Video and digital multimedia aggregator content availability notification system and method

• US 20030028884A1
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Swart, William D., McCoskey, John S., Asmussen, Michael L.
• Application Number:
  US09/977,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028884A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6583 Acknowledgement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An aggregator, operating in a digital communications network, includes a request and results processing server, a search engine server coupled to the request and results processing server and a content acquisition server coupled to the request and results processing server. A request and results processing server receives a request for content, the search engine server searches for the content and the content acquisition program acquires content for delivery to the user. The request and results processing server includes a search request processor that receives information related to a user'"'"'s search request and provides the information to a search results form builder that creates an electronic search request. The search request may be augmented by using a content suggestion engine to add additional search terms and descriptions to the search request. The aggregator may also include a decoder that decodes program content and program metadata from remote sources for storage at the aggregator, and an encoder that encodes content metadata and programs for delivery to the user. The aggregator may also comprise one or more crawlers, such as a content crawler, to look for program content in one or more digital communications networks.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium, having programming executable on a computer, that provides program content notification related to content available on a video and multimedia program content distribution network, comprising:

a content availability notification module;

a notification data reception module, coupled to the content availability notification module, that receives and processes notification data, wherein the notification data is used to formulate and transmit one or more content availability notification messages;

a content schedule and availability analysis module, coupled to the notification data reception module, that receives and processes one or more of content schedule and availability of the program content available on the video and multimedia program content distribution network and user content download requests, and produces processed schedule and availability data;

a content download request analysis module, coupled to the notification data reception module, that processes data from the user download requests for formatting and routing one or more content notification availability forms;

a notification form builder, coupled to the content schedule and availability analysis module, that receives the processed schedule and availability data, and generates a notification form;

a notification form router, coupled to the notification form builder, that routes notification data for transmission to a user; and

one or more notification modules that provide the program content notification.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more notification modules comprise:

a user terminal notification module that provides an on-screen notification;

an email notification module that provides an email notification;

an instant messaging notification module that provides an instant text notification message;

a pager and wireless notification module that provides one of a voice and a text notification message; and

an automated telephone notification module that provides a telephone message notification.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein the on-screen notification includes one or more of an on-screen pop up window, an on-screen banner, an icon, and an audible message.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein the on-screen notification is provided at one of a television and an computer display.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the on-screen notification includes a hyperlink to one or more programs.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program content notification is provided until an acknowledgement is received by the content availability notification module.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the program content notification is provided continually.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the program content notification is provided periodically.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more notification modules provide the program content notification

10. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising a user data analysis module, coupled to the notification data reception module, that receives and processes user profile data.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the notification data are contained in a program content download request.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising a user'"'"'s profile and history file, wherein the notification data are contained in the user'"'"'s profile and history file.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the notification data includes the method of delivery of the program content notification.

14. A method for notifying users of availability of video and digital multimedia program content in a video and multimedia program content distribution network, comprising:

receiving a program content request, wherein the request specifies desired program content for delivery to a user terminal;

receiving information related to availability of the desired program content;

determining a notification protocol to notify the user terminal of the availability of the desired program content;

analyzing the information related to the availability of the desired program content;

generating a notification form; and

routing the notification form to one or more notification modules, wherein the one or more notification modules transmit a program content availability notification.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining the notification protocol comprises analyzing a user history and profile file.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining the notification protocol comprises analyzing a program content download request.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the notification protocol comprises one or more of delivery of an on-screen prompt, an email message, a wireless message, an instant text message, an audio message, and an automated telephone message.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising repeating the program content availability notification until an acknowledgement is received.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the acknowledgement is received at the user terminal.

20. A system that provides program content notification related to content available on a video and multimedia program content distribution network, comprising:

means for receiving program notification data, wherein the receiving means receives and processes notification data, wherein the notification data is used to formulate and transmit one or more content availability notification messages;

means for analyzing program content schedule and availability, coupled to the receiving means, wherein the means for analyzing program content schedule and availability receives and processes one or more of content schedule and availability of the program content available on the video and multimedia program content distribution network and user content download requests, and produces processed schedule and availability data;

means for analyzing a program content download request, coupled to the receiving means, wherein the means for analyzing a program content download request processes data from the user download requests for formatting and routing one or more content notification availability forms;

means for generating a notification form, coupled to the means for analyzing content schedule and availability, wherein the generating means receives the processed schedule and availability data, and generates a notification form;

means for routing the notification form, coupled to the generating means, wherein the routing means routes notification data for transmission to a user; and

means for providing the program content notification.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for providing the program content notification comprises:

means for providing an on-screen notification;

means for providing an email notification;

means for providing an instant text notification message;

means for providing a wireless voice and a text notification message; and

means for providing an automated telephone message notification.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the on-screen notification includes one or more of an on-screen pop up window, an on-screen banner, an icon, and an audible message.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the on-screen notification is provided at one of a television and an computer display.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the on-screen notification includes a hyperlink to one or more programs.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the program content notification is provided until an acknowledgement is received by the receiving means.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the program content notification is provided continually.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the program content notification is provided periodically.

28. The system of claim 20, further comprising means of analyzing user data, coupled to the receiving means, wherein the means for analyzing user data receives and processes user profile data.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the notification data are contained in a program content download request.

30. The system of claim 20, further comprising a user'"'"'s profile and history file, wherein the notification data are contained in the user'"'"'s profile and history file.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein the notification data includes the method of delivery of the program content notification.