# US 12,120,363 B2 · Systems, methods, and devices for selecting supplemental content > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,120,363 B2 - Document ID: US12120363B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/664,271 - Filed: 2022-05-20 - Published: 2022-11-24 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-21 - Assignees: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Applicants: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Inventors: Christopher Paul Whitely; Zhao Xing; Landy Eng, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120363B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/23424: {involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement} - H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)} - H04N 21/25866: {Management of end-user data (customer care in data networks H04L41/5077)} - H04N 21/26241: {involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children programme} - H04N 21/44016: {involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip} - H04N 21/44204: {Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched (monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31)} - H04N 21/458: Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules {; time-related management operations (arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10)} - 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)} - 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)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A time associated with last selection of a content item at a user device may be determined. A time associated with a last user interaction with the user device may be determined. During presentation of the content item at the user device, it may be determined that a supplemental content insertion opportunity is available. A request for a supplemental content item may be sent to a server, wherein the request comprises data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining a time associated with last selection of a content item at a user device; determining a time associated with a last user interaction with the user device; determining, during presentation of the content item at the user device, that a supplemental content insertion opportunity is available; sending, to a server, a request for a supplemental content item, wherein the request comprises data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, in response to the request, at least one supplemental content item, wherein the at least one supplemental content item is selected by the server based at least on the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and the data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the time associated with last selection of the content item at a user device comprises: determining a time at which a user tuned to a channel configured to output the content item. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device comprises at least one of: receiving data indicating a button selection from a user; receiving data indicating a voice command from the user; receiving data indicating a command from an application; or receiving data indicating a modification of a television status. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining an activity state associated with the user device, wherein the activity state is indicative of whether the user device is active or inactive, and wherein the request further comprises data indicating the activity state. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a recording state associated with the output of the content item, wherein the recording state is indicative of whether the output of the content item is a live output or a recording, and wherein the request further comprises data indicating the recording state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the content item comprises at least one of a linear cable television program, a digital streaming video, an on-demand video, or a digitally recorded video. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the request further comprises data indicating a time associated with the supplemental content insertion opportunity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: inserting the at least one supplemental content item into the content item at a time associated with the supplemental content insertion opportunity. ### Claim 10 A method comprising: receiving a request for a supplemental content item, wherein the request comprises data indicating a time associated with a last selection of a content item at a user device and data indicating a time associated with a last user interaction with the user device; determining, in response to the request and based at least on the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and the data indicating a time associated with a last user interaction with the user device, at least one supplemental content item; and sending the at least one supplemental content item for insertion into a supplemental content insertion opportunity in the content item. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein determining, in response to the request and based at least on the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and the data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device, the at least one supplemental content item comprises: determining whether a difference between a time at which the request is received and the time associated with the last selection of the content item satisfies a threshold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein determining, in response to the request and based at least on the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and the data indicating a time associated with the last user interaction with the user device, the at least one supplemental content item comprises: determining whether a difference between a time at which the request is received and the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device satisfies a threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device comprises a time at which a user tuned to a channel configured to output the content item, and wherein the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device comprises at least one of data indicating a button selection from a user, data indicating a voice command from the user, data indicating a command from an application, or data indicating a modification of a television status. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein determining, in response to the request and based at least on the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and the data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device, the at least one supplemental content item comprises: determining that a user is viewing the content item; and selecting an addressable supplemental content item. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein determining, in response to the request and based at least on the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and the data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device, the at least one supplemental content item comprises: determining that a user is not viewing the content item; and selecting a non-addressable supplemental content item. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the request further comprises data indicating a time associated with the supplemental content insertion opportunity, and wherein determining the at least one supplemental content item is further based on the data indicating the time associated with the supplemental content insertion opportunity. ### Claim 17 A method comprising: receiving, from a user device, data indicating a time associated with last selection of a content item at the user device and data indicating a time associated with a last user interaction with the user device; receiving, from the user device during presentation of the content item at the user device, a request for a supplemental content item for insertion into an available supplemental content insertion opportunity; adding, to the request for the supplemental content item, the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and the data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device; and forwarding, to a server, the request comprising the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device comprises a time at which a user tuned to a channel configured to output the content item, and wherein the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device comprises at least one of data indicating a button selection from a user, data indicating a voice command from the user, data indicating a command from an application, or data indicating a modification of a television status. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: receiving, in response to the request, at least one supplemental content item, wherein the at least one supplemental content item is selected by the server based at least on the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and the data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device; and forwarding, to the user device for insertion into the available supplemental content insertion opportunity, the at least one supplemental content item. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: receiving, from the user device, data indicating a time associated with the available supplemental content insertion opportunity; and adding, to the request for the supplemental content item, the data indicating the time associated with the available supplemental content insertion opportunity.