Metadata brokering server and methods

• US 9,503,769 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2015
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories Incorporated (CEVA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Israel, Bruce, Gritton, Charles W. K., Hunleth, Frank A., Scheirey, Stephen, Simpkins, Daniel S., Stoner, Ryan, Wang, Yizhong
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Cheryl
• Application Number:
  US14/973,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20160156955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/437 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialisation, adaptation, distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• 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 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/81 Monomedia components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for supplying rich multimedia metadata usable to generate, e.g., sophisticated entertainment user interfaces in the home. These methods and systems can be implemented as a server-based software application that feeds multiple, diverse clients. The server functionality could be distributed, even co-located physically with one or more clients, or centralized. The server aggregates, filters, validates, augments and links metadata from disparate sources. The server transforms the metadata into a more manageable and extensible internal format. The server communicates with client devices using a schema-independent protocol, providing metadata in the appropriate format that suites the clients needs.

Claims

1. A system useful in a communications provider offering commercial opportunities, the system comprising:

(a) computer device containing data, for each of a plurality of metadata pages, defining a plurality of visually perceptible elements, which visually perceptible elements correspond to the plurality of metadata pages;

(i) wherein each of the metadata pages includes metadata from at least one of a plurality of metadata suppliers;

(ii) wherein each of the metadata pages is used to generate and display at least one active link associated with a commerce object associated with a buying opportunity of a selected one of a plurality of merchants;

(iii) wherein the selected merchant, the communications provider, and the metadata supplier are each third parties with respect to one other;

(b) a computer server associated with the communications provider, which computer server includes the computer device and programmed to;

(i) receive from a client device of a user a signal indicating activation of one of the links displayed by one of the metadata pages;

(ii) automatically identify as a source of the supplied metadata on which the link has been activated;

(iii) in response to identification of the source of the supplied metadata, automatically retrieve data;

(iv) using the retrieved data, automatically generate and transmit to the client device and an associated display another metadata page that displays;

(A) information associated with the commerce object associated with the link that has been activated, and (B) another plurality of visually perceptible elements visually corresponding to the retrieved data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises:

a processor which links together metadata based upon semantic relevance therebetween.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer device stores metadata and validates the metadata to correct errors.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one active link associated with a commerce object associated with a buying opportunity of a selected one of a plurality of merchants is a link to purchase the commercial object shown on a television program.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein metadata is supplementary information describing particular content of interest associated with media items available for selection by a user, including at least one of content title, content description, content genre, content cast, cover art, content price, content availability, links to other similar content, associated advertising content and information associated with purchasing commercial objects.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated display is customizable.

7. A method of an intermediate metadata provider serving pages offering commercial opportunities, the method comprising:

(a) automatically at a server of the provider, in response to activation, by a user of a device, of a link displayed by one of a plurality of first displayed pages, recognizing as a source page of one of the plurality of first displayed pages on which the link has been activated;

(i) wherein each of the first displayed pages includes metadata associated with one of a plurality of metadata suppliers;

(ii) wherein each of the first displayed pages displays at least one active link associated with a commerce object associated with a buying opportunity of a selected one of a plurality of merchants;

(iii) wherein the selected merchant, the intermediate metadata provider and the originator of some portion of the metadata associated with first displayed page are each third parties with respect to one another;

(b) automatically retrieving, from a storage of the server, pre-stored metadata associated the source page; and

then

(c) automatically with the server generating and transmitting to the device a second displayed page that includes;

(i) information associated with the commerce object associated with the link that has been activated.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the commerce object associated with a buying opportunity of a selected one of a plurality of merchants is associated with an object shown on a television program.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein metadata is linked together based upon semantic relevance therebetween.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the first displayed pages includes metadata associated with at least two or more of the plurality of metadata suppliers.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

storing, by the intermediate metadata provider, received metadata from one or more originators of metadata and information associated with commercial opportunities which are associated with the received metadata.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein metadata is supplementary information describing particular content of interest associated with media items available for selection by a user, including at least one of content title, content description, content genre, content cast, cover art, content price, content availability, links to other similar content, associated advertising content and information associated with purchasing commercial objects.

13. A system useful in receiving, processing, storing, distributing and displaying metadata offering commercial opportunities, the system comprising:

(a) a metadata server and a database containing metadata, received from each of a plurality of first metadata sources, defining a plurality of visually perceptible elements, which visually perceptible elements are provided by the plurality of first metadata sources;

(i) wherein each of the first metadata sources belongs to one of a plurality of metadata sources;

(ii) wherein the metadata server and the database filters and links together different metadata from the first metadata sources which are associated with each other and generating a screen template based on the linked together different metadata, wherein the screen template includes at least one active link associated with a commerce object associated with a buying opportunity of a selected one of a plurality of merchants;

(iii) wherein the selected merchant, the originators of the received metadata and the provider of the screen template are third parties with respect to one another;

(b) a distribution server, which distribution server is communicatively coupled to the metadata server and the database, and programmed to;

(i) receive from a client device of a user a signal indicating activation of one of the links displayed from the screen template;

(ii) communicate information associated with the received signal indicating activation of one of the links displayed from the screen template to the metadata server and the database, wherein the metadata server and the database identify the source metadata;

(iii) in response to the communicated information, receive from the metadata server and the database stored information associated with activation of one of the links displayed from the screen template in the form of a new screen template; and

(iv) using the new screen template received, transmit to the client device the new screen template that displays;

(A) information associated with a commerce object associated with the link that has been activated, and (B) another plurality of visually perceptible elements corresponding to the second screen template.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the metadata is linked together based upon semantic relevance therebetween.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the database stores metadata and the system validates the metadata to correct errors.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one active link associated with the commerce object is a link to purchase the commercial object shown on a television program.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein metadata is supplementary information describing particular content of interest associated with media items available for selection by a user, including at least one of content title, content description, content genre, content cast, cover art, content price, content availability, links to other similar content, associated advertising content and information associated with purchasing commercial objects.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the screen template is customizable.