GB2540926A - User generated content analysis method - Google Patents
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- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
- H04N21/83—Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
- H04N21/84—Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors
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Abstract
A method of analysing user generated content involves monitoring plackback of video content on a first user device, monitoring user generated content having predetermined content, determining if the user generated content was generated by a first user associated with the first user device, and identifying a chronological time at which the user generated content was made and identifying the corresponding playback time of the video content. The video content may be video-on-demand (VOD) viewed offline. The user generated content and predetermined content may be a social media comment or post which may be preceded by a predetermined character or tag, such as a #. The comments and associated playback time may be stored and forwarded to other user devices. The aim of the invention is to allow a content provider to associate user generated content with a particular playback time of video content, even when the video content is being viewed offline or on-demand. This is in contrast to alleged prior art in which user generated content may only be associated with a particular moment of video content if it is known when a user will be viewing the video content for example during a live television broadcast.
Description
User Generated Content Analysis Method
Technical Field
The present invention relates to methods for analysing user generated content. Certain embodiments of the invention relate more specifically to methods for identifying at what point in time, whilst a user is viewing video content, the user generated, via a social networking service, an item of user generated content.
Background
Social networking services are well known and widely used. They allow users to generate short pieces of content, such as text, images, links to websites and so on which can be accessed by other users. User generated content is typically accessible to other users via an interface provided by the social networking service, for example a website based interface, or via an interface provided by software developed for specific hardware, such as an “app” that can be installed and run on a smartphone.
In order to generate content, a user first registers with a social networking service and is provided with an account and a username. User generated content generated by the user is then accessible via the social networking service interface. Typically, users of the social networking service can set up their accounts to subscribe or “follow” specific users so that user generated content from those specific users is displayed to them via the interface. Further, users of the social networking service may wish to indicate that a particular piece of user generated content relates to a particular subject. This can be achieved by including a “tag” in the user generated content, for example with a text string associated with the subject. In some examples, such tags are identified by a preceding character such as “#”, such that if the subject in question was football, the user generated content would include the tag: “#footbaH”.
Typically social networking service interfaces provide a search means that allows a user to search for user generated content related to a particular subject. This can be conveniently achieved by searching for a specific tag as described above.
Another well-known feature of social networking service interfaces is the chronological presentation of user generated content. That is, items of user generated content are provided in a list format, with most recently generated items of user generated content being displayed at the top of the list. As new items of user generated content are generated by users that a particular user subscribes to/follows, they are displayed on the specific users interface at the top of a list of items of user generated content. Such an interface arrangement is sometimes referred to as a “timeline”.
The “timeline” arrangement can also be used to display user generated content relating to a specific subject, e.g. user generated content from other users that contain a particular tag. This provides a convenient mechanism by which users of the social networking service can follow the user generated comments generated by other users relating to an event, as the event occurs. For example, a user may be watching a football match or the broadcast of a television programme. With a social networking service interface arranged to display messages associated with the event and in the timeline format mentioned above, they can see, on the timeline interface arrangement, the reaction of other users to events as they occur, as the user also watches them occurring.
However, for a user to see user generated content generated by other users as an event occurs, this requires that both the user and the other users are viewing the event at the same time.
Further, a third party, such as a broadcaster, may be interested to determine from user generated content of a social networking service, the reaction of viewers to a television programme. This can be achieved by monitoring all user generated content relating to the television programme. In order to determine the reaction of viewers to particular parts of the television programme, the broadcaster can analyse user generated content which was posted during the period of interest of during the broadcast of the programme (user generated content typically includes time data indicating that time at which a user “posted” the user generated content). However, such analysis can only be applied to television programmes that are watched by users as they are broadcast (as opposed to video content that is viewed in an, “on demand” fashion where different viewers watch the video content at different times), because a broadcaster cannot determine the time at which individual users view video content “on-demand”. statement of Invention
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of analysing user generated content. The method comprises the step of monitoring playback of video content by a first user device; monitoring user generated content, to detect user generated content comprising predetermined content; determining if user generated content comprising predetermined content was generated by a first user associated with the first user device, if so identifying a chronological time at which the user generated content was made, and identifying a playback time of the video content at the chronological time.
In accordance with the first aspect of the invention, a technique is provided that allows the point in playback time of a piece of video content at which a user generates a piece of user generated content to be identified, irrespective of the chronological time at which the user is watching the video content. That is, the point in time of the playback of the video content at which the user generated the piece of user generated content can be identified, without any prior knowledge of when the user will be watching the piece of video content. This means that user generated content generated by a user can be associated with playback time of video content, even if the video content is watched offline/on-demand by users.
This is in contrast to current techniques which can only associate a particular piece of user generated content with a particular moment of video content if it is known before, when a user will be viewing the video content, e.g. “live” television broadcast of video content.
Optionally, monitoring the user generated content comprises monitoring user generated content generated via a social networking service.
Optionally, the method further comprises generating a data record comprising an identifier identifying the video content, the user generated content and the playback time of the video content.
Accordingly, data can be generated which associates the user generated content with the playback time of the video content. This data record can then advantageously be used for subsequent analysis or for forwarding to other users.
Optionally, determining if the user generated content was generated by the first user is by determining if a user account associated with the first user is associated with a username associated with user generated content.
Optionally, the user account associated with the first user is a user account associated with a service providing playback of the video content.
Optionally, the username is associated with a social networking service account used to generate the user generated content.
Optionally, the method further comprises monitoring playback of the video content by further user devices; determining if further items of user generated content comprising the predetermined content were generated by one or more of the further user of the further user devices, and if so, for each further item of user generated content: identifying a further chronological time at which the further item of user generated content were made, and identifying a further respective playback time of the video content at the further chronological time, and generating further data records associating identities of the further users with the video content, the further items of user generated content and the further playback times of the video content.
Optionally, the method comprises storing the data record and the further data records in a database.
Optionally, the method further comprises applying an ordering process to the data record and the further data records to order them in accordance with a playback time order.
Optionally, the method further comprises detecting if the video content is being played back on a second user device, and if so, forwarding the data records to the second user device.
Optionally, the method further comprises, displaying on the second device user generated content data extracted from the data records as the video content is played back such that the extracted user generated content data is displayed on the second user device at a playback time associated with the user generated content.
Optionally, the method further comprises detecting if the video content is being played back by a second user device, and if so, forwarding user generated content data extracted from the data records to a third user device.
Optionally, the method further comprises displaying on the third user device the extracted pieces of user generated content data as the video content is played back such that the pieces of user generated content data are displayed on the third user device at a playback time associated with the extracted pieces of user generated content data.
Optionally, the predetermined content is a text tag (e.g. identifying the video content).
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an application server arranged to provide video content to user devices comprising a processor on which is run a user monitoring function arranged to monitor playback of video content by a first user device, said video content provided to the first user device by the application server, and a user generated content monitoring function arranged to monitor user generated content, to detect user generated content comprising predetermined content. The user generated content monitoring function is further arranged to determine if user generated content comprising predetermined content was generated by a first user of the first user device, if so identify a chronological time at which the user generated content was made, and identify a playback time of the video content at the chronological time.
Optionally, the user generated content monitoring function arranged to monitor user generated content generated via a social networking service.
Optionally, the user generated content monitoring function is arranged to generate a data record comprising an identifier identifying the video content, the user generated content and the playback time of the video content.
Optionally, the user generated content monitoring function determines if the user generated content was generated by the first user is by determining if a user account associated with the first user is associated with a username associated with user generated content.
Optionally, the user account associated with the first user is a user account associated with a service providing playback of the video content.
Optionally, the username is associated with a social networking service account used to generate the user generated content.
Optionally, the predetermined content is a text tag (e.g. identifying the video content).
In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program which when implemented on a computer causes the computer to perform a method according the first aspect.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program product having stored thereon computer implementable instructions in accordance with the third aspect of the invention.
Various further aspects and features of the invention are defined in the claims.
Brief Description of Drawings
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 provides a schematic diagram of a system arranged in accordance with an example of the invention;
Figure 2 provides a schematic diagram of an interface displayed on a user device;
Figure 3 provides a diagram of a process flow in accordance with an example of the invention;
Figure 4 provides a schematic diagram of part of a system arranged in accordance with an example of the invention;
Figure 5 provides a schematic diagram of part of a system arranged in accordance with an example of the invention, and
Figure 6 provides a schematic diagram of part of a system arranged in accordance with an example of the invention.
In the drawings like reference numerals refer to like parts.
Detailed Description
Figure 1 provides a schematic diagram of a system arranged in accordance with an example of invention.
The system 101 includes a user device 102 which is connected to a social networking service server 103 which supports a social networking service. The user device 102 can be any suitable user device capable of transmitting and receiving data and provided with a user interface for displaying information to a user and for receiving user input. User devices include smart phones, tablets, personal computers, games consoles and so on.
The user device 102 can be connected to the social networking service server 103 using any suitable means. For example, if the user device 102 is a smartphone, a wireless transceiver provided within the user device allows data to be transmitted to and from a cellular mobile telephone network. The cellular mobile telephone network includes a gateway to an IP (Internet Protocol) network (e.g. the internet) which allows data to be transmitted to and from network connected components, such as the social networking service server 103. In this way, data can be exchanged between the user device 102 and the social networking server 103.
Users access the social networking service via an interface presented to them on their user device. Typically, this is provided by means of a web page (e.g. a web page served by the social networking service server 103 to web browser software running on the user device), or a specific piece of software (e.g. an “app”) which runs on the user device and controls the user device to display the interface and also to communicate data to and from the social networking service server 103.
As is known, social networking services allow users to generate items of user generated content which are usually text based, and referred to from this point forward as “comments”. Comments typically include short pieces of text data (e.g. comprising alphanumeric characters). In some examples, additional content may be included such as images and so on.
The interface provided by the social networking service allows users to view comments made by other users, typically in the “timeline” format discussed previously.
Before a user is able to generate comments, they create a social networking account, and are given a social networking username. Once logged into a social networking service account, a given user can generate comments.
The social networking service allows users to subscribe to or “follow” each other’s accounts such that when a first user, to whom a second user is subscribed, generates a comment, this comment is forwarded to the second user and displayed to the second user on the interface provided by the social networking service to the second user.
As previously described, users can indicate that a particular comment relates to a particular subject by including a tag in the comment, for example a word or phrase preceded by a predetermined character such as “#”.
The user device 102 is connected to a video on demand service application server 104, for example via a cellular mobile telephone network as described above. The application server 104 provides a video on demand service that allows subscribers to the service to view video content.
For example, a user of the user device 102 can select and view video content via a video on demand interface presented to the user on the user device 102. Typically video on demand interface is provided via a web page (e.g. a web page served by the application server to web browser software running on the user device). The user device 102 can be connected to the application server 104 by any suitable means, for example, if the user device 102 is a smartphone via a cellular mobile telephone network as described above.
The application server 104 is also connected via an application programming interface (API) 107 to the social networking service server 103. This connection is typically provided by a network connection via the internet. Typically, the API 107 is provided by the social networking service to enable third parties (such as the video on demand service) to access comments generated by users of the social networking service.
The API 107 provides the application server 104 access to comments generated by users of the social networking service. The application server 104 is arranged to monitor comments generated by users of the social networking service to determine firstly if any generated comments relate to video content which is being provided to subscribers of the video on demand service, and if so, whether those comments were generated by users of the social networking service who are also subscribers to the video on demand service. If this is the case, the application server is arranged to identify a chronological time at which the comment was generated, and determine the playback time of the video content being viewed by the user in question at that chronological time. The application server is then arranged to generate a data record which includes data representative of the comment, data identifying the video content and data identifying the playback time at which the comment was generated.
It will be understood that the term “chronological time” refers to a point in actual time where an event (e.g. the generation of a comment) occurs. The term “playback time” refers to a point in time, for example in hours, minutes and seconds, of the playback of the video. For example, the playback time exactly halfway through an item of video content last exactly 2 minutes is 1 minute. Typically, video playback software provides a graphical and numerical indication of playback time of video content as it is being played back.
Accordingly, if a user of the user device 102 has a social networking account provided by the social networking service provided by the social networking service server 103 and is also a subscriber to the video on demand service provided by the application server 104, they may generate a comment via the social networking service about an item of video content that they are currently viewing provided by the video on demand service. In so doing the user might typically include a tag (e.g. a text tag) identifying the content. In this case, the application server 104 is arranged to identify the comment (typically by virtue of the tag), determine that the user of the user device 102 is also a subscriber of the video on demand service who happens to be viewing the video content and, at the time of the generation of the comment was at a particular playback time of the video content.
The operation of the application server 104 will be explained in more detail below.
The application server 104 includes a content delivery function. The content delivery function, via the video on demand interface presented to a user on the user device 102, allows a user of the user device 102 to select content data such as video data hosted on a video server 105. Upon selection of the content data, the content delivery function running on the application server 104 accesses the video data on the video server 105 and “streams” this data to the user device 102 which can then play the content data on the user device 102 using suitable content playback software installed on the user device 102. Typically the content playback software is provided as a “plugin” to the web browser installed on the device 102, or the web browser has native functionality allowing content playback.
Thus, in the system 101 shown in Figure 1, video data from the video server 105 can be selected by a user of the user device 102 via the content delivery function on the application server 104 and played on the user device 102.
In certain examples, in order to view video content using the video on demand service provided by the application server 104, a user of the user device 102 is a subscriber of the video on demand service. That is, the user has a video on demand service “user account”. In order to use the video on demand service a user must “sign in” to the account, i.e. provide identifying credentials, such as a username and password, that allow the video on demand service to verify the identity of the user and thus authorise use of the service. In certain examples this can be used to enable a video on demand interface presented to a user to be customised for that particular user and/or, for example, ensure that if the video on demand requires payment for a user to use, that payment has been received and use of the video on demand service is authorised.
In order to facilitate this, the application server 104 runs an authorisation function which controls access to the video on demand service. The authorisation function enables users to create a video on demand service account (thereby becoming a subscriber to the video on demand service). The authorisation function can then control access to the video on demand service via a username and password entered by the user.
In other examples, the authorisation function is provided with an authorisation protocol which allows users to gain access to the video on demand service by using a user account already established by the user with a third party service, such as a social networking service. Examples of such authorisation protocols include “OAuth” and “OpenID”. In this way, a user can sign in to the video on demand service using a social networking account provided by a social networking service.
For example, with reference to Figure 1, in certain examples, a user can sign in to a video on demand service account to gain access to the video on demand service provided by the application server 103 using credentials (e.g. username and password) associated with a social networking service account associated with account provided by the social networking service server 103.
In order to enable this when a user initially accesses the video on demand service, a control is presented on an authorisation page of the video on demand interface typically bearing a logo associated with the social networking service. Upon activation of this control the authorisation function establishes a connection with the social networking service server 103 via the API 107 which initiates a process whereby the user is authenticated by an authorisation function running on the social networking service server 103. Once the user has been authenticated by the authorisation function running on the social networking service server 103, an authorisation confirm message is sent from the social networking service server 103 to the authorisation function running on the application server 104. As part of this process, the authorisation function running on the application server is provided with a social networking service username associated with the social networking service account.
The video on demand interface is provided by an interface provision function running on the application server 104 and provides (e.g. via a web page served from the application server) on a user device a window that allows a user to view video content along with displaying interactive playback controls that allow a user to perform playback control functions such as start, stop, fast forward, rewind and so on, on the playback of the content data.
The video on demand interface also includes a comments interface which displays user generated comments (for example comments generated by the social networking service described above) that are associated with the content data. More specifically, the comments interface is arranged to display comments associated with the particular playback time of the content data. That is, the comments interface displays user generated comments generated by users when they were viewing the content data at the particular moment in playback time that the user is currently viewing. As will be explained in more detail below, these user generated comments are stored on a user comment database 106 and are provided to the user device 102 by a user comment distribution function running on the application server 104.
An example video on demand interface is explained further with reference to Figure 2.
Figure 2 provides a schematic diagram of a user device 201 such as a smartphone, provided with a touchscreen display 202 displaying a video on demand interface 203 provided by web browser software running on the user device 201. The video on demand interface 203 includes a first area 204 where video content is displayed, a second area 205 providing a progress bar indicating the progress through the video content and a current playback time, a comments interface 206 showing comments generated by other user, the comments being associated with the current playback time of the video content shown in the first area 204. The video on demand interface also includes playback controls 207 which allow a user to control the playback of the video content.
In the event the user of the user device 102 generates a comment via the social networking service provided by the social networking server 103 that is associated with video content that is playing on the user device 102 via video on demand service, the user would typically include a “tag” which identifies the video data in the comment.
As described previously, a tag is a predefined textual label which users of the social networking service use to indicate that a comment relates to a particular theme or topic. The tag may be preceded by a specific character, such as “#” to identify the tag within the content. For example, if the video content when played showed a football match between two teams, Bigtown United and Bigtown Rovers, the tag identifying comments relating to this content might be “#UnitedvsRovers”.
The user may wish to generate a comment via the social networking service about a particular moment of the video data, for example if Bigtown United scored a goal. In the event that this occurs, the user could generate the following comment: “Great goal by Bigtown United, terrible defending by Bigtown Rovers #UnitedvsRovers”.
As explained above, when this comment is generated, it is forwarded to other users of the social networking service who have subscribed or “followed” this particular user. Additionally, it may be forwarded to other users of the social networking service who have searched for comments including the tag “#UnitedvsRovers”.
The comment includes the text described above along with an indication of who made the comment (e.g. a social networking service username) and a time at which the comment was made. In other words the comment includes comment text data; social networking service username data and time-of-generation data.
The application server 104 runs a comment processing function (i.e. a user generated content monitoring function) which, via the AP1107, monitors user generated comments, and in particular is arranged to detect user generated comments with specific predetermined tags.
Typically, an operator of the video on demand service will program, using a suitable operator interface, the comment processing function running on the application server 104 to search for specific tags, in particular tags which identify video content provided by the video on demand service. For example, with reference to the example described above, the comment processing function can be arranged to detect all comments with the tag “#UnitedvsCity”.
On detection, by the comment processing function, of a comment including a predetermined tag, the comment processing function is arranged to extract a social networking service username from the comment and send a user query, including the social networking service user name to a user identification look-up table stored and maintained on the application server 104.
The user identification look-up table is a table which stores and maintains a record of social networking service usernames associated with users of the video on demand service (i.e. user accounts). This can be maintained in any suitable way. In some examples, when a new user subscribes to the video on demand service, they are requested to provide details of any social networking service usernames they have.
In other examples, as described previously, a user may sign into the video on demand service using an authentication protocol. As part of such a process, the social networking service username is provided to the authorisation function. This is then stored in the user identification look-up table which can thereby identify users of the video on demand service by virtue of their associated social networking service usernames.
If the user identification look-up table includes data indicating that a user of the video on demand service is associated with the social networking service username from the user query, it returns a user ID message to the comment processing function identifying the user of the video on demand service.
The application server 104 also runs a user monitoring function which monitors video content viewed by users of the content delivery function. In particular the user monitoring function monitors and records the time at which users are viewing video data. Specifically, the user monitoring function monitors the playback time with respect to “real time”. For example, between 1505:00 hrs and 1505:20 hrs a user may watch the first 20 seconds (e.g. from 0 seconds to 20 seconds) of playback of a piece of video data. This data, i.e. the time at which a particular part of the content was viewed by a given user is stored by the user monitoring function.
In the event that the user identification look-up table returns a user ID message to the comment processing function, the comment processing function then sends a playback query message to the user monitoring function. The playback query message includes an identity of the user who generated the comment, an identity of the video content associated with the tag included in the comment, and data corresponding to a chronological time at which the comment was generated.
The user monitoring function then determines if the user in question was watching the video content in question at the chronological time at which the comment was generated and if so, what the playback time of the video content was at that chronological time. If the user was watching the video content in question at the chronological time at which the comment was generated, the user monitoring function sends a playback time message to the comment processing function. For example, with reference to the example above, this message might indicate: between 1505:00 hrs and 1505:20 hrs user A watched playback time 0 seconds to 20 seconds of video content B. Alternatively, rather than a range of time, this message might indicate a specific chronological time and a specific playback time, e.g. at 1505:20 hrs playback was at 20 seconds in to the video content.
The comment processing function then processes the playback time message to generate a data record, which is forwarded to the user comment database 106. The data record indicates the video content that the comment is associated with, the user generated content of the comment (including the tag), and data indicating the playback time at which the comment was made. In certain examples, the data record also includes data identifying the video on demand service.
In certain examples, data records will be generated in this way based on comments generated by multiple different users. As different users will typically be watching video content at different times, there will be no correspondence between the time at which a data record is generated and the playback time of the video content to which it relates.
Accordingly, in order to store the data records in an organised fashion, in some examples the user comment database 106 runs a sorting function which is arranged to sort the data records by video content (i.e. sorting user comments with respect to which video content they are related to) and by playback time order. In this way, data records relating to a particular piece of video content can be readily retrieved and processed in an ordered fashion.
Figure 3 provides a schematic diagram illustrating a process flow according to an example of the invention, whereby data records relating to user generated comments are generated.
The process starts when the comment processing function detects a comment has been generated including a predefined tag associated with a specific piece of video content.
At a first step S301, the comment processing function 301 sends a user query message to the user look up table 302. The user query message includes a social networking username of the user of the social networking service that generated the comment including the predefined tag. As described above, the look up table identifies whether the social networking service username is associated with a user of the video on demand service.
At a second step S302, the user look up table 302 sends a user ID message to the comment processing function 301 with a user identifier identifying a user with a content viewing account that is associated with the social networking service username.
At a third step S303, the comment processing function 301 sends a playback time request message to the user monitoring function 303 which includes a chronological time at which the detected comment was generated and the user identifier identified at the second step S302.
At a fourth step S304, the user monitoring function 303 sends a playback time message to the comment processing function 301 indicating the playback time of the content data at the time at which the user generated comment.
At a fifth step S305, the comment processing function 301 generates a data record indicating the content data that the comment is associated with, the content of the comment (including the tag), and the playback time at which the comment was made.
At a sixth step S306, the comment processing function forwards the data record to the user comment database 106.
The data records generated by the comment processing function and stored in the user comment database 106 can be used for various purposes.
In certain examples, the application server includes a comment distribution function. The comment distribution function is arranged to send data records relating to comments associated with video content to users of the video on demand service who are currently viewing that video content. This described with reference to Figure 4.
Figure 4 provides a schematic diagram of components of a system arranged in accordance with certain examples of the invention. The social blogging networking service server and the API are omitted for clarity.
Figure 4 shows the application server 104 and user comment database 106. A number of user devices 401,402, 403, 404 are connected to the application server 104, in the same manner, for example as user device 102 described with reference to Figure 1.
The comment distribution function is arranged to monitor, via the content delivery function, video content being streamed via the application server 104 to the user devices 401,402, 403, 404. If the comment distribution function detects that a particular user device is streaming data relating to a particular piece of video content, it is arranged to send a query to the user comment database 106 as to whether or not the user comment database includes data records relating to the video content in question. If the user comment database does include data records relating to the video content in question, the comment distribution function is arranged to extract these data records from the user comment database 106 and forward these data records to the relevant user devices.
As mentioned above, the video on demand interface can be provided as web page served from the application server 104 and, as described above with reference to Figure 2, includes a comments interface. The video on demand interface can be provided with functionality which enables it to receive and process data records such that user generated comments associated with the video content currently being played on the interface are displayed, and more specifically, the comments interface is arranged to display comments associated with the particular playback time of the content data. Typically the processing of a data record by the video on demand interface will comprise extracting from the data record, the playback time and extracting from the data record the comment. Displaying the comments may comprise displaying the text of the comment (i.e. the user generated content) along with the social networking service username associated with the comment.
As will be understood, new data records can be generated at any time and therefore new data records may be generated as a user is watching the video content on the user device. Accordingly, in certain examples, after a predetermined period of time, or after a predetermined number of new data records have been generated, the comment distribution function is arranged to forward newly generated data records to user devices streaming the relevant video content.
In certain examples, on detection by the comment distribution function that video content is being streamed to a particular user device, and data records relating to that video content are stored on the user comment database 106, rather than the relevant data records being forwarded to the user device to which the video content is being streamed, instead, data from the comments associated with the data records are forwarded to a second user device. A technique for this is explained with reference to Figure 5.
Figure 5 provides a schematic diagram of components of a system arranged in accordance with certain examples of the invention.
Figure 5 shows the video server 105, application server 104 and user comments database 106 as described previously. Figure 5 further shows a first user device 501 on which a user can watch video content provided by the content delivery function running on the application server 104 as described previously. In some examples, the first user device 501, may be a smart television and the video on demand interface is provided by software running on the smart television, rather than via a web page. In certain examples, such video on demand interfaces are not provided with a comments interface as described previously. Figure 5 also shows a second user device 502 on which is displayed a social networking service interface as described previously. Typically, the user of the first device 501 is the same as the user of the second user device 502. The second user device 502 might be a smartphone which a user is using whilst at the same time watching video content on the first user device 501 (e.g. the smart television).
In the event that the comment distribution function running on the application server 104 detects that there are data records associated with the video content being streamed to the first user device 501 stored in the user comment database, the comment distribution function is arranged to generate, via the API 107, system generated comments.
Each system generated comment corresponds to a data record. It contains the content of the original text of the comment (i.e. the user generated content) associated with the data record, along with the social networking service username of the user who created the original comment. As will be understood, all of this information can be extracted from the original data record.
These system generated comments are generated in such a way that they will be sent to the second user device 502. In certain examples, the system generated comments are addressed to a social networking service account associated with the user of the first user device 501. This information can be extracted from the user identification look-up table described above. For example, the system generated comment includes in it the social networking service username associated with the social networking service account. Typically, this ensures that the system generated comment will be shown on the social networking service interface on the second user device 502.
Typically, the system generated comments will be displayed on a social networking service interface provided on the second device 502 in the “timeline” format as discussed previously. More specifically, the comment distribution function is arranged to time the generation of each system generated comment such that it appears on the social networking service interface of the second device at the playback time of the video content (played back on the first device 501), to which the system generated comment relates.
This is achieved by the comment distribution function monitoring the playback of the video content on the first user device 501 by virtue of the user monitoring function. The comment distribution function monitors the playback time of the video content on the first user device 501 to identify when the playback reaches a point for which a data record associated with the video content exists, that is, a playback time at which another user generated a comment associated with the video content, which was captured by the comment processing function and stored in the user comment database 106 as a data record as described above.
When this playback time on the first user device 501 is reached, the comment distribution function extracts the text of the comment (i.e. the user generated content) from the relevant data record and generates a system generated comment which is addressed to the social networking service account associated with the user of the first user device 501. Thus, the system generated comment will appear on the timeline of the social networking service interface displayed on the second user device 502.
An example of this technique is described below. A first user of the social networking service is watching video content provided by the video on demand service of a football match. The football match is between Bigtown United and Bigtown Rovers, the tag identifying comments relating to this content is “#UnitedvsRovers” as described above. The first user has a social networking service username “JoKevAd”.
At playback time of 5 minutes and 30 seconds Bigtown United score a goal. The user generates a comment including the text. “Great goal by Bigtown United, terrible defending by Bigtown Rovers #UnitedvsRovers”.
The comment is generated at 1500hrs as this is the chronological time at which the user was viewing the video content.
The generated comment comprises the text above, time data corresponding to 1500hrs and the social networking service username “JoKevAd”.
The comment processing function running on the application server has been programmed to detect the generation of comments including the “#UnitedvsRovers” tag and therefore detects this comment via the API. The comment processing function then extracts the social networking service username “JoKevAd” from the comment and generates and sends a query including the social networking service username “JoKevAd” to the user identification look up table. The user identification look up table includes the social networking service username “JoKevAd” (indicating that the user in question has signed into the video on demand service using an authorisation protocol as described above). The user identification look up table then returns a user-ID message including the “JoKevAd” username to the comment processing function. The comment processing function then sends a playback query message to the user monitoring function including the time data indicating that the comment was generated at 1500hrs, the JoKevAd username and data identifying the video content showing the football match.
The user monitoring function determines that the user corresponding to “JoKevAd” at 1500hrs was at playback time 5 minutes and 30 seconds of the video content and sends a corresponding playback time message. The comment processing function then generates a corresponding data record.
At a later time, another user of the video on demand service may be streaming the video content of the football match to a smart TV. As described above, this is detected by the comment distribution function (in conjunction with the content delivery function) which identifies data records associated with the football match video content.
Using the user look up table, the comment distribution function identifies a social networking service username associated with the user viewing the football match video content, e.g. “Carlioir.
When the comment distribution function determines that the user (with the social networking service username “CarlioU”) is at the playback time of 5 minutes and 30 seconds, via the API, it generates a system generated comment addressed to “CarlioU” including the text of the comment generated by “JoKevAd” at the 5 minutes 30 seconds playback time of the football match video content, for example:
To CarlioU: JoKevAd says “Great goal by Bigtown United, terrible defending by Bigtown Rovers #UnitedvsRovers”
If the user with the username “CarlioU” is viewing a second device including a social networking service interface, this comment will appear on their timeline.
In other examples, an alternative technique is used whereby the second user device 502 has installed thereon an application for receiving and displaying system generated comments received directly from the application server. In such examples, rather than addressing the system generated comments to a social networking account associated with the user of the first user device 501, instead the system generated comments are sent directly to the second user device and processed and displayed by the application. In such examples, the second user device on which the application is installed is associated with the first device and this information is stored on the user identification look-up table described above. This is depicted in Figure 6.
Figure 6 provides a schematic diagram corresponding to the system shown in Figure 5 except a further link 601 is shown whereby system generated comments are sent directly to a user device 602 on which an application for displaying system generated comments as described above.
Various modifications are envisaged.
In the examples described above, monitoring of user generated content (e.g. comments) has been described mainly in terms of monitoring a social networking service. Flowever, it will be understood that the principles of the invention can also apply to arrangements in which user generated content (e.g. comments) are monitored from other sources, such as websites, from which user comments, generated by users with specified usernames, can be extracted.
In the examples described above, the operation of the application server has been described in terms of various functions running on the application server (including for example, the content delivery function, the authorisation function, the interface provision function, the comment distribution function, the comment processing function and the user monitoring function). As will be understood, these functions can be run on the application server in any suitable way, for example as software being run on a suitably programmed processor unit, or software performed on several suitably programmed processors. The application server itself, and the various function performed thereon can be physically implemented as any suitably arranged and programmed computer resources, for example a single unit including a processor or processors, memory and a network connection such as an Ethernet card, or can be distributed across several physical units using known distributed computing techniques. A computer program embodying the software described above to be run on an application server as described above can be stored on any suitable computer program product such as a floppy disk, CD ROM, solid state memory storage device and so on.
Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words “comprise” and “contain” and variations of them mean “including but not limited to” and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps. Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.
Features, integers, characteristics or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of the features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to any details of any foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.
The reader’s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.
Claims (24)
1. A method of analysing user generated content, said method comprising: monitoring playback of video content by a first user device; monitoring user generated content, to detect user generated content comprising predetermined content; determining if user generated content comprising the predetermined content was generated by a first user associated with the first user device, if so identifying a chronological time at which the user generated content was made, and identifying a playback time of the video content at the chronological time.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring the user generated content comprises monitoring user generated content generated via a social networking service.
3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising generating a data record comprising an identifier identifying the video content, the user generated content and the playback time of the video content.
4. A method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein determining if the user generated content was generated by the first user is by determining if a user account associated with the first user is associated with a username associated with the user generated content.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the user account associated with the first user is a user account associated with a service providing playback of the video content.
6. A method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the username is associated with a social networking service account used to generate the user generated content.
7. A method according to claim 3, comprising monitoring playback of the video content by further user devices; determining if further items of user generated content comprising the predetermined content were generated by one or more of the further user of the further user devices, and if so, for each further item of user generated content; identifying a further chronological time at which the further item of user generated content were made; identifying a further respective playback time of the video content at the further chronological time, and generating further data records associating identities of the further users with the video content, the further items of user generated content and the further playback times of the video content.
8. A method according to claim 7, comprising storing the data record and the further data records in a database.
9. A method according to claim 8, comprising applying an ordering process to the data record and the further data records to order them in accordance with a playback time order.
10. A method according to any of claims 7 to 9, comprising detecting if the video content is being played back on a second user device, and if so, forwarding the data records to the second user device.
11. A method according to claim 10, comprising displaying on the second device user generated content data extracted from the data records as the video content is played back such that the extracted user generated content data is displayed on the second user device at a playback time associated with the user generated content.
12. A method according to any of claims 7 to 9, comprising detecting if the video content is being played back by a second user device, and if so, forwarding user generated content data extracted from the data records to a third user device.
13. A method according to claim 12, comprising displaying on the third user device the extracted pieces of user generated content data as the video content is played back such that the pieces of user generated content data are displayed on the third user device at a playback time associated with the extracted pieces of user generated content data.
14. A method according to any previous claim, wherein the predetermined content is a text tag.
15. An application server arranged to provide video content to user devices comprising a processor on which is run: a user monitoring function arranged to monitor playback of video content by a first user device, said video content provided to the first user device by the application server; a user generated content monitoring function arranged to monitor user generated content, to detect user generated content comprising predetermined content; wherein said user generated content monitoring function is further arranged to determine if user generated content comprising predetermined content was generated by a first user of the first user device, if so identify a chronological time at which the user generated content was made, and identify a playback time of the video content at the chronological time.
16. An application server according to claim 15, wherein the user generated content monitoring function is arranged to monitor user generated content generated via a social networking service.
17. An application server according to claim 16, wherein the user generated content monitoring function is arranged to generate a data record comprising an identifier identifying the video content, the user generated content and the playback time of the video content.
18. An application server according to either claim 16 or 17, wherein the user generated content monitoring function determines if the user generated content was generated by the first user is by determining if a user account associated with the first user is associated with a username associated with user generated content.
19. An application server according to claim 18, wherein the user account associated with the first user is a user account associated with a service providing playback of the video content.
20. An application server according to claims 18 or 19, wherein the username is associated with a social networking service account used to generate the user generated content.
21. A method according to any previous claim, wherein the predetermined content is a text tag.
22. A computer program which when implemented on a computer causes the computer to perform a method according to any of claims 1 to 14.
23. A computer program product having stored thereon computer implementable instructions in accordance with the computer program according to claim 22.
24. A method or application server as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.
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| US20110119694A1 (en) * | 2008-06-25 | 2011-05-19 | At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. | Apparatus and method for media on demand commentaries |
| US20130239146A1 (en) * | 2012-03-06 | 2013-09-12 | Aereo, Inc. | User Interface for Television Programming and Social Media Feeds for Time Shifted Viewing |
| US20140013241A1 (en) * | 2012-07-03 | 2014-01-09 | Wendell Brown | System & method for online rating of electronic content |
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| US20140199046A1 (en) * | 2013-01-17 | 2014-07-17 | FrameBuzz, LLC | Conversations on time-shifted content |
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| EP2437464B1 (en) * | 2010-10-04 | 2019-05-01 | Accenture Global Services Limited | System for delayed video viewing |
| US9215503B2 (en) * | 2012-11-16 | 2015-12-15 | Ensequence, Inc. | Method and system for providing social media content synchronized to media presentation |
| US10607299B2 (en) * | 2013-03-15 | 2020-03-31 | Tomorrowish Llc | Displaying social media content |
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Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20110119694A1 (en) * | 2008-06-25 | 2011-05-19 | At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. | Apparatus and method for media on demand commentaries |
| US20130239146A1 (en) * | 2012-03-06 | 2013-09-12 | Aereo, Inc. | User Interface for Television Programming and Social Media Feeds for Time Shifted Viewing |
| US20140013241A1 (en) * | 2012-07-03 | 2014-01-09 | Wendell Brown | System & method for online rating of electronic content |
| WO2014036362A1 (en) * | 2012-08-31 | 2014-03-06 | Facebook. Inc. | Sharing television and video programming through social networking |
| US20140199046A1 (en) * | 2013-01-17 | 2014-07-17 | FrameBuzz, LLC | Conversations on time-shifted content |
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