Automated content medium selection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11262972-B2
Application number	US-201514869635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

A content management system and/or client device can enable a user to initiate a quick play mode where a content category and content medium are selected for the user. A client device and/or a content management system can select a content medium for a user based on one or more factors, such as the content category. Certain content categories of content can be preferably delivered in certain content mediums. In some embodiments, a content management system and/or client device can select a content medium for a user based on contextual data gathered from the user. Contextual data can be data describing the user's current state and/or environment. For example, contextual data can include data such as the time of day, geographic location, etc.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for delivering content for playback comprising:
receiving, by a computer processor, from a client device, a first play mode request to play, on the client device, one or more unspecified content items;
receiving contextual data describing an environment of a user that is associated with the first play mode request, the contextual data including at least one of a location of the client device, a time of day, or a network connection status of the client device;
in response to receiving the first play mode request, selecting, by the computer processor and without user input, a first content category of media from a plurality of available content categories based on the contextual data;
selecting a content source based on the selected first content category of media;
selecting, independent of an indication related to content for playback from the user, by the computer processor and based on the first content category, a first content medium from a plurality of content medium types, the plurality of content medium types comprising a podcast, album, or playlist, and wherein the first content medium comprises a preferred delivery content medium associated with the first content category;
determining, by the computer processor, a first content item to play that is included within the first content category and the first content medium; and
delivering the first content item for playback by the client device from the selected first content medium.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first play mode request comprises a continual quick play mode, and wherein the continual quick play mode causes:
selecting a second content category;
ranking a plurality of content mediums based at least in part on a number of times the user has selected the content medium; and
selecting a second content medium in response to the ranking, and delivering a second content item to the second content medium based on the selected second content category and the selected second content medium.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the first content medium comprises:
determining, based on the contextual data associated with the user, the plurality of content medium types that the user previously selected under a same or similar contextual circumstance.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the first content medium comprises:
determining, based on content use data associated with a plurality of users, the plurality of content medium types that were selected by the plurality of users under a same or similar contextual circumstance.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the client device, a second play mode request to play content items on the client device;
in response to receiving the second play mode request, selecting a second content category, different than the first content category;
selecting a second content medium in which to play content items from the second content category; and
delivering content items selected from the second content category and in the second content medium.

6. A system for delivering content for playback comprising:
a computer processor; and
a memory containing instructions that, when executed, cause the computer processor to:
receive, from a client device, a first quick play mode request to play, on the client device, one or more unspecified content items;
receive contextual data describing an environment of a user that is associated with the first quick play mode request, the contextual data including at least one of a location of the client device, a time of day, or a network connection status of the client device;
in response to receiving the first quick play mode request, select, independent of an indication related to content for playback from the user, a first content medium from a plurality of content medium types based on the contextual data, wherein the plurality of content medium types comprise a podcast, album, or playlist;
select a content source based on the selected first content medium;
select, independent of an indication related to content for playback from the user, a first content category of media from which to deliver content items in the first content medium, the first content category selected from a plurality of available content categories, and wherein the first content medium comprises a preferred delivery content medium associated with the first content category;
determine, by the computer processor, a first content item to play that is included within the first content category and the first content medium; and
deliver the first content item for playback by the client device from the selected first content medium.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first quick play mode is a continual quick play mode, and wherein continual quick play mode requests causes the system to:
select a second content category;
rank a plurality of content mediums based at least in part on a number of times the user has selected the content medium; and
select a second content medium in response to the ranking, and to deliver a second content item to the second content medium based on the selected second content category and the selected second content medium.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein selecting the first content medium comprises:
determining, based on the contextual data associated with the user, the plurality of content medium types that the user previously selected under a same or similar contextual circumstance.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein selecting the first content medium comprises:
determining, based on content use data associated with a plurality of users, the plurality of content medium types that were selected by the plurality of users under a same or similar contextual circumstance.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer processor to:
receive, from the client device, a second quick play mode request to play content items on the client device;
in response to receiving the second quick play mode request, select a second content medium, different than the first content medium;
select a second content category from which to play content items in the second content medium; and
deliver content items selected from the second content category and in the second content medium.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for delivering content for playback containing instructions that, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to:
receive, from a client device, a first play mode request to play, on the client device, one or more unspecified content items;
receive contextual data describing an environment of a user that is associated with the first play mode request, the contextual data including at least one of a location of the client device, a time of day, or a network connection status of the client device;
in response to receiving the first play mode request and without user input, select a first content category of media from a plurality of available content categories based on the contextual data;
select a content source based on the selected first content category of media;
select, independent of an indication related to content for playback from the user and based on the first content category, a first content medium from a plurality of content medium types, the plurality of content medium types comprising a podcast, album, or playlist, and wherein the first content medium comprises a preferred delivery content medium associated with the first content category;
determine a first content item to play that is included within the first content category and the first content med

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Alsina Thomas
• Shenoy Arvind S
• Cartoon Daniel
• Robbin Jeffrey L
• Levy Mark

Classifications

• G06F3/165 Primary

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title