Secondary content insertion apparatus and methods

• US 20070276926A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Riedl, Steven, Hayashi, Michael, LaJoie, Michael L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,386,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• 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 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks 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 21/4334 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Apparatus and associated methods that allow a user (e.g., cable or satellite network subscriber) to access content, such as a video program, from a location outside the subscriber'"'"'s network, with dynamic or adaptive insertion of secondary content (e.g., advertisements or promotions) that are more relevant for that context. In one embodiment, a personal content server streams the content to the subscriber over a network connection from the local e.g., (subscription) network to a remote network upon authorization by a content manager process; secondary content is evaluated and selectively inserted or replaced depending on factors such as the user'"'"'s remote location, the configuration of their platform, the date and time of their access request, and/or the subject matter of the primary content.

Claims

1. A personal content distribution system, comprising:

a first network adapted for distribution of content to a first device at a first location;

a personal content server operatively communicating with said first network; and

a second network in data communication with said content server and adapted to receive a request to access first content from a second device at a second location remote from said first location;

wherein said distribution system is operative to selectively insert second content with said first content for delivery to said second device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said selective insertion of said second content is based at least in part on said second location.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said second content comprises content that is specifically adapted to one or more attributes of said second location, said one or more attributes being selected from the group consisting of:

(i) local weather, (ii) local sports teams, and (iii) local television programming.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said second content is selected for said selective insertion based at least in part on the date and/or time of day.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said second content is topically related at least a portion of said first content.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said second content is stored in a variety of different formats, each of said formats adapted for a given software environment within the second device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said selective insertion of said second content is based at least in part on the type or capabilities of said second device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said first network comprises a cable television network, and said second network comprises a packet-switched internetwork.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said first network comprises a cable or satellite content-based network, and said second network comprises a cellular network adapted to distribute content to a plurality of mobile users, said second device comprising a mobile device, and said second content is substantially optimized for the capabilities of said mobile device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said first network comprises a plurality of subscribers, and said first device and said second device are associated with at least a common one of said plurality of subscribers, said association being determined at least in part by said at least one user providing authentication information via said second device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said access comprises delivery of said content to said second device, and said personal content server is operative to dynamically select at least one of the following for delivery of said content to said second device:

(i) encoding/decoding format;

(ii) conditional access format; and

(iii) the network interface over which said content is delivered to said second device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first network or second network comprises apparatus adapted to mitigate spoofing of said personal content server by an unauthorized device or user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said apparatus adapted to mitigate spoofing of said personal content server by an unauthorized device or user comprises a RADIUS server.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said second device is capable of moving to a plurality of different locations within said second network, and said personal content server is adapted to authenticate said second device at each of said different locations.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third network in communication with said first network;

wherein said second device is capable of moving between said second and third networks, and said personal content server is adapted to authenticate said second device at each of said second and third networks.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said personal content server is further operative to perform rate shaping on said first and second content.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said personal content server comprises a first portion of a distributed software application, and said second device comprises a second portion of said distributed software application, said first and second portions of said application being in communication with one another over at least said second network in order to provide said access to said first content.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said second content is logically proximate to said first content.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said second content is selected before insertion, and said selection is based at least in part on metadata associated with said second content.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said metadata is identified by a search algorithm using at least one search term.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said search term is provided by metadata associated with said first content.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said search term is related to the geographic location of said second device.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein said second content is obtained from a third-party source based on at least one search term.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein said second content comprises closed caption (cc) data.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein said second content comprises emergency alert system data.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said emergency alert data is substantially specific to said second location.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein said first content is segmented into a plurality of segments according to a segmentation algorithm, said second content being inserted substantially between at least two of said segments.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein said second content comprises interactive content, and said second device comprises a client application running thereon, said client application enabling a user of said second device to interact with said interactive content.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein said second content comprises relational content, and said second device comprises a client application running thereon, said client application enabling a user of said second device to interact with another entity based on relational information present within said second content.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said relational information comprises a universal resource locator (URL).

31. The system of claim 1, wherein said second content comprises content selected based on at least one particular attribute of a user.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said at least one particular attribute is stored in a subscriber database, said subscriber database also directly or indirectly correlating said user to said second device.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein said at least one attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

(i) annual income;

(ii) type of car owned or leased; and

(iii) large item purchase history.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein said at least one attribute comprises the type of second device making said access request.

35. A client device architecture adapted for delivery of content over a network, comprising:

a server disposed substantially within a content-based network and adapted to serve content requests from client devices;

a content source in data communication with said server for providing first content thereto; and

a management process in operative communication with said server, said management process being adapted to evaluate requests from one or more client devices associated with a remote network in data communication with said content-based network for access to said first content, and to select and provide second content substantially with said primary content in response to said request.

36. The architecture of claim 35, wherein said evaluation of said requests comprises analyzing the location of a client device issuing one of said requests, and said selection comprises selecting second content appropriate to that location.

37. The architecture of claim 35, wherein said evaluation of said requests comprises analyzing the configuration of a client device issuing one of said requests, and said selection comprises selecting second content appropriate to that configuration of client device.

38. The architecture of claim 35, wherein said evaluation of said requests comprises analyzing metadata associated with the first content requested to identify a context, and said selection comprises selecting second content related to said context.

39. A method of delivering content over a network, comprising:

receiving a request for access to first content via a first network from a first device;

selecting second content for inclusion with said first content based at least in part on the context of said first device; and

causing delivery of said first and second content to said first device.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said context of said first device comprises its location.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein said context of said first device comprises its hardware and/or software configuration.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said configuration is determined at least in part on a message sent from said device to a network server.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein said configuration is determined at least in part on a stored record containing said configuration information for said first device.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein said act of causing deliver comprises causing delivery of at least one of said first and second content from a proxy server.

45. The method of claim 39, wherein said act of receiving comprises receiving a streaming request via a session-based protocol.

46. The method of claim 39, wherein said network comprises a cable television network having a broadcast switched architecture (BSA) and a plurality of hub sites, and at least said act of selecting is performed by a software process running on a server disposed at one of said hub sites.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein apparatus at said hub site inserts said second content into said first content.

48. A method optimizing bandwidth usage within a cable television network, the method comprising:

providing first and second content at a first node of said network;

distributing said first and second content from said first node to a second node in response to a request for delivery originated from said second node;

receiving a request for delivery for said first content from a third node, said third node not being part of said cable television network;

selecting third content based at least in part on said request; and

causing delivery of said first content and said third content to said third node.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said delivery of at least said first content occurs from said first node, and without having to transmit said first content from said second node to said third node.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein said second content comprises advertising or promotional content applicable to said second node, and said third content comprises advertising or promotional content applicable to said third node, said second content being substantially non-applicable to said third node.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein said first node comprises the head-end of said cable network, said second node comprises a subscriber premises, and said third node comprises a location remote from said premises and said head-end, yet in data communication with said head-end.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein said distributing comprises broadcasting said first content over a broadcast switched architecture (BSA) network;

and said first node comprises a hub site thereof.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said causing delivery comprises streaming packetized data from said hub site to said third node via an internetwork interface.

54. Server apparatus adapted for use in a content-based network, comprising:

a storage device;

a processor in data communication with said storage device and adapted to run at least one computer program thereon, at least a portion of said at least one program being stored in said storage device;

a first network interface in data communication with said content-based network;

a second network interface in data communication with a remote network; and

a data interface in data communication with a content source;

wherein said at least one computer program is adapted to;

receive a request for access to first content from a remote client device in data communication with said remote network via said second network interface;

evaluate said request to determine whether second content associated with said first content for delivery via said content-based network is appropriate for delivery to said remote network; and

based at least in part on said evaluation, selectively replace at least portions of said second content with said third content before delivery of said first content to said remote network.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein said content-based network comprises a cable television network, and said at least one computer program is further adapted to cause a session to be created between said apparatus and said remote client device substantially over said second network, said session delivering said requested first content.

56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein said content-based network comprises a cable television network, and said at least one computer program is further adapted to cause a session to be created between a proxy of said apparatus and said remote client device substantially over said second network, said session delivering said second or third content as applicable.

57. A method of doing business over a network, comprising:

receiving a request for first content from a user in communication with said network;

and selecting second content for inclusion with said first content based on at least one of (i) the identity of said user; and

(ii) the location of said user.