WO2015191340A1

WO2015191340A1 - Customer information based content delivery

Info

Publication number: WO2015191340A1
Application number: PCT/US2015/033888
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ronald Roy OGLE
Original assignee: Thomson Licensing
Priority date: 2014-06-09
Filing date: 2015-06-03
Publication date: 2015-12-17

Abstract

An aggregator works in conjunction with a user communication device to provide access to multimedia content. The access is subject to a bidding process that allows a user to control the degree of personal information released to a service in exchange for accessing the content. The user device can augment the bidding process by allowing itself to be used as a conduit to other services related to accessing the content. Offers and pricing information can also be compiled by the aggregator for presentation to the user.

Description

CUSTOMER INFORMATION BASED CONTENT DELIVERY BACKGROUND

[0001] Users typically pay for content access through their home delivery service 5 such as a satellite or cable television provider. The content delivery is usually further subsidized by automatically embedding advertising in the content before it is delivered to the user. Other delivery schemes may also include over the top delivery (through the delivery mechanism), but any cost associated with this type of delivery is in addition to the content access fee already paid by the user. Thus, the provider obtains remuneration 10 from both the user and advertiser. Although monetary remuneration is valued by the providers and advertisers, user personal information can also be of equal or greater value.

[0002] In order to obtain more user personal information, loyalty cards can be used to entice the user to stay with a given provider in exchange for all of their personal information. If the user does not agree to disclosing what the provider regards as 15 necessary personal information, the card will be denied or withdrawn. The user cannot negotiate the terms of a loyalty card. Another means by which the provider/advertiser can gain personal information is to reduce or increase the cost of the content access based on an allowed amount of advertising. The user has the control in this situation (no negotiations occur). Content delivery is generally focused on a single content supplier, 20 often linked to the delivery mechanism (cable provider/satellite provider). In such

circumstances, the content provider may control the content delivery mechanism and a user essentially pays for access. The user is left with little control over how much is paid for the delivery and/or how much personal information is required for discounting the costs.

25

SUMMARY

[0003] Media content delivery is generally focused on a single content provider, often linked to the delivery mechanism. For example, the content provider may control the content delivery mechanism and a user essentially pays for access. Techniques are 30 provided that further decouples the notion of paying for access to being able to control what the user pays for. These techniques allow content to be paid for either on a competitive bidding platform and/or on a choice of advertising platform. The mechanisms allow a bidding system for content based on a bidding system that scales the value of user information directly to the advertisers and/or content providers in exchange for a scaled cost to the user.

[0004] The above presents a simplified summary of the subject matter in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of subject matter embodiments. 5 This summary is not an extensive overview of the subject matter. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the embodiments or to delineate the scope of the subject matter. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the subject matter in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0005] To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain 10 illustrative aspects of embodiments are described herein in connection with the

following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the subject matter can be employed, and the subject matter is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features of the subject matter can 15 become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in

conjunction with the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is an example of a basic architecture of a system for using a 20 negotiation and bidding feature for media content by a user in one embodiment of the present principles.

[0007] FIG. 2 is an example system for accessing multimedia content using a bidding process of one embodiment of the present principles.

[0008] FIG. 3 is a method of providing access to multimedia content using a 25 bidding process of one embodiment of the present principles. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] The subject matter is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the 30 following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the subject matter. It can be evident, however, that subject matter embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the embodiments.

[0010] It should be understood that the elements shown in the figures may be implemented in various forms of hardware, software or combinations thereof.

5 Preferably, these elements are implemented in a combination of hardware and

software on one or more appropriately programmed general-purpose devices, which may include a processor, memory and input/output interfaces. Other elements can be implemented through the use of specifically-purposed devices, such as electronic display screens and electronic sensors.

10 [0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a basic architecture of a system 100 for using a

negotiation and bidding features to enable a user 102 to access media content. This feature can be created in any user device 104, for example, through a user menu and/or other user interfaces. The user device 104 can include, but is not limited to, a content delivery device (not shown) in an automobile, a television, a set top box, a 15 mobile device such as a laptop, smartphone and/or personal digital assistance, and/or a satellite box and the like. Personal user information can then be transferred between the user device 104 such as a set top box and content advertisers and/or content providers directly and/or indirectly. The process can be further managed external to the user device 104 through one of the services 106-118 in the ecosystem, such as an 20 electronic personal information service 118 (a service that stores user subscription information, etc.) and/or the advertising service 112 shown in FIG. 1.

[0012] A bidding system is then created to facilitate negotiating a cost to the user 102 for a given media content and/or access to media content. The user 102 gets to choose who advertises to them based on choices of amount of information provided 25 by the user (and/or the amount of advertising that is to be viewed). The system 100 scales an amount of a user’s personal information based on what personal information the user wants to "provide" in return for access to the media content -- this is the user's negotiation position in making a deal. For example, a scale can be set such that the user 102 gains access to the media content for free when the user 102 provides all 30 of their requested personal information. The scale can also charge half of the price of the content (or other percentage price) for no personal information, but requires demographic information from the user 102. The scale can charge full price for access to the content if the user 102 provides no information at all. This allows the user 102 to have control over what information the user is willing to trade for a price reduction for accessing the content. Thus, the user 102 can easily choose whether to give up their privacy or not and at what price. The user 102 has the ability to

5 negotiate the value of their personal information.

[0013] In another example, the user 102 can actively negotiate the value of their information by submitting what type of information the user is willing to disclose and having a bidding forum between entities such as, for example, several advertising services and/or providers. The transaction can occur quickly and

10 discounts for the content can be displayed/relayed to the user 102 so the user can choose their best option (which may or may not be the best discount– the user can have a preference to use a particular advertiser or provider despite a lesser offered discount, etc.). For instance, the user 102 can enter into the user device 104 what media content the user is interested in accessing. The user 102 then enters personal 15 information types such as age, sex and type of preferred movies along with name and address. The type information and desired movie can then be used by a bidding forum service (which can reside within the user device 104 and/or external to the user device 104) to provide offers to the user 102. The user 102 looks over the offers and selects their desired offer. Again, the user 102 can make the selection based on 20 preferences other than just the amount of discount offered by an advertiser/provider, etc. After the selection, the user 102 enters their personal information for the personal information types they submitted for the bidding process. The media content is then accessible by the user 102.

[0014] The actual bidding process can be a blind/closed process where the 25 participating entities (providers/advertisers, etc.) are not known to each other or an open process where the entities are aware of whom they are bidding against. The offers themselves can also be blind/closed and/or open. In other words, the offers can be sent in private to the user device 104 (closed bidding) or allowed to be seen by other entities (open bidding) where offers can be countered until a winning bid is 30 announced. In open bidding, the user 102 can be supplied with a single best offer or, for example, the top three best offers. In a closed bidding scenario, the user can be presented with all offers from which the user 102 selects an offer or the user device 104 can automatically pare the offers down to the best offer or, for example, the top three offers. The actual offer selection process can also be selectable by the user 102 as to closed/open bidding and/or how many offers to return back to the user.

[0015] In yet another example, the user device 104 includes a mechanism for 5 setting and managing these negotiations and parameters. The user device 104 can include a secure profile for the user 102. Thus, a service provider becomes a utility and can act as an aggregator of content, negotiations, and/or fees. The user device 104 typically has knowledge of who is using it. When multiple sources are possible for accessing content, a user might care more about which source the content is 10 coming from -- and can have preferred sources. The user 102 can also have a

preferred delivery method (satellite, cable and/or wide area network, etc.). This leads to a part-time customer for the delivery and/or the source. As noted previously, the service provider can turn into an aggregator of functions for the process (for example, pays bills but allows the user various choices for delivery).

15 [0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a system 200 that provides multimedia content access for a user 204 through a bidding process. The user 204 interfaces with a user device 202 that is in communication with an aggregator 206. The aggregator 206 can reside remotely and/or within the user device 202. The user device 202 provides an interface between the aggregator 206 and the user 204. The user device itself can 20 provide a service 208 such as a content provider, application provider, gaming

provider and/or payment service and the like. Typically, the user device 202 interfaces with other services 210-216 to provide additional means of accepting offers for the user 202. In systems where the aggregator 206 is remote in relation to the user device 202, the aggregator 206 can interface with the other services 210-216 and relay 25 offers to the user device 202 and ultimately to the user 204. The user device 202 can be, for example, a set top box provided by a cable provider. In this scenario, the cable provider service 208 might provide access to the user’s desired multimedia content and/or it might provide a link to another service 210-216 to provide access to the content. In this way, the user device 202 allows the user 204 to become a part time 30 consumer of other services other than its own.

[0017] The aggregator 206 compiles offers and/or negotiates with the services 208-210 (via a bidding forum, etc.) on behalf of the user 204 to find the‘best’ offer relating to accessing the content. Once the user 204 selects a desired offer, the user device 202 provides access either directly (acts as the provider to the content) and/or indirectly (acts as a communication link to the actual provider of the content). The aggregator 206 can also act as a centralized payment manager such that credits for 5 access and/or fees can be resolved within a single billing means. For example, if an advertising service offers to offset 50% of the cost of accessing a new block buster movie, the aggregator 206 can track the credit and offset the cost of another provider giving access to the movie. The user device 202 can also facilitate in meeting the terms of the offer accepted by the user 204. This can include, but is not limited to, the 10 user 204 agreeing to watch advertising from a particular advertising service. The user device 202 can aid in embedding advertising received from the advertising service while the user 204 accesses the content (even if the content is provided by a service other than the advertising service). If the aggregator 206 is remotely located, it can facilitate this process by providing a communication link between the advertisement 15 provider and the user device 202.

[0018] In view of the exemplary systems shown and described above, methodologies that can be implemented in accordance with the embodiments will be better appreciated with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 3. While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methodologies are shown and described as a series of 20 blocks, it is to be understood and appreciated that the embodiments are not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks can, in accordance with an embodiment, occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from that shown and described herein. Moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement the methodologies in accordance with the embodiments.

25 [0019] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method 300 of providing access to

multimedia content. A multimedia content selection is received from a user 302. The multimedia content can be, for example, a movie selection, a game selection, a video selection and/or an audio selection and the like. The user typically enters a desired selection on a user device such as, for example, a set top box, a mobile device, a 30 television and/or a satellite device, etc. The selection can be entered directly on the device and/or via a remote device controller and the like. A determination is then made as to which entities can provide the selected content and/or offset the cost of accessing the content by the user 304. For example, the content might be available via a cable provider and a satellite provider. Advertising entities might also be willing to offset some of the costs of accessing the content as well in exchange for the user’s personal information.

5 [0020] These participating entities are then notified that the user wants offers related to accessing the content 306. The offers can range, for example, from providing the content access at a normal price to offering to offset the price of the content access in its entirety. The offers from the participating entities are then aggregated and relayed to the user 308. The aggregation itself can be accomplished 10 by the user device that the user is interacting with and/or it can be accomplished

remotely (e.g., remote server, etc.). The aggregation can be automatically done per a typical hierarchy (e.g., best offer to worst offer, lowest loss of privacy to highest loss of privacy, etc.) and/or completed based on user preferences (e.g., the user might prefer satellite delivery over cable delivery of the content, the user only wants to see 15 offers not requesting certain types of information such as age, gender and race, etc.).

In some instances, the user device can also be a provider of the content. They will essentially be allowing the user to be a part time consumer of other providers/services. In this capacity, they can also be an aggregator for billing charges to the user for access to the content.

20 [0021] The offers themselves can be obtained in an open bidding type process where the entities are aware of offers from other entities. This gives the entities the opportunity to submit a better offer. The process can continue until a best bid is obtained. A best bid can be one such that the cost to the user is covered in full or it can be such that no user personal information is requested. The user can establish 25 their preference as to what makes a best bid to that particular user. Each user can differ on what constitutes a best bid/offer. Likewise, the top three best bids can be presented to the user for their final selection. A closed bidding process can also be used where each entity is requested to submit their best offer without knowledge of the offers from other entities. Sometimes in a blind style bidding process, an offer 30 better than an open bidding process can be obtained because the entity might value personal information far greater than the next entity. If the bidding was open, the same entity would only just outbid the next leading entity and the true value to the highest bidding entity would not be revealed in the bidding process.

[0022] The user’s offer selection and personal information, if required, are received during step 310. The user can directly enter the selection and personal 5 information and/or the user can allow the user device to release information already stored with the user device. For example, the user device can already have established who the user is and knows where the device is located. The user might have previously entered in other information such as desired genres, favorite channels, whether a male or a female and/or a month’s spending limit and the like. 10 This information is normally not shared among other entities, so the user will give permission for the user device to divulge such information per an accepted offer from another entity. The type of information received is associated with the selected offer. The selected offer entity is then notified that their offer has been accepted and associated user personal information, if any, is provided to the entity 312. This 15 typically triggers the access to the content if the entity is the provider 314. However, if the entity is not the provider (e.g., an advertising entity, etc.), but is offsetting all or a portion of the cost of the access, the provider is notified as well. If the entity is providing a credit to the user, the credit can be directly applied to the provider or credit applied to the user’s bill for accessing the content.

20 [0023] What has been described above includes examples of the

embodiments. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the embodiments, but one of ordinary skill in the art can recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the subject matter is 25 intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term“comprising” as“comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

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Claims

1. A system that provides multimedia content, comprising: a multimedia device in communication with at least one media content service or advertising service; and

5 an aggregator, residing on a processor, that communicates with the device and facilitates in negotiating a cost of accessing media content between a service and a user, the cost based partially on release of information associated with the user. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the aggregator resides in the 10 multimedia device. 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the multimedia device is a service provider. 15 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the aggregator is located in a server external to the multimedia device and communicates directly with the multimedia device and at least one service. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the aggregator provides a multimedia 20 content request from a user to at least one service and receives at least one bid related to providing the multimedia content to the user in exchange for user associated information, the bid relayed to a user interface of the multimedia device. 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the aggregator receives a plurality of 25 bids and sorts the bids for presentation on the user interface of the multimedia device. 7. They system of claim 6 wherein the aggregator sorts the bids based on a lowest information cost to the user. 30 8. They system of claim 6 wherein the aggregator sorts the bids based on a lowest monetary cost to the user.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein a bid is submitted in a closed bidding process. 10. The system of claim 5 wherein the aggregator automatically releases 5 user associated information in response to a user selected bid from a service. 11. The system of claim 5 wherein the aggregator relays inputted information from a user to a service in response to a user selected bid. 10 12. The system of claim 1 wherein the aggregator provides a multimedia content request from a user and at least one type of information offered by the user to at least one service and receives at least one bid related to providing the multimedia content to the user in exchange for the type of user associated information, the bid relayed to a user interface of the multimedia device.

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13. The system of claim 1 wherein the aggregator aggregates billing information for multimedia content accessed by the user via the system. 14. A method for providing multimedia content, comprising: 20 receiving a content selection from a user;

determining service entities that can provide content or offset a cost of accessing the content;

notifying the determined service entities that the user is accepting offers related to accessing the content;

25 aggregating received offers from the determined service entities and relaying the offers to the user;

receiving a user offer selection and user information if required; notifying a selected offer service entity and providing user information if required to the selected offer service entity; and

30 providing access to the user-selected content based on the user offer selection.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a type of information associated with the user that the user is willing to release in exchange for accessing the content; and

notifying the determined service entities of the type of information the user is 5 willing to release. 16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

aggregating the received offers based on lowest user information cost. 10 17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

aggregating the received offers based on lowest monetary cost to the user. 18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving user preferences for determining service entities or methods of 15 content delivery; and

applying the user preferences in determining service entities that can provide content or offset a cost of accessing the multimedia content. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

20 aggregating the received offers based on the user preferences.

20. A system that provides multimedia content, comprising:

means for communicating with a user via a multimedia device to receive a multimedia content selection;

means for selecting entities that can provide or offset a cost when a user 5 accesses the multimedia content;

means for obtaining offers from at least one of the selected entities in response to the multimedia selection;

means for aggregating obtained offers from the at least one selected entities and relaying the offers to the user based on user preferences;

10 means for receiving a user offer selection and user information if required;

means for notifying a selected offer entity and providing user information if required to the selected offer entity; and

means for providing access to the user selected content based on the user offer selection.

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21. The system of claim 20 further comprising:

means for aggregating costs associated with the user accessing the selected content. 20 22. The system of claim 20 further comprising:

means for automatically responding to an offer based on user preferences or previously provided user information.