Determining an invitational content item type based on predicted user attention

• US 10,769,669 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2016
• Issued: 09/08/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pitschel, Donald W., Chaudhri, Imran A., Newman, Lucas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US15/219,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20160335671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A media channel can include a mix of media items and invitational content items. At some point during the playback of the media channel an invitational content item can be presented. In some cases, the invitational content items eligible for presentation can be of differing types, such as video and audio. In can be advantageous to restrict presentation of video invitational content items to times when a user is likely to view the screen of the client device during playback of the invitational content item. To accomplish this one or more heuristics or rules can be applied to client device data to predict a user attention level. The user attention level can then be correlated to an invitational content item type, which can then be used to select an invitational content item for playback.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

transmitting a media stream to a client device for playback via a media player on the client device;

determining one or more operating states of the client device;

determining a format of media content for insertion into the media stream, wherein the format comprises a video format when the client device has a first connectivity status and a first operating state, and wherein the format comprises an audio format when the client device has a second connectivity status that is different than the first connectivity status and a second operating state that is different than the first operating state, wherein one of the first connectivity status or the second connectivity status comprises connectivity between the client device and at least one of a peripheral device, a video display, or a dock;

after determining the format, selecting, from a plurality of media content items having the format, a media content item for insertion into the media stream; and

inserting the media content item having the format into the media stream transmitted to the client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the format comprises:

determining the video format;

overriding the video format when an ambient light is below a predefined threshold; and

re-assigning the format of media content determined to the audio format.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the format is the video format when the first connectivity status comprises connectivity between the client device and the at least one of the peripheral device, the video display, or the dock and the second connectivity does not comprise connectivity between the client device and the at least one of the peripheral device, the video display, or the dock.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating states of the client device comprise at least one of a screen lock state or a battery state.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the format is the audio format when the second operating state comprises a screen lock state, wherein the screen lock state comprises a locked screen associated with the client device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the format is the audio format when the second operating state comprises a battery state indicating that a battery level is below a threshold battery level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating states comprise a particular playback status of the media stream at the client device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the format is the video format when the first operating state comprises device activity resulting from a user interaction with the client device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user interaction comprises at least one of pausing the playback of the media stream via the media player, resuming the playback of the media stream via the media player, stopping the playback of the media stream via the media player, or requesting playback content via the media player.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first operating state or the second operating state comprises a media player operating status, the media player operating status indicating that the media player is either inactive or running in a foreground.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the format is the video format when the first operating state indicates that the media player is running in a foreground.

12. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

obtaining a media stream for playback via a media player on a client device;

determining one or more operating states of the client device;

determining a format of media content for insertion into the media stream for playback at the client device, wherein the format comprises a video format when the client device has a first connectivity status and a first operating state, and wherein the format comprises an audio format when the client device has a second connectivity status that is different than the first connectivity status and a second operating state that is different than the first operating state, wherein one of the first connectivity status or the second connectivity status comprises connectivity between the client device and at least one of a peripheral device, a video display, or a dock;

after determining the format, selecting, from a plurality of media content items having the format, a media content item for insertion into the media stream; and

inserting the media content item having the format into the media stream.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein determining the format comprises:

determining the video format;

overriding the video format when an ambient light is below a predefined threshold; and

re-assigning the format of media content determined to the audio format.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the format is the video format when the first connectivity status comprises connectivity between the client device and the at least one of the peripheral device, the video display, or the dock and the second connectivity does not comprise connectivity between the client device and the at least one of the peripheral device, the video display, or the dock.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more operating states of the client device comprise at least one of a screen lock state or a battery state.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the format is the audio format when the second operating state comprises a screen lock state, wherein the screen lock state comprises a locked screen associated with the client device.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the selected format is the audio format when the second operating state comprises a battery state indicating that a battery level is below a threshold battery level.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

transmitting a media stream to a client device for playback via a media player on the client device;

determining one or more operating states of the client device;

determining a format of media content for insertion into the media stream, wherein the format comprises a video format when the client device has a first connectivity status and a first operating state, and wherein the format comprises an audio format when the client device has a second connectivity status that is different than the first connectivity status and a second operating state that is different than the first operating state, wherein one of the first connectivity status or the second connectivity status comprises connectivity between the client device and at least one of a peripheral device, a video display, or a dock;

after determining the format, selecting, from a plurality of media content items having the format, a media content item for insertion into the media stream; and

inserting the media content item having the format into the media stream transmitted to the client device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the format is the video format when the first operating state comprises device activity resulting from a user interaction, wherein the user interaction comprises at least one of pausing the playback of the media stream via the media player, resuming the playback of the media stream via the media player, stopping the playback of the media stream via the media player, or requesting playback content via the media player.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the format is the video format when the first operating state comprises a media player operating status indicating that the media player is running in a foreground.