Methods and apparatus for customized content delivery

• US 20080091796A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grebnev, Igor, Field-Elliot, Bryan, Rogers, Glenn, Hatch, Steven, Federico, John, Muralikrishnan, Deepa, Meyer, Arik, Galkin, Alexander, Story, Guy, Wolfish, Howard
• Granted Patent: US 8,230,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for customized content delivery are provided. Customized and individualized electronic content over a network are included. The content delivered through content feeds may be specifically tailored to a specific user based numerous criteria including, but not limited to, attributes of a user, usage characteristics, subject matter of previous downloads, subscription details, and targeted advertising. The content provider may track and monitor the download characteristics of individual users and adapt the content delivered in the feeds.

Claims

1. A method of delivering customized electronic content over a network comprising:

allowing a user to register with a content provider;

creating a customized content feed based on information received from user registration, wherein the content feed includes information associated with the user;

allowing the user to subscribe to the customized content feed;

configuring a data package indicative of the customized content feed including a network location of the customized content feed;

transmitting the data package to a playback device such that the playback device extracts the network location of the customized content feed from the data package; and

transmitting the customized content feed to the playback device when the playback device requests content from the network location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized content feed is further customized based on content usage characteristics or preferences observed by the content provider.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising periodically updating the network location with an updated customized content feed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the playback device is a portable playback device, further comprising transmitting the customized content feed substantially directly to the portable playback device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the playback device is a portable playback device, further comprising transmitting the customized content feed to a proxy computing device which manages the content provided to the portable playback device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the network location is a feed URL.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the data package is an XML package.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein transmitting the data package further comprises extracting an enclosure URL from the XML package.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized content feed is further customized based on a capability of the user'"'"'s playback device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized content feed is further customized by including customized advertisements.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized content feed is further customized by including customized promotional materials.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized content feed is further customized by including customized content messages.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the playback device is a portable playback device, and wherein the remote computer transmits the customized content feed substantially directly to the portable playback device.

13. A system for delivering one or more customized content feeds from a remote computer to a playback device, the system comprising:

a remote computer which allows a user to register with a content provider and which creates a customized content feed based on information received from user registration, wherein the content feed includes information associated with the user;

wherein the remote computer is configured to allow the user to subscribe to the customized content feed and transmits a data package including a network location of the customized content feed to the playback device such that the network location of the customized content feed may be extracted from the data package; and

wherein the remote computer is configured to transmit the customized content feed to the playback device when the playback device requests content from the network location.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the remote computer further customizes the content feed based on content usage characteristics or preferences observed by the content provider.

15. The system of claim 13 further wherein the remote computer periodically updates the network location with an updated customized content feed.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the remote computer further customizes the customized content feed based on a capability of the user'"'"'s playback device.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the remote computer further customizes the customized content feed by including customized advertisements.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the remote computer further customizes the customized content feed by including customized promotional materials.

20. The system of claim 13 by wherein the remote computer further customizes the customized content feed by including customized content messages.

21. A system for delivering a customized content file to a playback device, the system comprising:

a remote computer which allows a user to register with a content provider and which creates a customized content feed based on information received from user registration, the customized content feed including one or more customized content files, wherein the customized content file is described by a customized content file specification;

wherein the remote computer allows the user to subscribe to the customized content feed and transmits a data package including a network location of the customized content feed to the playback device such that the network location of the customized content feed may be extracted from the data package; and

wherein when the playback device requests content from the customized content feed, the content provider provides the customized content file specification to the playback device, and a directory computer transmits locations of peer computing devices to the playback device that have logical components specified in the customized content file specification, such that the customized content file is created from logical components provided by the peer computing devices.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the remote computer further customizes the customized content feed by including customized advertisements, customized promotional materials, or customized content messages wherein customized advertisements, customized promotional materials, or customized content messages are obtained from peer computing devices.

23. The system of claim 21 further comprising receiving the requested content from the peer computing devices and assembling the customized content file from the content received from the peer computing devices.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising prohibiting the playback device from playing portions of the customized content file prior to assembly.

25. The system of claim 21 by wherein the list of logical components is included within a metatorrent.

26. A method for billing a content consumer based on content consumption, the method comprising:

providing electronic content to a consumer;

tracking an amount of content actually consumed by the content consumer;

providing an indication of the consumed content to remote computer; and

calculating cost of content based on the indication of the consumed content.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the content provider provides a content counter to a playback device of the consumer.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising using the content counter to provide an indication of the content consumed.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein tracking an amount of content actually consumed by the content consumer includes obtaining a position parameter from the playback device.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein tracking the amount of content consumed excludes content traversed during navigation operations.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein navigation includes fast forward and skip operations.

32. The method of claim 26 further comprising adjusting a network location of content based, at least in part, on a position parameter.

33. The method of claim 26 wherein a proxy computing device provides an indication of the consumed content to remote computer.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the remote computer provides a content counter to a playback device of the consumer.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the remote computer uses the content counter to provide an indication of the content consumed.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the remote computer tracks an amount of content actually consumed by the content consumer by obtaining a position parameter from the playback device.

37. The system of claim 33 wherein the remote computer excludes content traversed during navigation operations in determining the amount of content actually consumed.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein navigation includes fast forward and skip operations.

39. The system of claim 33 wherein the remote computer adjusts a network location of content based, at least in part, on a position parameter provided to the remote computer.

33-1. A system for billing a content consumer based on content consumption, the system comprising:

a remote computer that provides electronic content to a consumer, wherein the remote computer is configured to track an amount of content actually consumed by the content consumer based on an indication of the consumed content provided to the remote computer; and

calculate a cost of content based on the indication of the consumed content.

40. A method of creating a sample of an electronic content file for transmission to others, the method comprising:

allowing a user to receive one or more electronic content feeds;

providing a playback device with an electronic content file from the one or more electronic content feeds;

allowing the user to select a portion of the electronic content file for transmission to others;

copying the selected portion of the electronic content file to an excerpt file; and

transmitting the excerpt file to another.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising allowing the user to optionally review the excerpt file prior to transmission to others.

42. The method of claim 40 further comprising allowing the user to optionally edit the excerpt file prior to transmission to others.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein the user inserts a start marker and end marker to define the excerpt file.

44. The method of claim 40 wherein the user selects the excerpt file using a sampling application which allows the user to select a predefined sampling interval.

45. A method of claim 40 further comprising allowing the user to append additional content to the excerpt file.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the additional content is appended to the beginning of the excerpt file.

47. The method of claim 45 wherein the additional content is appended to the end of the excerpt file.

48. The method of claim 40 further allowing a content provider to append additional content to the excerpt file.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the additional appended content is advertising or promotional material.

50. The method of claim 40 further comprising preventing the user from selecting an excerpt file that exceeds a predefined length.

51. The method of claim 40 further comprising preventing the user from transmitting an excerpt file that exceeds a predefined length.

52. The method of claim 40 further comprising preventing the user from transmitting a plurality of excerpt files, that when combined, can be used to substantially recreate all or most of the content file from which portions are selected.

53. A system for creating a sample of an electronic content file for transmission to others, the system comprising:

a remote computer that allows a user to receive one or more electronic content feeds and provide a playback device with an electronic content file from the one or more electronic content feeds, wherein the user is allowed to select a portion of the electronic file for transmission to others, copy the selected portion of the original electronic content file to an excerpt file, and transmit the excerpt file to another.

54. The system of claim 53 configured to allow the user to optionally review the excerpt file prior to transmission to others.

55. The system of claim 53 configured to allow the user to optionally edit the excerpt file prior to transmission to others.

56. The system of claim 53 configured to allow the user to insert a start marker and end marker to define the excerpt file.

57. The system of claim 53 configured to allow the user to select the excerpt file using a sampling application which allows the user to select a predefined sampling interval.

58. A system of claim 53 configured to allow the user to append additional content to the excerpt file.

59. The system of claim 58 wherein the additional content is appended to the beginning of the excerpt file.

60. The system of claim 58 wherein the additional content is appended to the end of the excerpt file.

61. The system of claim 53 configured to allow a content provider to append additional content to the excerpt file.

62. The system of claim 61 wherein the additional appended content is advertising or promotional material.

63. The system of claim 53 configured to prevent the user from selecting an excerpt file that exceeds a predefined length.

64. The method of claim 53 configured to prevent the user from transmitting an excerpt file that exceeds a predefined length.

65. The method of claim 53 further configured to prevent the user from transmitting a plurality of excerpt files, that when combined, can be used to substantially recreate all or most of the original content file from which portions are selected.