Methods and Apparatus for Referring Media Content

• US 20090282111A1
• Filed: 05/12/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jacobs, Paul E., Chandhok, Ravinder Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,100,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/41 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods, devices, computer program products and systems are provided for referring media content at communication devices, such as wireless communication devices. The methods, systems and devices allow for all forms of media content to be referred, such as audio, video, multimedia content and the like and, in particular advertising content. In addition, the methods, systems and device provide for the content providers to optimize the delivery schedules and/or methods of delivery based on the volume of referrals. In addition, by tracking the volume of referrals, content providers can alter billing structure, such as advertising rates associated with advertising content.

Claims

1. A method of referring content, comprising:

obtaining, via a one-to-many transmission received by a first communication device, a plurality of content, wherein each of the plurality of content comprises a corresponding content identifier;

obtaining, at the first communication device, the content identifier corresponding to a predetermined one of the plurality of content desired to be referred;

obtaining, at the first communication device, a referral identifier corresponding to a predetermined referral-receiving device; and

referring the predetermined one of the plurality of content to the predetermined referral-receiving device by transmitting a first referral message comprising the content identifier and the referral identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining, via a one-to-many transmission further comprises receiving the plurality of content via at least one of a broadcast transmission and a multicast transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining, at the first wireless device, the content identifier further comprises receiving a user input identifying the predetermined one of the plurality of content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining, at the first communication device, a referral identifier further comprises receiving a user input identifying the predetermined referral-receiving device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein referring the predetermined content further comprises transmitting the first referral message to a network device, wherein the network device is operable to generate and transmit to the referral-receiving device, based on the referral identifier, a second referral message including the content identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein referring the predetermined content further comprises transmitting the first referral message to the predetermined referral-receiving device based on the referral identifier.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first referral message is operable, upon receipt by the predetermined referral-receiving device, to activate the referral receiving-device to listen for a one-to-many transmission of the referred content.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first referral message further comprises a link operable for providing a unicast transmission of the referred content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined content to be referred comprises advertising content.

10. At least one processor configured to perform the actions of:

obtaining, via a one-to-many transmission, wherein each of the plurality of content comprises a corresponding content identifier;

obtaining the content identifier corresponding to a predetermined one of the plurality of content desired to be referred;

obtaining a referral identifier corresponding to a predetermined referral-receiving device; and

referring the predetermined one of the plurality of content to the predetermined referral-receiving device by transmitting a first referral message comprising the content identifier and the referral identifier.

11. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, comprising:

a first set of instructions for obtaining, via a one-to-many transmission a plurality of content, wherein each of the plurality of content comprises a corresponding content identifier;

a second set of instructions for obtaining the content identifier corresponding to a predetermined one of the plurality of content desired to be referred;

a third set of instructions for obtaining a referral identifier corresponding to a predetermined referral-receiving device; and

a fourth set of instructions for referring the predetermined one of the plurality of content to the predetermined referral-receiving device by transmitting a first referral message comprising the content identifier and the referral identifier.

12. A communication device, comprising:

means for obtaining, via a one-to-many transmission received by a communication device, a plurality of content, wherein each of the plurality of content comprises a corresponding content identifier;

means for obtaining, at the first communication device, the content identifier corresponding to a predetermined one of the plurality of content desired to be referred;

means for obtaining, at the communication device, a referral identifier corresponding to a predetermined referral-receiving device; and

a means for referring the predetermined one of the plurality of content to the predetermined referral-receiving device by transmitting a first referral message comprising the content identifier and the referral identifier.

13. A communication device, comprising:

a computer platform including a processor and a memory;

a content receiver in communication with the processor and operable to receive one-to-many transmissions of a plurality of content; and

a content referral module stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the content referral module is operable to obtain a content identifier corresponding to a predetermined one of the plurality of content desired to be referred, obtain a referral identifier corresponding to a predetermined referral-receiving device and generate a referral request message that includes the content identifier and the referral identifier.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the content receiver is further operable to receive at least one of broadcast content and multicast content.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the content referral module is further operable to receive a user input for identifying the predetermined one of the plurality of content.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the content referral module is further operable to receive a user input for identifying the predetermined referral-receiving device.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the content referral module is further operable to further define the referral request message as including a content listening activator operable to activate, upon receipt by the predetermined referral-receiving device, the referral receiving-device to listen for a one-to-many transmission of the referred content.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the content referral module is further operable to further define the referral request message as including a link operable to provide a unicast transmission of the referred content.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the predetermined one of the plurality of content comprises advertising content.

20. The device of claim 13, further comprising a communications module in communication with the processor and operable to transmit the referral request message to at least one of a network device and the referral-receiving device.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the communications module further comprises the content receiver.

22. A method for referring content, comprising:

receiving, at a network device, a referral request message from a communication device, wherein the referral request message includes a first content identifier corresponding to a predetermined referred content and one or more referral identifiers each corresponding to a respective predetermined referral-receiving device; and

transmitting a referral message to the one or more predetermined referral-receiving devices, wherein the referral message comprises a second content identifier corresponding to the predetermined referred content.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising optimizing future transmissions of the referred content based on the receipt of the referral request message.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein optimizing further comprises adjusting a transmission schedule for the predetermined referred content based on a rate at which the predetermined referred content is being referred.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein optimizing further comprises determining a content delivery mechanism for the delivery of the predetermined referred content to the referral-receiving device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein determining a content delivery mechanism further comprises determining a content delivery mechanism chosen from the group consisting of multicast transmission and unicast transmission.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein transmitting a referral message to the one or more predetermined referral-receiving devices further comprises multicasting the referral message to the one or more predetermined referral-receiving devices.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein transmitting a referral message to the one or more predetermined referral-receiving devices further comprises transmitting the referral message in conjunction with scheduled transmissions of the predetermined referred content.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein transmitting a referral message further defines the second content identifier as a link operable for unicasting the predetermined referred content to the referral-receiving device.

30. At least one processor operable at a network device and configured to perform the actions of:

receiving a referral request message from a communication device, wherein the referral request message includes a first content identifier corresponding to a predetermined referred content and one or more referral identifiers each corresponding to a respective predetermined referral-receiving device; and

transmitting a referral message to the one or more predetermined referral-receiving devices, wherein the referral message comprises a second content identifier corresponding to the predetermined referred content.

31. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, comprising:

a first set of instructions for receiving, at a network device, a referral request message from a communication device, wherein the referral request message includes a first content identifier corresponding to a predetermined referred content and one or more referral identifiers each corresponding to a respective predetermined referral-receiving device; and

a second set of instructions for transmitting a referral message to the one or more predetermined referral-receiving devices, wherein the referral message comprises a second content identifier corresponding to the predetermined referred content.

32. A network device, comprising:

means for receiving, at a network device, a referral request message from a communication device, wherein the referral request message includes a first content identifier corresponding to a predetermined referred content and one or more referral identifiers each corresponding to a respective predetermined referral-receiving device; and

means for transmitting a referral message to the one or more predetermined referral-receiving devices, wherein the referral message comprises a second content identifier corresponding to the predetermined referred content.

33. A network device, comprising:

a computer platform including a processor and a memory;

a communications module in communication with the processor that is operable to receive a referral request message from a communication device, wherein the referral request message includes a first content identifier corresponding to a predetermined referred content and one or more referral identifiers each corresponding to a respective predetermined referral-receiving device; and

a referral coordinator module stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the referral coordinator module is operable to generate a referral message that is transmitted, by the communication module, to the one or more predetermined referral receiving devices, wherein the referral message comprises a second content identifier corresponding to the predetermined referred content.

34. The device of claim 33, further comprising a referred content optimization module operable to optimize future transmissions of the predetermined referred content based on the receipt of the referral request message.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the referred content optimization module is further operable to adjust a transmission schedule for the predetermined referred content based of a rate at which the predetermined referred content is being referred.

36. The device of claim 34, wherein the referred content optimization module is further operable to determine a content delivery mechanism for the delivery of the predetermined referred content to the referral-receiving device.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the referred content transmission optimization module is further operable to determine a content delivery mechanism chosen from the group consisting of multicast transmission and unicast transmission.

38. The device of claim 33, wherein the communications module is further operable to multicast the referral message to the one or more predetermined referral-receiving devices.

39. The device of claim 33, wherein the communications module is further operable to transmit the referral message in conjunction with scheduled transmissions of the predetermined referred content.

40. The device of claim 33, wherein the referral coordinator module is further operable to generate the referral message comprising a link operable for unicasting the predetermined referred content to the referral-receiving device.

41. A method of obtaining content, comprising:

receiving a referral message comprising a referred content identifier;

receiving a one-to-many transmission of a plurality of content optimized, at least in part, based on the referral message, wherein each of the plurality of content corresponds to a respective content identifier; and

obtaining the referred content from the transmission if a match exists between the referred content identifier and a respective content identifier of one of the plurality of content.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein receiving a referral message further comprises receiving a one-to-many transmission that includes the referral message.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein receiving a referral message further comprises receiving the referral message transmitted directly from a referring communication device.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein receiving a referral message further comprises receiving the referral message transmitted from a network device.

45. The method of claim 41, further comprising obtaining the referred content via a unicast transmission if no match exists in the one-to-many transmission.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein receiving a referral message further defines the referral message as including a link to a unicast transmission of the referred content.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein receiving a one-to-many transmission of a plurality of content optimized, at least in part, based on the referral message further defines optimized as adjustments to content delivery schedules based on a volume of content referrals.

48. At least one processor configured to perform the actions of:

receiving a referral message comprising a referred content identifier;

receiving a one-to-many transmission of a plurality of content optimized, at least in part, based on the referral message, wherein each of the plurality of content corresponds to a respective content identifier; and

obtaining the referred content from the transmission if a match exists between the referred content identifier and a respective content identifier of one of the plurality of content.

49. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, comprising:

a first set of instructions for receiving a referral message comprising a referred content identifier;

a second set of instructions for receiving a one-to-many transmission of a plurality of content optimized, at least in part, based on the referral message, wherein each of the plurality of content corresponds to a respective content identifier; and

a third set of instructions for obtaining the referred content from the transmission if a match exists between the referred content identifier and a respective content identifier of one of the plurality of content.

50. A communication device, comprising:

means for receiving a referral message comprising a referred content identifier;

means for receiving a one-to-many transmission of a plurality of content optimized, at least in part, based on the referral message, wherein each of the plurality of content corresponds to a respective content identifier; and

means for obtaining the referred content from the transmission if a match exists between the referred content identifier and a respective content identifier of one of the plurality of content.

51. A communication device, comprising:

a computer platform including a processor and a memory;

a communications module in communication with the processor, wherein the communications module is operable to receive a referral message comprising a referred content identifier and operable to receive a one-to-many transmission of a plurality of content optimized, at least in part, based on the referral message, wherein each of the plurality of content corresponds to a respective content identifier; and

a referral implementer module stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the referral implementer module is operable to obtain the referred content if a match exists between the referred content identifier and a respective content identifier of one of the plurality of content.

52. The device of claim 51, wherein the communications module is further operable to receive a one-to-many transmission that includes the referral message.

53. The device of claim 51, wherein the communications module is further operable to receive the referral message transmitted directly from a referring communication device.

54. The device of claim 51, wherein the communications module is further operable to receive the referral message transmitted from a network device.

55. The device of claim 51, wherein the referral implementer module is further operable to obtain the referred content from the device memory.

56. The device of claim 51, wherein the referral implementer module is further operable to obtain the referred content from a unicast transmission if no match exists in the one-to-many transmission.