Agnostic media delivery system

• US 9,591,339 B1
• Filed: 04/01/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Christie, Gregory N., Sabatelli, Alessandro, Bachman, William M., Chaudhri, Imran, Robbin, Jeffrey, Young, Jim, Howard, Joe, Van Os, Marcel, Coffman, Patrick L., Lemay, Stephen O., Ma, Jeffrey, Kress, Lynne
• Primary Examiner(s): Saltarelli, Dominic D
• Application Number:
  US14/242,575
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 725 25- 31, 725 86-104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/232 Content retrieval operation locally within server, e.g. reading video streams from disk arrays storage management G06F3/0604; details of querying and searching of video data from a database G06F16/739
• 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 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

Systems and methods for a media content delivery service. A media content provider includes a data store for storing and serving media content to subscribers. The media content provider continually records and or otherwise stores video and audio content from around the world. Stored content will generally correspond to a large number of other media content providers, such as cable television operators, Internet based media content providers, television networks, and so on. Subscribers to the media provider interact with the media content provider via hardware and/or software mechanisms either provided by the media content provider or conforming to specifications of the media content provider. Based on these subscriber'"'"'s subscriptions to the other content providers, the subscribers will have viewing, listening, or application execution privileges for content maintained in the data store. Content of a subscriber corresponding to multiple video content providers is maintained and served by a single provider.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions, wherein when executed by a processor the program instructions are executable to perform a method comprising:

storing information about first video content in a data store of a primary video content provider, wherein the first video content corresponds to content that is accessible via a first subscription with a first video content provider;

storing information about second video content in the data store of the primary video content provider, wherein the second video content corresponds to content that is accessible via a second subscription with a second video content provider;

receiving, from a television viewer, via a device that is associated with the primary video content provider, a request for access to a television show that includes a plurality of seasons;

in response to receiving the request via the device that is associated with the primary video content provider, providing the television viewer with information about a plurality of seasons of the television show for concurrent display in a user interface that provides access to viewing episodes of the television show, wherein providing the television viewer with information about the plurality of seasons of the television show for concurrent display includes;

providing the television viewer with information about a first set of one or more prior seasons of the television show that are accessible via the first subscription with the first video content provider, but are not accessible via the second subscription with the second video content provider; and

providing the television viewer with information about a current season of the television show that is accessible via the second subscription with the second video content provider, but is not accessible via the first subscription with the first video content provider.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first video content includes live broadcast programs.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the data store of the primary video content provider is cloud based storage that is part of a cloud based service provided by the primary video content provider.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3, the method further comprising providing video content stored in the cloud based storage to the television viewer for viewing via Internet.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, the method further comprising providing video content about which information is stored in the data store, including at least a portion of the current or prior seasons of the television show, to the television viewer for display on the device associated with the primary video content provider comprising at least one of a television, a phone, a tablet computer, a portable gaming device, a wearable portable device, a display device in a motor vehicle, or a remote control.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

storing information about third video content in the data store of the primary video content provider, wherein the third video content corresponds to content that is accessible via a third subscription with a third video content provider; and

in response to receiving the request via the device that is associated with the primary video content provider, providing the television viewer with information about one or more seasons of the television show that are accessible via the third subscription with the third video content provider.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, the method further comprising the television viewer uploading content, including at least a portion of the current or prior seasons of the television show, to the data store of the primary provider such that it becomes content available for viewing by the television viewer.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the television viewer may access video content, including at least a portion of the current or prior seasons of the television show, for viewing that is stored in the data store from any location that has access to the data store.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein video content about which information is stored in the data store, including at least a portion of the current or prior seasons of the television show, comprises video content that is viewable for free and video content that is viewable for a fee.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

providing the television viewer with the information about the first set of one or more prior seasons of the television show comprises presenting the one or more prior seasons of the of the television show as being available for viewing, and

providing the television viewer with the information about the current season of the television show comprises presenting the current season of the television show as being available for viewing.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein both the current season of the television show that is accessible via the second subscription with the second video content provider and the one or more prior seasons of the television show that are accessible via the first subscription with the first video content provider are presented as being available to the television viewer by the primary video content provider without any indication that they are available via different subscriptions.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises in response to an indication that the television viewer wishes to view particular video content accessible via the primary video content provider for which the television viewer does not have viewing privileges, presenting to the television viewer one or more options for obtaining viewing privileges for the particular video content.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more options for obtaining viewing privileges include options related to one or more of video quality, a viewing fee, watching the episode with fewer advertisements, or watching the episode with more advertisements.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein presenting the particular video content to the television viewer with fewer advertisements has a higher viewing privilege cost, and presenting the particular video content with more advertisements has a lower viewing privilege cost.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more options for obtaining viewing privileges for the particular video content include choosing a secondary video content provider as a secondary subscription source for the particular video content.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, the method further comprising the primary video content provider presenting to the television viewer a plurality of video programs as being available for viewing, wherein the plurality of video programs correspond to multiple secondary subscription sources, and wherein the plurality of video programs are not identified as corresponding to multiple secondary subscription sources in the presentation.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises in response to an indication to view given video content, including at least a portion of the current or prior seasons of the television show, that corresponds to multiple secondary subscription sources, selecting one of the multiple secondary subscription sources as a source for the given video content based at least in part on a viewer profile.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

storing in the data store information about the current and prior seasons of the television show that correspond to a plurality of secondary video content providers; and

storing in the data store metadata that identifies subscriptions of the secondary video content providers that correspond to the current and prior seasons of the television show.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining for the television viewer a secondary video content provider subscription of the television viewer;

identifying particular video content, including the current and prior seasons of the television show, about which information is stored in the data store of the primary video content provider that corresponds to the secondary video content provider subscription of the television viewer; and

providing the television viewer viewing privileges to the identified particular video content.

20. A method comprising:

storing information about first video content in a data store of a primary video content provider, wherein the first video content corresponds to content that is accessible via a first subscription with a first video content provider;

storing information about second video content in the data store of the primary video content provider, wherein the second video content corresponds to content that is accessible via a second subscription with a second video content provider;

receiving, from a television viewer, via a device that is associated with the primary video content provider, a request for access to a television show that includes a plurality of seasons;

in response to receiving the request via the device that is associated with the primary video content provider, providing the television viewer with information about a plurality of seasons of the television show for concurrent display in a user interface that provides access to viewing episodes of the television show, wherein providing the television viewer with information about the plurality of seasons of the television show for concurrent display includes;

providing the television viewer with information about a first set of one or more prior seasons of the television show that are accessible via the first subscription with the first video content provider, but are not accessible via the second subscription with the second video content provider; and

providing the television viewer with information about a current season of the television show that is accessible via the second subscription with the second video content provider, but is not accessible via the first subscription with the first video content provider.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing video content about which information is stored in the data store, including at least a portion of the current or prior seasons of the television show, to the television viewer for display on the device associated with the primary video content provider comprising at least one of a television, a phone, a tablet computer, a portable gaming device, a wearable portable device, a display device in a motor vehicle, or a remote control.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein video content about which information is stored in the data store, including at least a portion of the current or prior seasons of the television show, comprises video content that is viewable for free and video content that is viewable for a fee.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein:

providing the television viewer with the information about the first set of one or more prior seasons of the television show comprises presenting the one or more prior seasons of the of the television show as being available for viewing, and

providing the television viewer with the information about the current season of the television show comprises presenting the current season of the television show as being available for viewing.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein both the current season of the television show that is accessible via the second subscription with the second video content provider and the one or more prior seasons of the television show that are accessible via the first subscription with the first video content provider are presented as being available to the television viewer by the primary video content provider without any indication that they are available via different subscriptions.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the primary video content provider presenting to the television viewer a plurality of video programs as being available for viewing, wherein the plurality of video programs correspond to multiple secondary subscription sources, and wherein the plurality of video programs are not identified as corresponding to multiple secondary subscription sources in the presentation.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising in response to an indication to view given video content, including at least a portion of the current or prior seasons of the television show, that corresponds to multiple secondary subscription sources, selecting one of the multiple secondary subscription sources as a source for the given video content based at least in part on a viewer profile.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining for the television viewer a secondary video content provider subscription of the television viewer;

identifying particular video content, including the current and prior seasons of the television show, about which information is stored in the data store of the primary video content provider that corresponds to the secondary video content provider subscription of the television viewer; and

providing the television viewer viewing privileges to the identified particular video content.

28. A video content delivery system comprising:

a data store of a primary video content provider;

a server configured to communicate with the data store; and

a client configured to communicate with the server;

wherein the server is configured to;

store information about first video content in a data store of a primary video content provider, wherein the first video content corresponds to content that is accessible via a first subscription with a first video content provider;

store information about second video content in the data store of the primary video content provider, wherein the second video content corresponds to content that is accessible via a second subscription with a second video content provider;

receive, from a television viewer, via a device that is associated with the primary video content provider, a request for access to a television show that includes a plurality of seasons;

in response to receiving the request via the device that is associated with the primary video content provider, provide the television viewer with information about a plurality of seasons of the television show for concurrent display in a user interface that provides access to viewing episodes of the television show, wherein providing the television viewer with information about the plurality of seasons of the television show for concurrent display includes;

providing the television viewer with information about a first set of one or more prior seasons of the television show that are accessible via the first subscription with the first video content provider, but are not accessible via the second subscription with the second video content provider; and

providing the television viewer with information about a current season of the television show that is accessible via the second subscription with the second video content provider, but is not accessible via the first subscription with the first video content provider.

29. The video content delivery system of claim 28, wherein the server is further configured to provide video content about which information is stored in the data store, including at least a portion of the current or prior seasons of the television show, to the television viewer for display on the device associated with the primary video content provider comprising at least one of a television, a phone, a tablet computer, a portable gaming device, a wearable portable device, a display device in a motor vehicle, or a remote control.

30. The video content delivery system of claim 28, wherein video content about which information is stored in the data store, including at least a portion of the current or prior seasons of the television show, comprises video content that is viewable for free and video content that is viewable for a fee.

31. The video content delivery system of claim 28, wherein:

providing the television viewer with the information about the first set of one or more prior seasons of the television show comprises presenting the one or more prior seasons of the of the television show as being available for viewing, and

providing the television viewer with the information about the current season of the television show comprises presenting the current season of the television show as being available for viewing.

32. The video content delivery system of claim 31, wherein both the current season of the television show that is accessible via the second subscription with the second video content provider and the one or more prior seasons of the television show that are accessible via the first subscription with the first video content provider are presented as being available to the television viewer by the primary video content provider without any indication that they are available via different subscriptions.

33. The video content delivery system of claim 28, wherein the server is further configured to present to the television viewer a plurality of video programs as being available for viewing, wherein the plurality of video programs correspond to multiple secondary subscription sources, and wherein the plurality of video programs are not identified as corresponding to multiple secondary subscription sources in the presentation.

34. The video content delivery system of claim 28, wherein the server is further configured to in response to an indication to view given video content, including at least a portion of the current or prior seasons of the television show, that corresponds to multiple secondary subscription sources, select one of the multiple secondary subscription sources as a source for the given video content based at least in part on a viewer profile.

35. The video content delivery system of claim 28 wherein the server is further configured to:

determine for the television viewer a secondary video content provider subscription of the television viewer;

identify particular video content, including the current and prior seasons of the television show, about which information is stored in the data store of the primary video content provider that corresponds to the secondary video content provider subscription of the television viewer; and

provide the television viewer viewing privileges to the identified particular video content.