System and method for providing watch-now functionality in a media content environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10003840-B2
Application number	US-201414586724-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Apr 7, 2014
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

Described herein are techniques for streaming digital media content, such as music, video, or television content. In accordance with an embodiment, the system includes support for watch-now functionality. A media play logic at a media device controls playback of media content and advertisements as received from a media server, and can be configured for regular media play, or extended media play. Periodically, for example when input is received from a user to skip to a next media option for playback, the user can be prompted to watch an advertisement, in return for extended media play. Upon receiving an election by the user to watch the advertisement in return for extended media play, the media application plays the advertisement, and configures the media play logic for an extended period of advertisement-free media play.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for providing media content including watch-now functionality, the system comprising:
a media device including a microprocessor;
a user interface adapted to display media options corresponding to items of media content, and determine user inputs; and
a media application running on the media device and including a media play logic adapted to control playback of media content received from a media server, including
during playback of a media stream that includes a plurality of media content items, either periodically, or upon receiving, at the user interface, a user input indicative of skipping to a next media option for playback, displaying, at the user interface, a prompt to elect to play at least one of an offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for a period of extended media play;
in response to receiving, as a user input, an election by the user to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, playing the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, including receiving, as part of the media stream, an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a first type and duration; and
following completion of the playing of the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content,
skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream,
configuring the media play logic for the period of extended media play, and
continuing to play the media stream according to the period of extended media play;

otherwise, if no election is received to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, playing an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a second type and duration, skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream, and configuring the media play logic to play the media stream for a period of regular media play.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein configuring the media play logic for a period of regular media play comprises configuring the media play logic to present advertisements or other sponsor-directed content having a shorter duration than those associated with a period of extended media play, between shorter intervals of media playback than for a period of extended media play.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein configuring the media play logic for a period of extended media play comprises configuring the media play logic to present advertisements or other sponsor-directed content having a longer duration than those associated with a period of regular media play, between longer intervals of media playback than for a period of regular media play.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the media play logic is adapted to prompt the user to select one of an extended media play configuration or regular media play configuration for subsequent advertisements or other sponsor-directed content, and in response to receiving a selection of the extended media play configuration, the media play logic is configured to play subsequently offered advertisements or other sponsor-directed content, in return for subsequent periods of extended media play.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the media server includes a targeting service that analyzes a playing media content and selects advertisements or other sponsor-directed content for delivery in conjunction with the playing media content, including
associating a request for media content, with the media device, wherein the request includes an identifying information which identifies a destination device to which the media content is to be streamed, and
determining a particular advertisement or other sponsor-directed content to be combined with the streamed media content.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the media device and a second device are associated with a common account, and advertisement or other sponsor-directed content is selected for delivery to the media device based at least in part on advertisements or other sponsor-directed content previously streamed at the second device.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the period of extended media play is obtained in return for playing the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content at a first media device, and the system is configured to play the media stream according to the period of extended media play, at a second media device.

8. A method for providing media content including watch-now functionality, the method comprising:
providing, at a media device including a microprocessor, a user interface adapted to display media options corresponding to items of media content adapted to be received from a media server, and determine user inputs, and a media application running on the media device;
controlling playback of media content received from the media server, including
during playback of a media stream that includes a plurality of media content items, either periodically, or upon, receiving, at the user interface, a user input indicative of skipping to a next media option for playback, displaying, at the user interface, a prompt to elect to play at least one of an offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for a period of extended media play;
in response to receiving, as a user input, an election by the user to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, playing the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, including receiving, as part of the media stream, an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a first type and duration; and
following completion of the playing of the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content,
skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream,
configuring the playback of media content for the period of extended media play, and
continuing to play the media stream according to the period of extended media play;

otherwise, if no election is received to play the offered advertisement or other sponsor-directed content, in return for the period of extended media play, playing an advertisement or other sponsor-directed content of a second type and duration, skipping to the next media option for playback, including streaming the next media content item associated with the media stream, and configuring the playback of media content for a period of regular media play.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein configuring the playback of media content for a period of regular media play comprises presenting advertisements or other sponsor-directed content having a shorter duration than those associated with a period of extended media play, between shorter intervals of media playback than for a period of extended media play.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein configuring the playback of media content for a period of extended media play comprises presenting advertisements or other sponsor-directed content having a longer duration than those associated with a period of regular media play, between longer intervals of media playback than for a period of regular media play.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising prompting the user to select one of an extended media play configuration or regular media play configuration for subsequent advertisements or other sponsor-directed content, and in response to receiving a selection of the extended media play configuration, playing subsequently offered advertisements o

Assignees

• Spotify Ab

Inventors

• Richman Jason
• Meyer Will
• Chen Ed
• Sarkesian Alex
• Mcleod Colin
• E Samwoo

Classifications

• H04N21/4784

  receiving rewards · CPC title

• H04N21/44222

  Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programmes or purchase activity (monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33) · CPC title

• H04N21/25841

  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 title

• H04N21/23439

  for generating different versions · CPC title

• H04N21/4316

  for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window · CPC title