Zone control methods and apparatus

• US 10,863,238 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 12/08/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stern, Peter, Gould, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Riaz, Sahar Aqil
• Application Number:
  US14/252,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20140317657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,430 Days
• Field of Search: 725 31- 35
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing 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 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing control over targeted secondary content based on a zone associated with a user. In one exemplary embodiment, a user request for primary content from a non-legacy device results in the delivery of the same secondary content which would have been provided had the request been generated at a legacy device (so-called “zone preservation”). To accomplish this, the devices are associated with a user'"'"'s zone at a zone preservation server in communication with the server providing content to the devices. The zone preservation server associates each user with an advertisement zone identifier, and utilizes the identifier to direct the delivery of primary and secondary content. In another embodiment, a prescribed rule set for one or more zones is employed, such as where certain types of advertisements or secondary content are inserted given a particular device or user context.

Claims

1. A computerized apparatus configured to operate in a network, the computerized apparatus comprising:

interface apparatus configured for data communication with a mobile user device;

processor apparatus;

network interface apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatus; and

storage apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatus, the storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program configured to, when executed on the processor apparatus;

receive data representative of a request for digitally rendered primary content from the mobile user device, the data representative of the request comprising user identification data;

obtain, based at least in part on the user identification data, subscriber billing address information relating to a user associated with the mobile user device;

utilize at least a portion of the subscriber billing address information to identify a zone associated to the user;

cause utilization of data relating to the identified zone to enforce a rule regarding selection and transmission of appropriate advertising to non-legacy client devices, including the mobile user device, the transmission from a legacy video on-demand (VOD) server; and

cause at least one digitally rendered secondary content element to be inserted into the requested digitally rendered primary content for delivery to the mobile user device based at least in part on stored data relating to the rule.

2. The computerized apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile user device comprises an Internet Protocol (IP)-enabled device, and the data representative of the request for the digitally rendered primary content is received from the mobile user device disposed in a geographic location outside a geographic location of the zone associated to the user.

3. The computerized apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the rule further requires selection of the at least one digitally rendered secondary content element selected from among a plurality of digitally rendered secondary content elements is further based at least in part on data relating to a correspondence of one or more tiers of the at least one digitally rendered secondary content element to the identified zone associated to the user, the correspondence based at least in part on a comparison of the one or more tiers of the at least one digitally rendered secondary content element to a profit-based qualification associated with the identified zone, such that one or more of the plurality of digitally rendered secondary content elements of a first tier are delivered to a first zone and have a greater number of targeting opportunities than those of one or more of the plurality of digitally rendered secondary content elements of a second tier that are delivered to a second zone, and the first zone having profitability opportunities greater that those of the second zone; and

the profit-based qualification is associated with disposable incomes of one or more subscribers of the network, the one or more subscribers residing in the identified zone associated to the user.

4. The computerized apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digitally rendered primary content is stored as a plurality of data segments, and the delivery of the digitally rendered primary content to the mobile user device comprises creation of a single data stream comprising the plurality of segments having data of the at least one digitally rendered secondary content element inserted between at least two of the plurality of data segments.

5. The computerized apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed on the processor apparatus:

evaluate a subscription level of the user; and

based at least on the evaluation indicating that the subscription level does not meet a prescribed criterion, cause insertion of the at least one digitally rendered secondary content element into the requested digitally rendered primary content for delivery to the mobile user device irrespective of the rule.

6. A computerized method of operating a network, comprising:

receiving data representative of a request for digitally rendered primary content from a mobile client device, the data representative of the request comprising user identification data;

transmitting the user identification data to a network computerized process;

based at least on the transmitting, receiving subscriber billing address data associated with the user identification data;

utilizing at least a portion of the subscriber billing address data to identify a zone associated with a user of the mobile client device;

algorithmically creating a rule regarding selection and transmission of appropriate digitally rendered secondary content elements to non-legacy client devices, including the mobile client device, wherein the selection is based at least in part on the identified zone, and the transmission is configured to be effected from a legacy video on-demand (VOD) server apparatus; and

causing at least one digitally rendered secondary content element to be inserted into the requested digitally rendered primary content for delivery to the mobile client device based at least in part on the rule.

7. The computerized method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving data regarding one or more placement opportunities for insertion of the at least one digitally rendered secondary content element into the digitally rendered primary content; and

receiving data regarding an audience associated with the one or more placement opportunities for the at least one digitally rendered secondary content element, the audience comprising the user of the mobile client device;

wherein the algorithmically creating the rule comprises utilizing at least (i) the data regarding the one or more placement opportunities, and (ii) the data regarding the audience.

8. The computerized method of claim 7, further comprising causing storage of the digitally rendered primary content as a plurality of data segments;

wherein;

the causing of the at least one digitally rendered secondary content element to be inserted into the requested digitally rendered primary content comprises creating a single data stream comprising the plurality of segments, the single stream data having the at least one digitally rendered secondary content element inserted between at least two of the data segments of the stream at the one or more placement opportunities;

the data regarding one or more placement opportunities comprises data indicative of at least one restriction to a selection of the at least one of at least one digitally rendered secondary content element, the at least one restriction comprising a restriction of the selection to only digitally rendered secondary content elements optimized for respective ones of a plurality of delivery platform types, the plurality of delivery platform types comprising at least one of;

VOD or pay-per-view (PPV), linear television, interactive television, Internet, or electronic or interactive program guides; and

the data regarding the audience comprises demographic data.

9. The computerized method of claim 6, wherein:

the receiving the data representative of the request for the digitally rendered primary content from the mobile client device comprises receiving the data representative of the request for the digitally rendered primary content from the mobile client device which is then-currently located in a geographic location outside of a geographic zone where a computerized legacy device of the user of the mobile client device is then-currently located;

the identified zone comprises the geographic zone; and

the mobile client device comprises at least an Internet Protocol (IP)-enabled device.

10. Computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory storage medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed on a processing apparatus:

receive data representative of a request for digitally rendered primary content from a computerized non-legacy client device of a user, the data representative of the request comprising user identification data;

obtain subscriber billing address data associated with the user identification data;

based on at least a portion of the subscriber billing address data, identify one or more secondary content zones associated with the user;

formulate, via a first computerized process configured to utilize data associated with the one or more secondary content zones, a rule relating to selection of digitally rendered secondary content for delivery thereof from a legacy video on-demand (VOD) server apparatus of a managed content delivery network and to the computerized non-legacy client device; and

cause the rule to be implemented with respect to the request for the digitally rendered primary content, the implementation comprising insertion of the digitally rendered secondary content in the digitally rendered primary content.

11. The computer readable apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed on the processing apparatus:

receive data relating to a preference regarding a plurality of digitally rendered secondary content, the preference configurable by the user via a computerized user interface of the computerized non-legacy client device; and

wherein the first computerized process is further configured to utilize the data relating to the preference in the formulation of the rule.

12. The computer readable apparatus of claim 11, wherein the identification of the one or more secondary content zones comprises determination of a geographical location of a computerized legacy device associated with the user, the computerized legacy device in data communication with the computerized non-legacy client device via at least one of the managed content delivery network or an unmanaged internetwork.

13. The computer readable apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the receipt of the data relating to the preference regarding a plurality of digitally rendered secondary content comprises receipt of data indicative of a preference regarding a type of advertising the user desires to receive at the computerized non-legacy client device, the type relating to at least one of (i) the geographical location of the computerized legacy device, or (ii) a then-current geographical location of the computerized non-legacy client device;

the one or more secondary content zones correspond to at least one of (i) the geographical location of the computerized legacy device, or (ii) the geographical location of the computerized non-legacy client device; and

the geographical location of the computerized legacy device comprises a known fixed location of a premises of the user.

14. The computer readable apparatus of claim 10, wherein the causation of the rule to be implemented comprises automatic causation of the rule to be implemented based on data indicative of a number of requests for the digitally rendered secondary content meeting or exceeding a predetermined threshold.

15. The computer readable apparatus of claim 10, wherein the implementation further comprises generation of one or more variants of the digitally rendered secondary content, the one or more variants being specific to the one or more secondary content zones, respectively.

16. The computer readable apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one of the one or more variants specific to at least one of the one or more secondary content zones comprises advertising related to a feminine product delivered to a secondary content zone having predominantly female audience.

17. The computer readable apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed on the processing apparatus:

evaluate data of an account associated to the user to determine one or more characteristics associated with the user and generate data indicative of the one or more characteristics;

wherein the first computerized process is further configured to utilize data relating to a context of the digitally rendered secondary content that is appropriate for the one or more characteristics based at least on comparison of at least a portion of the generated data indicative of the one or more characteristics and metadata of the digitally rendered secondary content, in the formulation of the rule.

18. The computer readable apparatus of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed on the processing apparatus:

algorithmically analyze the metadata of the digitally rendered secondary content to determine the context thereof.

19. Computerized network apparatus configured to operate in a data network, the computerized network apparatus comprising:

data interface apparatus configured to receive data representative of a request for digitally rendered primary content, the data representative of the request (i) originating from a computerized mobile device, and (ii) comprising at least user identification data associated with a user of the computerized non-legacy client device;

digital processor apparatus; and

storage apparatus in data communication with the digital processor apparatus, the storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program configured to, when executed on the digital processor apparatus;

transmit the user identification information to a computerized network entity of the data network;

based at least on the transmission of the user identification information, receive billing address data from the computerized network entity;

utilize at least a portion of the billing address data to identify at least one secondary content zone;

algorithmically determine a rule regarding selection and transmission of appropriate digitally rendered secondary content for the computerized mobile client device, wherein the selection is based at least in part on the identified zone, and the transmission is configured to be effected from a legacy-based video on-demand (VOD) server apparatus; and

cause the rule to be implemented at least with respect to the request for the digitally rendered primary content, the implementation comprising insertion of the appropriate digitally rendered secondary content in the digitally rendered primary content.

20. The computerized network apparatus of claim 19, wherein the selection is further based at least on data relating to a subscription level associated with either the computerized mobile device or a user thereof.

21. The computerized network apparatus of claim 19, wherein the selection is further based at least on data relating to an expiration date of the digitally rendered secondary content, the expiration date comprising a prescribed date after which digitally rendered primary content was originally broadcasted.

22. The computerized network apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the receipt of the data representative of the request for digitally rendered primary content comprises receipt of the data representative of the request for digitally rendered primary content indirectly from a computerized legacy client device.

23. The computerized network apparatus of claim 19, wherein the computerized network entity comprises a computerized billing process configured to provide the billing address data.

24. The computerized network apparatus of claim 19, wherein the digitally rendered primary content is stored at the legacy-based computerized VOD server apparatus as a plurality of segments, and the provision of the digitally rendered primary content and the digitally rendered secondary content to the computerized mobile device comprises creation of a single data stream comprising the plurality of segments having one or more elements of the digitally rendered secondary content inserted therein.