Enabling broadcast of multiple data configurations

• US 7,546,383 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2003
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Geoffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamza, Faruk
• Application Number:
  US10/339,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20040131020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,344 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709/223, 709/227, 709/230, 725 32- 36
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• 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 21/25841 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 21/25858 involving client software characteristics, e.g. OS identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing

Abstract

A broadcast data server enables broadcast of multiple data configurations. The broadcast data server maintains configuration definitions that define how broadcast data may be configured for presentation to a viewer. The broadcast data server also maintains region definitions that identify regions that may be associated with client devices for receiving broadcast data. The configuration definitions are mapped to region definitions, enabling a client device in a particular region to selectively receive broadcast data according to any one of multiple data configurations that are associated with the particular region.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a broadcast server, data to be broadcast from one or more data providers, wherein the data to be broadcast comprises multiple region definitions and multiple configuration definitions;

maintaining, at the broadcast server, a configuration repository storing the multiple region definitions and mappings between the multiple region definitions and the multiple configuration definitions, the multiple configuration definitions defining parameters for rendering the data, wherein each of the multiple configuration definitions comprises;

a layout format defining how the data is presented to a viewer via a user interface;

a unique configuration identification identifying the configuration definition;

a configuration name associated with the configuration definition; and

a culture name indicating a language associated with the configuration definition; and

generating, at the broadcast server, a region configuration file for each of the multiple region definitions, wherein each region configuration file comprises a plurality of configuration definitions associated with a given region definition;

transmitting, from the broadcast server to an appropriate client device via an out of band network connection, at least one region configuration file;

automatically selecting, at the appropriate client device, an initial configuration definition;

selectively transmitting, from the broadcast server to the appropriate client device via at least one out of band network connection, the initial configuration definition automatically selected;

displaying, via a user interface at the appropriate client device, a list of configuration definitions included in the at least one region configuration file;

receiving, via the user interface at the appropriate client device, a user selected configuration definition;

selectively transmitting, from the broadcast server to an appropriate client device via at least one out of band network connection, the user selected configuration definition; and

switching, at the appropriate client device, the initial configuration definition to the user selected configuration definition.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of the multiple configuration definitions is associated with a language in which the data is displayed.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of the multiple configuration definitions is further associated with a viewer interest for representation in a presentation layout in which the data is to be displayed, the presentation layout providing a theme-based user-interface based on the viewer interest.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of the multiple configuration definitions is further associated with a viewer interest used to target advertisements when the data is displayed.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the region definitions correspond to region identifiers associated with client devices supported by the broadcast server.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the region definitions correspond to geographic regions in which client devices supported by the broadcast server are implemented.

7. A system comprising:

a memory;

one or more processors, coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to execute one or more instructions stored on the memory;

a broadcast server comprising;

one or more data collectors configured to gather data from one or more data providers; and

a configuration management system configured to perform acts comprising;

communicating with one or more client devices via one or more out of band network connections;

receiving, at the broadcast server, multiple configuration definitions;

receiving, at the broadcast server, multiple region definitions;

maintaining, at the broadcast server, a configuration repository storing the multiple region definitions and mappings between the multiple region definitions and the multiple configuration definitions, the multiple configuration definitions defining parameters for rendering the data, wherein each of the multiple configuration definitions comprise;

a layout format defining how the data is presented to a viewer via a user interface;

a unique configuration identification indentifying the configuration definition;

a configuration name, associated with the configuration definition; and

a culture name indicating a language associated with the configuration definition; and

generating, at the broadcast server, a region configuration file for each of the multiple region definitions, wherein each region configuration file comprises a plurality of configuration definitions associated with a given region definition;

transmitting, from the broadcast server to an appropriate client device via an out of band network connection, at least one region configuration file;

automatically selecting, at the appropriate client device, an initial configuration definition;

selectively transmitting, from the broadcast server to the appropriate client device via at least one out of band network connection, the initial configuration definition automatically selected;

displaying, via a user interface at the appropriate client device, a list of configuration definitions included in the at least one region configuration file;

receiving, via the user interface at the appropriate client device, a user selected configuration definition;

selectively transmitting, from the broadcast server to an appropriate client device via at least one out of band network connection, the user selected configuration definition; and

switching, at the appropriate client device, the initial configuration definition to the user selected configuration definition.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the data collectors comprise at least one of an advertisement data collector for gathering advertisement data, a video-on-demand data collector for gathering listings of available video-on-demand, and an electronic program guide data collector for gathering data that identifies scheduled broadcast programs.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the configuration management system further comprises:

a configuration interface that provides access to the configuration repository.

10. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein at least one of the multiple configuration definitions is associated with a language in which the data displayed.

11. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein at least one of the multiple configuration definitions is further associated with a viewer for representation in a presentation layout in which the data is to be displayed, the presentation layout providing a theme-based user-interface based on the viewer interest.

12. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein at least one of the multiple configuration definitions is further associated with a viewer interest used to target advertisements when the data is displayed.

13. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the region definitions correspond to region identifiers associated with client devices supported by the broadcast server.

14. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the region definitions correspond to geographic regions in which client devices supported by the broadcast server are implemented.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, configure a computing system to perform acts comprising:

receiving, at a broadcast server, data to be broadcast from one or more data providers, wherein the data to be broadcast comprises multiple region definitions and multiple configuration definitions;

maintaining, at the broadcast server, a configuration repository storing the multiple region definitions and mappings between the multiple region definitions and the multiple configuration definitions, the multiple configuration definitions defining parameters for rendering the data, wherein each of the multiple configuration definitions comprises;

a layout format defining how the data is presented to a viewer via a user interface;

a unique configuration identification identifying the configuration definition;

a configuration name associated with the configuration definition; and

a culture name indicating a language associated with the configuration definition; and

generating, at the broadcast server, a region configuration file for each of the multiple region definitions, wherein each region configuration file comprises a plurality of configuration definitions associated with a given region definition;

transmitting, from the broadcast server to an appropriate client device via an out of band network connection, at least one region configuration file;

automatically selecting, at the appropriate client device, an initial configuration definition;

selectively transmitting, from the broadcast server to the appropriate client device via at least one out of band network connection, the initial configuration definition automatically selected;

displaying, via a user interface at the appropriate client device, a list of configuration definitions included in the at least one region configuration file;

receiving, via the user interface at the appropriate client device, a user selected configuration definition;

selectively transmitting, from the broadcast server to an appropriate client device via at least one out of band network connection, the user selected configuration definition; and

switching, at the appropriate client device, the initial configuration definition to the user selected configuration definition.

16. The one or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 15 wherein at least one of the multiple configuration definitions is associated with a language in which the data is displayed.

17. The one or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 15 wherein at least one of the multiple configuration definitions is further associated with a viewer interest for representation in a presentation layout in which the data is to be displayed, the presentation layout providing a theme-based user-interface based on the viewer interest.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 15 wherein at least one of the multiple configuration definitions is further associated with a viewer interest used to target advertisements when the data is displayed.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 15 wherein the region definitions correspond to region identifiers associated with client devices supported by the broadcast server.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 15 wherein the region definitions correspond to geographic regions in which client devices supported by the broadcast server are implemented.