# US 8,752,086 B2 · Methods and apparatus for sending content to a media player

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- Number: US 8,752,086 B2
- Document ID: US8752086B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/836,766
- Filed: 2007-08-09
- Published: 2008-04-17
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2006-08-09
- Applicants: Carson Victor Conant
- Inventors: Carson Victor Conant
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8752086B2

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0269: {based on user profile or attribute}
- G06Q 30/0272: Period of advertisement exposure
- H04L 67/306: User profiles
- H04N 7/17318: {Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests}
- H04N 21/235: Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
- H04N 21/252: {Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data}
- H04N 21/2543: Billing {, e.g. for subscription services (payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21)}
- 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)}
- H04N 21/41265: {having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device (unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204)}
- H04N 21/435: Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
- H04N 21/4722: for requesting additional data associated with the content
- H04N 21/4828: {for searching programme descriptors (retrieval of video data G06F16/739)}
- H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)}
- H04N 21/8405: represented by keywords
- H04N 21/44213: {Monitoring of end-user related data (arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33)}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for sending content to a media player. In general, a user of the disclosed system consumes a plurality of media content (e.g., audio content, visual content, audiovisual content, etc.) distributed from a media server. The content preferably include advertising content and non-advertising content. Some or all of the content is selected by the system based on the user's specific requests, profile, preferences, and/or feedback, in conjunction with the profiles, preferences, requests, and feedback of other users, (e.g. using social media, social matching and/or collaborative filtering techniques). Preferably, the feedback includes statistical data indicative of partial experiences (e.g., user listened to 50%) of the content by one or more media consumers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of sending content to a media player, the method comprising:
receiving a plurality of non-advertising content by at least one computing device;
determining selected non-advertising content from the plurality of non-advertising content at the at least one computing device;
receiving a plurality of advertising content, at the at least one computing device, each advertising content from the plurality of advertising content having a duration;
for each advertising content from the plurality of advertising content, determining, at the at least one computing device, partial experiences of the duration of the advertising content consumed by a plurality of media consumers;
determining, at the at least one computing device, selected advertising content from the plurality of advertising content for a media consumer based on (a) first profile data associated with the media consumer, (b) second profile data associated with the selected non-advertising content, and (c) third profile data associated with the selected advertising content, and (d) statistical data associated with the selected advertising content, the statistical data being indicative of the partial experiences of the duration of the selected advertising content consumed by the plurality of media consumers;
associating the selected advertising content with the selected non-advertising content in at least one media file at the at least one computing device; and
sending the at least one media file from the at least one computing device to the media player associated with the media consumer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the selected advertising content is partially consumed by the media consumer for a portion of the duration, and a fee is charged in an amount that is based on a length associated with the portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the media consumer performs a predefined action, and a fee is charged in response to the predefined action.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the predefined action is at least one of a request to buy and a request for additional information.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the selected non-advertising content is partially consumed by the media consumer, and a fee is paid in an amount that is based on a length associated with the partial consumption.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the selected non-advertising content includes determining the selected non-advertising content based on at least one of (a) the first profile data associated with the media consumer, and (b) the second profile data associated with the selected non-advertising content.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the first profile data associated with the media consumer includes data automatically selected by a software program based on feedback data.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first profile data associated with the media consumer includes data manually selected by the user.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first profile data associated with the media consumer includes data automatically selected by a software program based on feedback data.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the selected advertising content includes determining the selected advertising content based on collaborative filtering.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the selected non-advertising content includes determining the selected non-advertising content based on feedback metadata associated with the non-advertising content.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the selected non-advertising content includes determining the selected non-advertising content based on velocity metadata associated with the non-advertising content.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the selected non-advertising content includes determining the selected non-advertising content based on karma metadata associated with the non-advertising content.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the selected advertising content includes determining the selected advertising content based on metadata associated with the plurality of advertising content.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the metadata associated with the plurality of advertising content is indicative of at least one of a previous success rate, a bid level, a number of impressions, a time of day, a user age, and a language.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the metadata associated with the plurality of advertising content is contextual metadata.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the contextual metadata is indicative of at least one of a title, a product, a product category, and a company.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the metadata associated with the plurality of advertising content is social metadata.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the social metadata is indicative of at least one of a user feedback and user comments.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the selected advertising content includes determining the selected advertising content based on metadata associated with the selected non-advertising content.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the metadata associated with the selected non-advertising content is indicative of at least one of a previous success rate, a bid level, a number of impressions, a time of day, a user age, and a language.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the profile data associated with the media consumer is updated by feedback.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein associating the selected advertising content with the selected non-advertising content in at least one media file includes sequencing the selected non-advertising based on chapter data.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the selected advertising content is based on a sequenced advertising campaign.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the first advertising segment is consumed by the media consumer above a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after a after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the first advertising segment is consumed by the media consumer below a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 27 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the media consumer performs a first action associated with the first advertising segment, and a third different advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after the first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the media consumer performs a second different action associated with the first advertising segment.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the first action includes at least one of a request for additional information associated with the first advertising segment, an offer to purchase associated with the first advertising segment, and a skip command associated with the first advertising segment.

### Claim 29 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein sending the at least one media file to the media player associated with the media consumer includes sending the at least one media file to a portable media player via a personal computer.

### Claim 30 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising posting an advertising concept to an electronic marketplace, the advertising concept being indicative of the selected advertising content.

### Claim 31 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising converting text to at least one of an audio file, a visual file, and an audiovisual file to produce the selected non-advertising content.

### Claim 32 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein associating the selected advertising content with the selected non-advertising content in at least one media file includes a first media file for the selected advertising content, a second different media file for the selected non-advertising content, and sequencing data indicating an order for playback of the selected advertising content and the selected non-advertising content.

### Claim 33 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein associating the selected advertising content with the selected non-advertising content in at least one media file includes a single media file for the selected advertising content and the selected non-advertising content.

### Claim 34

A method of sending content to a media player, the method comprising:
receiving a plurality of non-advertising content by at least one computing device;
determining selected non-advertising content from the plurality of non-advertising content at the at least one computing device;
receiving a plurality of advertising content at the at least one computing device;
determining, at the at least one computing device, a plurality of related advertising content from the plurality of advertising content, each related advertising content from the plurality of related advertising content having a duration;
for each related advertising content from the plurality of related advertising content, determining, at the at least one computing device, partial experiences of the duration of the related advertising content consumed by a plurality of media consumers;
determining, at the at least one computing device, selected advertising content from the plurality of related advertising content for a media consumer based on (a) first profile data associated with the media consumer, (b) second profile data associated with the selected non-advertising content, and (c) third profile data associated with the selected advertising content, and (d) statistical data associated with the plurality of related advertising content, the statistical data being indicative of the partial experiences of the durations of the plurality of related advertising content consumed by the plurality of media consumers;
associating the selected advertising content with the selected non-advertising content in at least one media file at the at least one computing device; and
sending the at least one media file from the at least one computing device to the media player associated with the media consumer.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The method of claim 34, wherein the selected advertising content is partially consumed by the media consumer for a portion of the duration, and a fee is charged in an amount that is based on a length associated with the portion.

### Claim 36 (depends on 34)

The method of claim 34, wherein the selected non-advertising content is partially consumed by the media consumer, and a fee is paid in an amount that is based on a length associated with the partial consumption.

### Claim 37 (depends on 34)

The method of claim 34, wherein the first profile data associated with the media consumer includes data manually selected by the user and data automatically determined by a software program based on partial playback data.

### Claim 38 (depends on 34)

The method of claim 34, wherein determining the selected advertising content is based on a sequenced advertising campaign.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the first advertising segment is consumed by the media consumer above a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 40 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after a after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the first advertising segment is consumed by the media consumer below a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 41 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the media consumer performs a first action associated with the first advertising segment, and a third different advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after the first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the media consumer performs a second different action associated with the first advertising segment.

### Claim 42 (depends on 34)

The method of claim 34, wherein the plurality of media consumers is selected based on at least one interest associated with the media consumer.

### Claim 43

A method of sending content to a media player, the method comprising:
receiving a plurality of non-advertising content by at least one computing device, each non-advertising content from the plurality of non-advertising content having a duration;
for each non-advertising content from the plurality of non-advertising content, determining, at the at least one computing device, partial experiences of the duration of the non-advertising content consumed by a plurality of media consumers;
receiving a plurality of advertising content at the at least one computing device, each advertising content from the plurality of advertising content having a duration;
for each advertising content from the plurality of advertising content, determining, at the at least one computing device, partial experiences of the duration of the advertising content consumed by the plurality of media consumers;
determining selected non-advertising content from the plurality of non-advertising content at the at least one computing device;
determining selected advertising content from the plurality of advertising content at the at least one computing device, wherein at least one of determining selected non-advertising content and determining selected advertising content is based on (a) first profile data associated with a media consumer, (b) second profile data associated with the selected non-advertising content, and (c) third profile data associated with the selected advertising content, and (d) statistical data associated with at least one of the selected advertising content and the selected non-advertising content, the statistical data being indicative of the partial experiences of the duration of the selected non-advertising content or the selected advertising content, respectively, consumed by at least one of the plurality of media consumers and the media consumer;
associating the selected non-advertising content with channel data, at the at least one computing device, the channel data being indicative of at least one genre;
associating the selected advertising content, at the at least one computing device, the selected non-advertising content, and the channel data in at least one media file; and
sending the at least one media file and the associated channel data from the at least one computing device to the media player associated with the media consumer.

### Claim 44 (depends on 43)

The method of claim 43, wherein the selected advertising content is partially consumed by the media consumer for a portion of the duration, and a fee is charged in an amount that is based on a length associated with the portion.

### Claim 45 (depends on 43)

The method of claim 43, wherein the selected non-advertising content is partially consumed by the media consumer, and a fee is paid in an amount that is based on a length associated with the partial consumption.

### Claim 46 (depends on 43)

The method of claim 43, wherein the first profile data associated with the media consumer includes data manually selected by the user and data automatically determined by a software program based on partial playback data.

### Claim 47 (depends on 43)

The method of claim 43, wherein determining the selected advertising content is based on a sequenced advertising campaign.

### Claim 48 (depends on 47)

The method of claim 47, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the first advertising segment is consumed by the media consumer above a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 49 (depends on 47)

The method of claim 47, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after a after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the first advertising segment is consumed by the media consumer below a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 50 (depends on 47)

The method of claim 47, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the media consumer performs a first action associated with the first advertising segment, and a third different advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after the first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the media consumer performs a second different action associated with the first advertising segment.

### Claim 51

An apparatus for sending content to a media player, the apparatus comprising:
a processor;
a memory device operatively coupled to the processor;
an input device operatively coupled to the processor; and
an output device operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the processor:
causes the input device to receive a plurality of non-advertising content;
determines selected non-advertising content from the plurality of non-advertising content;
causes the input device to receive a plurality of advertising content;
determines a plurality of related advertising content from the plurality of advertising content, each related advertising content from the plurality of related advertising content having a duration;
for each related advertising content from the plurality of related advertising content, determining partial experiences of the duration of the related advertising content consumed by a plurality of media consumers;
selects data indicative of the plurality of media consumers based on at least one interest associated with the media consumer;
determines selected advertising content from the plurality of related advertising content for a media consumer based on (a) first profile data associated with the media consumer, (b) second profile data associated with the selected non-advertising content, and (c) third profile data associated with the selected advertising content, and (d) statistical data associated with the plurality of related advertising content, the statistical data being indicative of the partial experiences of the plurality of associated durations of the plurality of related advertising content consumed by the plurality of media consumers;
associates the selected advertising content with the selected non-advertising content in at least one media file; and
sends the at least one media file to the media player associated with the media consumer.

### Claim 52 (depends on 51)

The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the selected advertising content is partially consumed by the media consumer for a portion of the duration, and the processor causes a fee to be charged in an amount that is based on a length associated with the portion.

### Claim 53 (depends on 51)

The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the selected non-advertising content is partially consumed by the media consumer, and the processor causes a fee to be paid in an amount that is based on a length associated with the partial consumption.

### Claim 54 (depends on 51)

The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the first profile data associated with the media consumer includes data manually selected by the user and data automatically determined by a software program based on partial playback data.

### Claim 55 (depends on 51)

The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the processor determines the selected advertising content based on a sequenced advertising campaign.

### Claim 56 (depends on 55)

The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the processor causes a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign to be selected for the media consumer after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the first advertising segment is consumed by the media consumer above a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 57 (depends on 55)

The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the processor causes a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign to be selected for the media consumer for playback after a after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the first advertising segment is consumed by the media consumer below a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 58 (depends on 55)

The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the processor causes a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign to be selected for the media consumer for playback after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the media consumer performs a first action associated with the first advertising segment, and a third different advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after the first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the media consumer performs a second different action associated with the first advertising segment.

### Claim 59

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing software instructions structured to cause at least one computing device to:
receive a plurality of non-advertising content;
determine selected non-advertising content from the plurality of non-advertising content;
receive a plurality of advertising content; determine a plurality of related advertising content from the plurality of advertising content, each related advertising content from the plurality of related advertising content having a duration;
for each related advertising content from the plurality of related advertising content, determining partial experiences of the duration of the related advertising content consumed by a plurality of media consumers;
select data indicative of the plurality of media consumers based on at least one interest associated with the media consumer;
determine selected advertising content from the plurality of related advertising content for a media consumer based on (a) first profile data associated with the media consumer, (b) second profile data associated with the selected non-advertising content, and (c) third profile data associated with the selected advertising content, and (d) statistical data associated with the plurality of related advertising content, the statistical data being indicative of the partial experiences of the plurality of associated durations of the plurality of related advertising content consumed by the plurality of media consumers;
associate the selected advertising content with the selected non-advertising content in at least one media file; and
send the at least one media file to the media player associated with the media consumer.

### Claim 60 (depends on 59)

The computer readable medium of claim 59, wherein the selected advertising content is partially consumed by the media consumer for a portion of the duration, and the software instructions are structured to cause the at least one computing device to charge a fee is in an amount that is based on a length associated with the portion.

### Claim 61 (depends on 59)

The computer readable medium of claim 59, wherein the selected non-advertising content is partially consumed by the media consumer, and the software instructions are structured to cause the at least one computing device to pay a fee in an amount that is based on a length associated with the partial consumption.

### Claim 62 (depends on 59)

The computer readable medium of claim 59, wherein the first profile data associated with the media consumer includes data manually selected by the user and data automatically determined by a software program based on partial playback data.

### Claim 63 (depends on 59)

The computer readable medium of claim 59, wherein determining the selected advertising content is based on a sequenced advertising campaign.

### Claim 64 (depends on 63)

The computer readable medium of claim 63, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the first advertising segment is consumed by the media consumer above a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 65 (depends on 63)

The computer readable medium of claim 63, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after a after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the first advertising segment is consumed by the media consumer below a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 66 (depends on 63)

The computer readable medium of claim 63, wherein a second advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after a first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the media consumer performs a first action associated with the first advertising segment, and a third different advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign is selected for the media consumer for playback after the first advertising segment in the sequenced advertising campaign if the media consumer performs a second different action associated with the first advertising segment.