System and method for augmenting rich media content using multiple content repositories

• US 8,781,304 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ipar LLC
• Inventors: Spears, Joseph L
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/930,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20120183275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 386/241, 386/291, 386/297
• US Class Current: 386/297
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4532 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 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods for determining second content which was not selected by the user but which is related to first content which was selected by the user. For example, a system and method can be configured to receive, using one or more processors, first and second content where the first and second content are rich media (e.g., content containing audio or video elements). Systems and methods may be further configured where the relationship between the first content and second content are determined based on data or metadata of the first content (e.g., the title of the content or an episode number). Systems and methods may be further configured where the relationship between the first content and second content are determined based on scheduling data of the first content (e.g., the time and channel when the first content is transmitted).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing second content to a user via retrieval from a content repository over a plurality of networks, comprising:

receiving a selection of first content selected by a user

attempting to automatically identify second content which was not selected by the user but which is related to first content which was selected by the user, based on metadata associated with the first content;

when the second content is identified, automatically retrieving second content from the content repository based on the first content being selected by the user and storing the retrieved second content in a media storage that is separate from the content repository;

providing a report of available content to the user, wherein the report includes one of;

an indicator associated with the first content for selection when the second content is not identified; and

an indicator associated with the second content without any indicator associated with the first content when the second content is identified;

presenting the second content to the user from the media storage upon selection of the indicator associated with the second content by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second content is a higher resolution version of the first content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second content are rich media content items.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein rich media content items include audio or video components.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the second content is based on attributes of the first content, wherein the attributes of the first content are determined based on data or metadata related to the first content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data or metadata related to the first content include text fields which a text match is performed against.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the text fields include the title or episode attributes of the content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of second content occurs at the time that the first content is selected for storage by the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of second content occurs at the time that the first content is selected for playback by the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of second content occurs asynchronously from user selection events.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein second content is retrieved from a separate content repository from the first content.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein second content is retrieved from the same content repository as the first content.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the protocol used to retrieve content from the content repository includes request data that identifies attributes of the user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

adjusting the second content to incorporate components that are targeted to have a higher relevance to the user based on the attributes associated with the user.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a list of content stored in the media storage that is available for viewing;

wherein the second content supersedes the first content such that the second content is available for selection from the list and the first content is not available for selection from the list.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first content is not selectable by the user.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein both the first content and second content are selectable by the user.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

editing the first content to incorporate at least a portion of the second content to generate derivative content; and

providing a list of content stored in the media storage that is available for viewing, wherein the derivative content is selectable by the user from the list.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the second content contains advertising components.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the second content is automatically identified based on metadata associated with the user.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second content are different versions of content that is otherwise the same.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the differences in the versions of the content are due to the presence of different advertising, wherein the different advertising presented in the second content is based on the attributes associated with the user.

23. A computer-implemented system of providing content to a user via communications between a content provider and a user over a plurality of disparate transmission channels, comprising:

one or more processors;

a computer-readable memory encoded with instructions for the one or more processors to execute steps that include;

receiving a selection of first content selected by a user

attempting to automatically identify second content which was not selected by the user but which is related to first content which was selected by the user, based on metadata associated with the first content;

when the second content is identified, automatically retrieving second content from the content repository based on the first content being selected by the user and storing the retrieved second content in a media storage that is separate from the content repository;

providing a report of available content to the user, wherein providing the report includes;

providing an indicator associated with the first content for selection when the second content is not identified; and

providing an indicator associated with the second content without any indicator associated with the first content when the second content is identified;

presenting the second content to the user from the media storage upon selection of the indicator associated with the second content by the user.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the second content is a higher resolution version of the first content.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the first and second content are rich media content items.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein rich media content items include audio or video components.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein said determining second content is based on attributes of the first content, wherein the attributes of the first content are determined based on data or metadata related to the first content.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the data or metadata related to the first content include text fields which a text match is performed against.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the text fields include the title or episode attributes of the content.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the determination of second content occurs at the time that the first content is selected for storage by the user.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the determination of second content occurs at the time that the first content is selected for playback by the user.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the determination of second content occurs asynchronously from user selection events.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein second content is retrieved from a separate content repository from the first content.

34. The system of claim 23, wherein second content is retrieved from the same content repository as the first content.

35. The system of claim 23, wherein the protocol used to retrieve content from the content repository includes request data that identifies attributes of the user.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the steps further comprise:

adjusting the second content to incorporate components that are targeted to have a higher relevance to the user based on the attributes associated with the user.

37. The system of claim 23, wherein the steps further comprise:

providing a list of content stored in the media storage that is available for viewing;

wherein the second content supersedes the first content such that the second content is available for selection from the list and the first content is not available for selection from the list.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the first content is not selectable by the user.

39. The system of claim 23, wherein both the first content and second content are selectable by the user.

40. The system of claim 23, wherein the steps further comprise:

editing the first content to incorporate at least a portion of the second content to generate a derivative content; and

providing a list of content stored in the media storage that is available for viewing, wherein the derivative content is selectable by the user from the list.

41. The system of claim 23, wherein the second content contains advertising components.

42. The system of claim 23, wherein the second content is automatically identified based on metadata associated with the user.

43. The system of claim 36, wherein the first and second content are different versions of the content that is otherwise the same.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the differences in the versions of the content are due to the presence of different advertising, wherein the different advertising presented in the second content is based on the metadata associated with the user.