Measuring user engagement of content

• US 9,531,985 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Zhu, Yingnan, Kashyap, Praveen, Gava, Fabio, Yang, Nan, Koushik, Meghana
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, HUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US13/841,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20140270683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 386239-262, 725 9- 21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/436 using biological or physiological data of a human being, e.g. blood pressure, facial expression, gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44226 on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4662 characterized by learning algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

A system for measuring user engagement of content comprises an electronic device for playing a piece of content, at least one sensor for capturing data relating to environment context and user activity during playback of the piece of content, and an engagement measurement application for measuring user engagement of the piece of content. The engagement measurement application measures user engagement of the piece of content based on data captured by the sensors.

Claims

1. A system for measuring user engagement of content, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a data storage device storing instructions that when executed by said one or more processors causes said one or more processors to perform operations including;

determining context data and user activity data associated with playback of a piece of content on a first electronic device, wherein said user activity data relates to user activity of at least one user in response to said playback, and said context data relates to a surrounding ambient environment of said first electronic device, content type of said piece of content, user type of said at least one user, and device activity of said first electronic device;

measuring a degree of user engagement for at least one engagement feature based on said context data and said user activity data;

for each degree of user engagement measured, determining a corresponding weighted degree of user engagement based on a corresponding weight assigned to said degree of user engagement measured, wherein each weight assigned to each degree of user engagement measured is based on said context data and said user activity data; and

providing user engagement data indicative of each weighted degree of user engagement to a content distributor, wherein additional content available for playback on said first electronic device from said content distributor is adjusted based on said user engagement data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said context data comprises one or more of;

an image of said surrounding ambient environment, a video of said surrounding ambient environment, or audio of said surrounding ambient environment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said content distributor comprises one or more of;

a content provider, a content creator, or an advertiser; and

said additional content comprises one or more of;

another piece of content, an advertisement, or a television programming schedule.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said user activity data comprises one or more of;

an image of said user activity, a video of said user activity, or audio of said user activity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said user activity data comprises one or more of;

a facial expression of said at least one user, a body movement of said at least one user, a user interaction of said at least one user with said piece of content via at least one input device; and

said at least one input device includes at least one of the following;

a remote control unit, and a second electronic device connected to said first electronic device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said context data comprises data indicative of one or more of;

a lighting condition of said surrounding ambient environment, or a noise level of said surrounding ambient environment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said operations further include;

capturing metadata relating to said piece of content; and

extracting different engagement features from said context data and said user activity data;

different weights are assigned for different contexts; and

each degree of user engagement for each engagement feature is an engagement score corresponding to said engagement feature.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said context data comprises data indicative of at least one of the following;

said content type of said piece of content, an estimated distance between said first electronic device and said at least one user, a noise level of said surrounding ambient environment, number of one or more other devices connected to said first electronic device for information sharing, a facial expression of said at least one user, a body movement of said at least one user, rewinding of said piece of content, fast-forwarding of said piece of content, pausing of said piece of content, resuming of said piece of content, an amount of time said at least one user is facing said first electronic device.

9. A method for measuring user engagement of content, comprising:

determining context data and user activity data associated with playback of a piece of content on a first electronic device, wherein said user activity data relates to user activity of at least one user in response to said playback, and said context data relates to a surrounding ambient environment of said first electronic device, content type of said piece of content, user type of said at least one user, and device activity of said first electronic device;

measuring, by one or more processors, a degree of user engagement for at least one engagement feature based on said context data and said user activity data;

for each degree of user engagement measured, determining a corresponding weighted degree of user engagement based on a corresponding weight assigned to said degree of user engagement measured, wherein each weight assigned to each degree of user engagement measured is based on said context data and said user activity data; and

providing user engagement data indicative of each weighted degree of user engagement to a content distributor, wherein additional content available for playback on said first electronic device from said content distributor is adjusted based on said user engagement data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

said context data comprises one or more of;

an image of said surrounding ambient environment, a video of said surrounding ambient environment, or audio of said surrounding ambient environment.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein:

said content distributor comprises one or more of;

a content provider, a content creator, or an advertiser; and

said additional content comprises one or more of;

another piece of content, an advertisement, or a television programming schedule.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

said user activity data comprises one or more of;

an image of said user activity, a video of said user activity, or audio of said user activity.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

said user activity data comprises one or more of;

a facial expression of said at least one user, a body movement of said at least one user, a user interaction of said at least one user with said piece of content via at least one input device; and

said at least one input device includes at least one of the following;

a remote control unit, and a second electronic device connected to said first electronic device.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein:

said context data comprises data indicative of one or more of;

a lighting condition of said surrounding ambient environment, or a noise level of said surrounding ambient environment.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

capturing metadata relating to said piece of content; and

extracting different engagement features from said context data and said user activity data;

wherein different weights are assigned for different contexts; and

wherein each degree of user engagement for each engagement feature is an engagement score corresponding to said engagement feature.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

maintaining information relating to user engagement of different pieces of content in different contexts.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

determining context data and user activity data associated with playback of a piece of content on a first electronic device, wherein said user activity data relates to user activity of at least one user in response to said playback, and said context data relates to a surrounding ambient environment of said first electronic device, content type of said piece of content, user type of said at least one user, and device activity of said first electronic device;

measuring a degree of user engagement for at least one engagement feature based on said context data and said user activity data;

for each degree of user engagement measured, determining a corresponding weighted degree of user engagement based on a corresponding weight assigned to said degree of user engagement measured, wherein each weight assigned to each degree of user engagement measured is based on said context data and said user activity data; and

providing user engagement data indicative of each weighted degree of user engagement to a content distributor, wherein additional content available for playback on said first electronic device from said content distributor is adjusted based on said user engagement data.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein:

said context data comprises one or more of;

an image of said surrounding ambient environment, a video of said surrounding ambient environment, or audio of said surrounding ambient environment.

19. The medium of claim 17, wherein:

said content distributor comprises one or more of;

a content provider, a content creator, or an advertiser; and

said additional content comprises one or more of;

another piece of content, an advertisement, or a television programming schedule.

20. The medium of claim 17, wherein:

said user activity data comprises one or more of;

an image of said user activity, a video of said user activity, or audio of said user activity.

21. The medium of claim 17, wherein:

said user activity data comprises one or more of;

a facial expression of said at least one user, a body movement of said at least one user, a user interaction of said at least one user with said piece of content via at least one input device; and

said at least one input device includes at least one of the following;

a remote control unit, and a second electronic device connected to said first electronic device.

22. The medium of claim 17, wherein:

said context data comprises data indicative of one or more of;

a lighting condition of said surrounding ambient environment, or a noise level of said surrounding ambient environment.

23. The medium of claim 17, said operations further comprising:

capturing metadata relating to said piece of content; and

extracting different engagement features from said context data and said user activity data;

wherein different weights are assigned for different contexts; and

wherein each degree of user engagement for each engagement feature is an engagement score corresponding to said engagement feature.

24. The medium of claim 23, said operations further comprising:

maintaining information relating to user engagement of different pieces of content in different contexts.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving context data and user activity data

associated with playback of a piece of content on a first electronic device, wherein said user activity data relates to user activity of at least one user in response to said playback, and said context data relates to a surrounding ambient environment of said first electronic device, content type of said piece of content, user type of said at least one user, and device activity of said first electronic device;

measuring a degree of user engagement for at least one engagement feature based on said context data and said user activity data;

for each degree of user engagement measured, determining a corresponding weighted degree of user engagement based on a corresponding weight assigned to said degree of user engagement measured, wherein each weight assigned to each degree of user engagement measured is based on said context data and said user activity data; and

providing user engagement data indicative of each weighted degree of user engagement to a content distributor, wherein additional content available for playback on said first electronic device from said content distributor is adjusted based on said user engagement data.

26. The medium of claim 25, wherein:

said context data comprises one or more of;

an image of said surrounding ambient environment, a video of said surrounding ambient environment, or audio of said surrounding ambient environment.

27. The medium of claim 25, wherein:

said content distributor comprises one or more of;

a content provider, a content creator, or an advertiser; and

said additional content comprises one or more of;

another piece of content, an advertisement, or a television programming schedule.

28. The medium of claim 25, wherein:

said user activity data comprises one or more of;

an image of said user activity, a video of said user activity, or audio of said user activity.

29. The medium of claim 25, wherein:

said operations further include;

capturing metadata relating to said piece of content; and

extracting different engagement features from said context data and said user activity data;

different weights are assigned for different contexts; and

each degree of user engagement for each engagement feature is an engagement score corresponding to said engagement feature.

30. The medium of claim 29, wherein said operations further include:

maintaining information relating to user engagement of different pieces of content in different contexts.