Network for personalized content aggregation platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9979993-B2
Application number	US-201414486120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2014
Priority date	Sep 15, 2014
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

One or more network devices provide, to a user device, a content list of content items available for presentation. The one or more network devices receive, from the user device, a personalized channel plan that includes a schedule of selected content items, from the content list, for presentation on a viewing device that is different than the user device. The one or more network devices select, based on the selected content items, advertising for inclusion with the selected content items and assign links for the viewing device to obtain the selected content items. The one or more network devices send the links to the user device, which may in turn be provided to the viewing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing, by a network device and to a user device, a personal channel manager application to solicit a personalized content schedule from a user and to direct presentation of the personalized content schedule on a viewing device that is different than the user device, wherein the personal channel manager application uses an application programming interface (API) to enable communications between the user device and the viewing device;
providing, by the network device and to the user device, a content list of content items available for presentation;
receiving, by the network device and from the user device, a personalized channel plan that includes a schedule of selected content items, from the content list, for presentation on the viewing device and a viewing device identifier for the viewing device;
selecting, by the network device and based on the selected content items, advertising for inclusion with the selected content items;
monitoring, by the network device, a number of social media followers for the personalized channel plan and other personalized channel plans that include one of the selected content items;
identifying, by the network device and based on the monitoring of the number of social media followers, a projected number of simultaneous presentations scheduled for the one of the selected content items;
selecting, by the network device and based on the identifying, a delivery method to support the projected number of simultaneous presentations for the one of the selected content items, wherein the delivery method is selected from a group including broadcast, multicast, and unicast delivery based on a statistical significance of the projected number;
assigning, by the network device and after receiving the personalized channel plan, a link to the one of the selected content items with the selected delivery method,
wherein the link enables the personal channel manager application on the user device to direct, via the API, presentation of the one of the selected content items on the viewing device, and
wherein the link includes a uniform resource locator (URL), based on the viewing device identifier, identifying a network location to retrieve a content stream formatted with a data format and resolution compatible with a particular type of the viewing device;

sending, by the network device, the link to the user device;
receiving, by the network device and from the viewing device via the link, a content request for the one of the selected content items; and
providing, by the network device and to the viewing device, the one of the selected content items via one of a closed cable or fiber optic distribution network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the delivery method to support the projected number of simultaneous presentations includes selecting a multicast stream over a default unicast stream for the one of the selected content items based on the number of social media followers of the personalized channel plan and other personalized channel plans that include the one of the selected content items.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the link enables the viewing device to access the one of the selected content items with a guaranteed quality of service (QoS) level, and wherein sending the link to the user device includes sending the link via a public access network that is different than the controlled access network.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected content items include content from different physical or virtual television channels.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the selected content items include web-based content.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
assigning, by the network device and after receiving the personalized channel plan, another link to another one of the selected content items with the selected delivery method,
wherein the other link enables the personal channel manager application on the user device to direct, via the API, presentation of the other one of the selected content items on the viewing device, and
wherein the link includes another URL, based on the viewing device identifier, identifying a network location to retrieve another content stream formatted with the data format and resolution compatible with the particular type of the viewing device; and

sending, by the network device, the other link to the user device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected content items include personal video recordings stored in a remote network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected content items include an automatically-suggested content item, for presentation at a particular time, based on user instructions.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the advertising for inclusion with the selected content items further comprises:
selecting the advertising based on an aggregation of the selected content items in the personalized channel plan.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the aggregation includes selected content items from the personalized channel plan that are scheduled for future presentation.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user device includes a mobile computing device and wherein the viewing device includes a set-top box (STB), a cable card, or a smart television.

12. One or more network devices, comprising:
a first network interface to communicate with a user device;
a second network interface to communicate with a viewing device that is different than the user device;
a memory for storing instructions; and
one or more processors to execute the instructions to:
provide, to the user device, a personal channel manager application to solicit a personalized content schedule from a user and to direct presentation of the personalized content schedule on the viewing device, wherein the personal channel manager application uses an application programming interface (API) to enable communications between the user device and the viewing device,
provide, to the user device via the first network interface, a content list of content items available for presentation,
receive, from the user device, a personalized channel plan that includes a schedule of selected content items, from the content list, for presentation on the viewing device and a viewing device identifier for the viewing device,
select, based on the selected content items, advertising for inclusion with selected content items,
monitor a number of social media followers for the personalized channel plan and other personalized channel plans that include one of the selected content items,
identify, based on the monitoring of the number of social media followers, a projected number of simultaneous presentations scheduled for the one of the selected content items,
select, based on the identifying, a delivery method to support the projected number of simultaneous presentations for the one of the selected content items, wherein the delivery method is selected from a group including broadcast, multicast, and unicast delivery based on a statistical significance of the projected number,
assign, after receiving the personalized channel plan, a link to the one of the selected content items that enables the personal channel manager application on the user device to direct, via the API, presentation of the one of the selected content items on the viewing device, wherein the link includes a uniform resource locator (URL), based on the viewing device identifier, identifying a network location to retrieve a content stream formatted with a data format and resolution compatible with a particular type of the viewing device,
send the link to the user device,
receive, f

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Ruffini Michael P
• Trimper John K
• Subramanian Sankar
• Fragale Joseph G
• Fronsdahl Dwight W
• Heitlinger Paul D
• Kher Rahul
• Klings Eric N
• Wang Dongchen

Classifications

• H04N21/42204

  User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor (constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205) · CPC title

• H04N21/8586

  by using a URL (processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02) · CPC title

• H04N21/2393

  involving handling client requests (scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60) · CPC title

• H04N21/41407

  embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop (constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57) · CPC title

• H04N21/4126

  The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones · CPC title