request and current delivery comprises said plurality of instructions being further configured to, when executed by said processing apparatus, access a third-party content authority (CA) database which stores data which relates to at least one prior content purchase of said subscriber.