Patent Publication Number: US-2010125658-A1

Title: Method and system for multimedia content consumption analysis

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     The present disclosure relates to multimedia content delivery networks and, more particularly, to analyzing consumption of multimedia content. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Users of multimedia content delivery networks (MCDNs) select multimedia content available for consumption. The multimedia content may be selected as part of a package available to the user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of selected elements of an embodiment of a multimedia distribution network; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of selected elements of an embodiment of a multimedia distribution network; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of selected elements of an embodiment of a multimedia handling device; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of a method for analyzing consumption of multimedia content; and 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of a method for analyzing consumption of multimedia content. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     In one aspect, a disclosed method for analyzing multimedia content provided by a MCDN includes collecting historical events describing multimedia content selected by a user of the MCDN, and analyzing the historical events to generate consumption statistics. The method may further include storing the consumption statistics, and enabling the display of the consumption statistics. The MCDN may be an Internet protocol (IP) compliant network. In certain instances, the collecting, analyzing, and enabling are performed by customer premises equipment (CPE). The user may select multimedia programs using an electronic programming guide (EPG), while the consumption statistics may be accessible using the EPG. 
     In some embodiments, the method may further include analyzing said historical events including classifying the selected multimedia content based on content type. evaluating the consumption statistics with respect to an MCDN subscription package, and generating a consumption metric based at least in part on said evaluating, wherein the consumption metric indicates a relationship between the consumption statistics and the MCDN subscription package. The method may further include recommending a modification of the MCDN subscription package to the user based on the consumption metric. The consumption metric may indicate at least one of undersubscribed, oversubscribed, or adequately subscribed multimedia content. 
     In some cases, analyzing the historical events may include classifying the selected multimedia content based on content type. The content type may be selected from the group consisting of: channel, channel type, intended audience, genre, duration, time of broadcast, and program ratings. The channel type may be at least one of: pay per view (PPV), video on demand (VOD), and scheduled programming. 
     In another aspect, a disclosed device, configured to analyze multimedia content provided by an MCDN, includes a processor, a network interface configured to receive multimedia content from the MCDN, and memory media accessible to the processor, including processor executable instructions. The instructions may be executable to record multimedia content user selection events to a historical consumption log, process the historical consumption log to reveal user consumption patterns, and display information visually indicative of the user consumption patterns. The device may further include a display device, and processor executable instructions to display a comparison of the user consumption patterns and an MCDN subscription package purchased by the user. 
     In some embodiments, an EPG of the MCDN may be used to generate the user selection events. An EPG of the MCDN may be used to display the information visually. The comparison may be made available by accessing the EPG. A result of the comparison may be at least one of undersubscribed, oversubscribed, or adequately subscribed multimedia content. 
     In some implementations, the processor executable instructions to process the historical consumption log may include instructions executable to send the historical consumption log to a remote server for analysis, and receive results of the analysis from the remote server, wherein the results include user consumption patterns. The processor executable instructions to process the historical consumption log include instructions executable to analyze the historical consumption log locally using the processor. 
     In yet another aspect, a disclosed computer-readable memory media includes program instructions for analyzing multimedia content provided to a user via an MCDN. The program instructions may be executable to receive a historical consumption log, wherein the historical consumption log includes information indicative of which multimedia content was selected for viewing by the user, analyze the historical consumption log and generate content consumption data based on the analysis, and analyze the historical consumption log using the processor. The program instructions may further be executable to send the content consumption data to a client of the MCDN. 
     In some cases, the content consumption data may include a comparison of actual consumption by the user with an MCDN subscription package purchased by the user. The comparison may further include a monetary difference between the value of the actual consumption and the value of the subscription package. The comparison may still further include information about different categories of multimedia content, while the categories of content may be selected from the group consisting of: channel, channel type, intended audience, genre, duration, time of broadcast, and program ratings. 
     In some embodiments, the memory media further includes instructions executable to include the content consumption data in an EPG provided to the client. The instructions may still further be executable to provide the content consumption data to a third party for data mining. 
     In the following description, details are set forth by way of example to facilitate discussion of the disclosed subject matter. It should be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the field, however, that the disclosed embodiments are exemplary and not exhaustive of all possible embodiments. Throughout this disclosure, a hyphenated form of a reference numeral refers to a specific instance of an element and the un-hyphenated form of the reference numeral refers to the element generically or collectively. Thus, for example, widget  12 - 1  refers to an instance of a widget class, which may be referred to collectively as widgets  12  and any one of which may be referred to generically as a widget  12 . 
     Turning now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating selected elements of an embodiment of MCDN  100 . Although multimedia content is not limited to TV, VOD, or PPV programs, the depicted embodiments of MCDN  100  and its capabilities are primarily described herein with reference to these types of multimedia content, which are interchangeably referred to herein as multimedia content, multimedia content program(s), multimedia programs or, simply, programs. 
     The elements of MCDN  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1  depict network embodiments with functionality for delivering multimedia content to a set of one or more users. It is noted that different embodiments of MCDN  100  may include additional elements or systems (not shown in  FIG. 1  for clarity) as desired for additional functionality, such as data processing systems for billing, content management, customer support, operational support, or other business applications. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 1 , MCDN  100  includes one or more clients  120  and a service provider  121 . Each client  120  may represent a different user of MCDN  100 . In  FIG. 1 , a plurality of n clients  120  is depicted as client  120 - 1 , client  120 - 2  to client  120 - n,  where n may be a large number. Service provider  121  as depicted in  FIG. 1  encompasses resources to acquire, process, and deliver programs to clients  120  via access network  130 . Such elements in  FIG. 1  of service provider  121  include content acquisition resources  180  connected to switching network  140  via backbone network  170 , as well as application server  150 , database server  190 , content delivery server  160 , also shown connected to switching network  140 , and may further include a wireless server (not depicted). 
     Access network  130  demarcates clients  120  and service provider  121 , and provides connection path(s) between clients  120  and service provider  121 . In some embodiments, access network  130  is an IP compliant network. In some embodiments, access network  130  is, at least in part, a coaxial cable network. It is noted that in some embodiments of MCDN  100 , access network  130  is owned and/or operated by service provider  121 . In other embodiments, a third part may own and/or operate at least a portion of access network  130 . 
     In IP-compliant embodiments of access network  130 , access network  130  may include a physical layer of unshielded twisted pair cables, fiber optic cables, or a combination thereof MCDN  100  may include digital subscribe line (DSL) compliant twisted pair connections between clients  120  and a node (not depicted) in access network  130  while fiber, cable or another broadband medium connects service provider resources to the node. In other embodiments, the broadband cable may extend all the way to clients  120 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 1 , switching network  140  provides connectivity for service provider  121 , and may be housed in a central office or other facility of service provider  121 . Switching network  140  may provide firewall and routing functions to demarcate access network  130  from the resources of service provider  121 . In embodiments that employ DSL compliant connections, switching network  140  may include elements of a DSL Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) that multiplexes many subscriber DSLs to backbone network  170 . 
     In  FIG. 1 , backbone network  170  represents a private network including, as an example, a fiber based network to accommodate high data transfer rates. Content acquisition resources  180  as depicted in  FIG. 1  encompass the acquisition of various types of content including broadcast content, other “live” content including national content feeds, and VOD content. 
     Thus, the content provided by service provider  121  encompasses multimedia content that is scheduled in advance for viewing by clients  120  via access network  130 . Such multimedia content, also referred to herein as “scheduled programming,” may be selected using an EPG, such as EPG  316  described below with respect to  FIG. 3 . Accordingly, a user of MCDN  100  may be able to browse scheduled programming well in advance of the broadcast date and time. Some scheduled programs may be “regularly” scheduled programs, which recur at regular intervals or at the same periodic date and time (i.e., daily, weekly, monthly, etc.). 
     As will be discussed in detail below, “content selection events” related to multimedia content consumption by the user may be recorded and analyzed. These content selection events, also referred to as “user selection events,” may be “historical events” that include event information collected over a period of consumption and may be correlated with timestamp information. As used herein, “consumption” refers to viewing, listening, recording, copying, obtaining, selecting, or any other actions associated with receipt of multimedia content by the user. A recording of the content selection events themselves may be referred to as a “historical consumption log.” The content selection events may represent multimedia content that has been selected for consumption by the user, along with an actual duration of consumption by the user. Content selection events may selectively be recorded for content provided via the MCDN, or for content provided by other sources, for example, broadcast signals or tangible media. 
     Additional information indicative of the multimedia content associated with content selection events may be stored in the historical consumption log. Such information may be referred to as “content type” information, such as, channel, channel type, intended audience, genre, duration, time of broadcast, and program ratings, etc. The “channel type,” as referred to herein, may be indicative of PPV, VOD, or scheduled programming, among others. 
     Acquired content is provided to content delivery server  160  via backbone network  170  and switching network  140 . Content may be delivered from content delivery server  160  to clients  120  via switching network  140  and access network  130 . Content may be compressed, encrypted, modulated, demodulated, and otherwise encoded or processed at content acquisition resources  180 , content delivery server  160 , or both. Although  FIG. 1  depicts a single element encompassing acquisition of all content, different types of content may be acquired via different types of acquisition resources. Similarly, although  FIG. 1  depicts a single content delivery server  160 , different types of content may be delivered by different servers. Moreover, embodiments of MCDN  100  may include content acquisition resources in regional offices that are connected to switching network  140 . 
     Although service provider  121  is depicted in  FIG. 1  as having switching network  140  to which content acquisition resources  180 , content delivery server  160 , and application server  150  are connected, other embodiments may employ different switching networks for each of these functional components and may include additional functional components (not depicted in  FIG. 1 ) including, for example, operational subsystem support (OSS) resources. 
       FIG. 1  also illustrates application server  150  connected to switching network  140 . As suggested by its name, application server  150  may host or otherwise implement one or more applications for MCDN  100 . Application server  150  may be any data processing system with associated software that provides applications for clients or users. Application server  150  may provide services including multimedia content services, e.g., EPG, digital video recording (DVR), VOD, or PPV, an IPTV portal, digital rights management (DRM) servers, navigation/middleware servers, conditional access systems (CAS), and remote diagnostics, as examples. 
     Applications provided by application server  150  may be downloaded and hosted on other network resources including, for example, content delivery server  160 , switching network  140 , and/or on clients  120 . Application server  150  is configured with a processor and storage media (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) and is enabled to execute processor instructions, such as those included within a software application. As depicted in  FIG. 1 , application server  150  may be configured to include consumption analysis application  152 , which, as will be described in detail below, is enabled to analyze consumption of multimedia content provided to client  120  of MCDN  100 . 
     Further depicted in  FIG. 1  is database server  190 , which provides hardware and software resources for data warehousing. Database server  190  may communicate with other elements of the resources of service provider  121 , such as application server  150  or content delivery server  160 , in order to store and provide access to large volumes of data, information, or multimedia content. In some embodiments, database server  190  includes a data warehousing application, accessible via switching network  140 , that can be used to record and access structured data, such as consumption data or patterns generated by analyzing historical logs of multimedia content consumption of clients  120 , as will be discussed in detail below. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , clients  120  are shown in additional detail with respect to access network  130 . Clients  120  may include a network appliances collectively referred to herein as CPE  122 . In the depicted embodiment, CPE  122  includes the following devices: gateway (GW)  123 , multimedia handling device (MHD)  125 , and display device  126 . Any combination of GW  123 , MHD  125 , and display device  126  may be integrated into a single physical device. Thus, for example, CPE  122  might include a single physical device that integrates GW  123 , MHD  125 , and display device  126 . As another example, MHD  125  may be integrated into display device  126 , while GW  123  is housed within a physically separate device. 
     In  FIG. 2 , GW  123  provides connectivity for client  120  to access network  130 . GW  123  provides an interface and conversion function between access network  130  and client-side local area network (LAN)  124 . GW  123  may include elements of a conventional DSL or cable modem. GW  123 , in some embodiments, may further include routing functionality for routing multimedia content, conventional data content, or a combination of both in compliance with IP or another network layer protocol. In some embodiments, LAN  124  may encompass or represent an IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet) LAN, an IEEE 802.11-type (WiFi) LAN, or a combination thereof. GW  123  may still further include WiFi or another type of wireless access point to extend LAN  124  to wireless-capable devices in proximity to GW  123 . GW  123  may also provide a firewall (not depicted) between clients  120  and access network  130 . 
     Clients  120  as depicted in  FIG. 2  further include a display device or, more simply, a display  126 . Display  126  may be implemented as a TV, a liquid crystal display screen, a computer monitor, or the like. Display  126  may comply with a display standard such as NTSC (National Television System Committee), PAL (Phase Alternating Line), or another suitable standard. Display  126  may include one or more integrated or external speakers to play audio content. 
     Clients  120  are further shown with their respective remote control  128 , which is configured to control the operation of MHD  125  by means of a user interface (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) displayed on display  126 . Remote control  128  of client  120  is operable to communicate requests or commands wirelessly to MHD  125  using infrared (IR) or radio frequency (RF) signals. MHDs  125  may also receive requests or commands via buttons (not depicted) located on side panels of MHDs  125 . 
     MHD  125  is enabled and configured to process incoming multimedia signals to produce audio and visual signals suitable for delivery to display  126  and any that may be present speakers (not depicted). Incoming multimedia signals received by MHD  125  may be compressed and/or encrypted, digital or analog, packetized for delivery over packet switched embodiments of access network  130  or modulated for delivery over cable-based access networks. In some embodiments, MHD  125  may be implemented as a stand-alone set top box suitable for use in a co-axial or IP-based MCDN. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a block diagram illustrating selected elements of an embodiment of MHD  125  is presented. In  FIG. 3 , MHD  125  is shown as a functional component of CPE  122  along with GW  123  and display  126 , independent of any physical implementation, as discussed above with respect to  FIG. 2 . In particular, it is noted that CPE  122  may be any combination of GW  123 , MHD  125  and display  126 . 
     In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 , MHD  125  includes processor  301  coupled via shared bus  302  to storage media collectively identified as storage  310 . MHD  125 , as depicted in  FIG. 3 , further includes network adapter  320  that interfaces MHD  125  to LAN  124  and through which MHD  125  receives multimedia content  360 . GW  123  is shown providing a bridge between access network  130  and LAN  124 , and receiving multimedia content  360  from access network  130 . 
     In embodiments suitable for use in IP based content delivery networks, MHD  125 , as depicted in  FIG. 3 , may include transport unit  330  that assembles the payloads from a sequence or set of network packets into a stream of multimedia content. In coaxial based access networks, content may be delivered as a stream that is not packet based and it may not be necessary in these embodiments to include transport unit  330 . In a co-axial implementation, however, clients  120  may require tuning resources (not explicitly depicted in  FIG. 3 ) to “filter” desired content from other content that is delivered over the coaxial medium simultaneously and these tuners may be provided in MHDs  125 . The stream of multimedia content received by transport unit  330  may include audio information and video information and transport unit  330  may parse or segregate the two to generate video stream  332  and audio stream  334  as shown. 
     Video and audio streams  332  and  334 , as output from transport unit  330 , may include audio or video information that is compressed, encrypted, or both. A decoder unit  340  is shown as receiving video and audio streams  332  and  334  and generating native format video and audio streams  342  and  344 . Decoder  340  may employ any of various widely distributed video decoding algorithms including any of the Motion Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) standards, Windows Media Video (WMV) standards including WMV 9, which has been standardized as Video Codec-1 (VC-1) by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. Similarly decoder  340  may employ any of various audio decoding algorithms including Dolby® Digital, Digital Theatre System (DTS) Coherent Acoustics, and Windows Media Audio (WMA). 
     The native format video and audio streams  342  and  344  as shown in  FIG. 3  may be processed by encoders/digital-to-analog converters (encoders/DACs)  350  and  360  respectively to produce analog video and audio signals  352  and  354  in a format compliant with display  126 , which itself may not be a part of MHD  125 . Display  126  may comply with NTSC, PAL or any other suitable television standard. 
     Storage  310  encompasses persistent and volatile media, fixed and removable media, and magnetic and semiconductor media. Storage  310  is operable to store instructions, data, or both. Storage  310  as shown includes sets or sequences of instructions, namely, an operating system  312 , a remote control application program identified as RC module  314 , EPG  316 , and a consumption application  318 . Operating system  312  may be a UNIX or UNIX-like operating system, a Windows® family operating system, or another suitable operating system. In some embodiments, storage  310  is configured to store and execute instructions provided as services to client  120  by application server  150 , as mentioned previously. 
     EPG  316  represents a guide to the multimedia content provided to client  120  via MCDN  100 , and may be shown to the user as an element of the user interface. The user interface may include a plurality of menu items arranged according to one or more menu layouts, which enable a user to operate MHD  125 . The user may operate the user interface, including EPG  316 , using remote control  128  (see  FIG. 2 ) in conjunction with RC module  314 . In some embodiments, consumption analysis application  152 , in conjunction with EPG  316  and consumption application  318 , provides functionality to record content selection events and analyze the events to generate consumption statistics, as well as, enable the user to access the consumption statistics for display, as will now be described in further detail below. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , one embodiment of a method  400  for analyzing the consumption of multimedia content provided by MCDN  100  to clients  120  is depicted. Accordingly, method  400  may be executed in a continuous or intermittent manner across a large number of clients  120 . It is noted that consumption application  318 , alone or in combination with consumption analysis application  152 , may be configured to execute method  400 . It is further noted that the operations depicted in  FIG. 4  may be rearranged, duplicated, or omitted in various embodiments of method  400 . 
     In  FIG. 4 , content selection events indicative of multimedia content consumption by the user may be recorded (operation  402 ). The recording in operation  402  may result from user selection events generated by an EPG, while a user selects content using the EPG. A historical consumption log for the user may be recorded by CPE  122 , in operation  402 . The content selection events may be analyzed to generate consumption statistics for the user (operation  404 ). “Consumption statistics,” also referred to as “content consumption data,” refers to data describing user consumption of multimedia, which may be the result of statistical analysis. In some implementations, the analysis in operation  404  is performed locally by CPE  122 . In other cases, the historical consumption log is sent to a remote server, for example application server  150 , for analysis in operation  404 . The consumption statistics may be stored, either locally by CPE or remotely by a server (operation  406 ). The consumption statistics may reveal user consumption patterns indicative of the content type consumed by the user over time, as will be discussed below. 
     Method  400  may then enable the user to access consumption statistics for display (operation  408 ). An EPG may be used to access and display consumption statistics on CPE in operation  408 . In some embodiments, EPG  316 , provided by CPE  122 , is configured to record user selection events, as in operation  402 , and to display consumption statistics and other related information to the user, as in operation  408 . EPG  316  may display consumption statistics on a specially designed user interface, such as a separate page or screen view, on display  126 . 
     Method  400  may then generate consumption patterns for the user (operation  410 ). The consumption patterns may be generated locally by CPE or by a server in operation  410 , using the consumption statistics previously generated in method  400 . The consumption patterns may describe, either visually or numerically, which content types the user consumes during a given time period. 
     The consumption statistics, or patterns, may then be compared with a subscription for multimedia content held by the user (operation  412 ). The subscription may be for multimedia content provided by MCDN  100 . In operation  412 , a monetary value associated with actual content consumed by the user may be compared with the monetary value of the subscription. A consumption metric may be generated based on the comparison in operation  412 . In some embodiments, the consumption metric may be a numerical value, such as a positive or negative percentage, or an enumerated value from a list, such as “undersubscribed”, “oversubscribed”, or “adequately subscribed”. 
     In an exemplary implementation, undersubscribed, or a negative value, may indicate to the user that a more expansive subscription would better match the viewer&#39;s actual consumption habits, and may provide a net savings based on historical consumption. Similarly, oversubscribed, or a positive value, may indicate that that the user is not making the best use of the current subscription, and that a more restrictive subscription would suffice based on historical consumption. Accordingly, adequately subscribed, or a near zero value, may indicate that the user&#39;s current subscription is well matched to historical consumption. It is noted that the above example may be substituted for other forms of comparison, or may be selectively applied to individual content types and then aggregated, in different embodiments. 
     In method  400 , a decision whether or not the user subscription is adequate may then be made (operation  414 ). In some embodiments, the decision in operation  414  is based on the consumption metric described above. If the result of the decision in operation  414  is YES, then the user&#39;s current subscription may be endorsed (i.e., validated as being in line with the user&#39;s consumption habits) (operation  418 ). If the result of the decision in operation  414  is NO, then the a corresponding change in the user&#39;s subscription may be recommended (operation  416 ). In some embodiments, a monetary value indicating the savings the user may accrue by accepting the recommendation in operation  416  is displayed to the user. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , one embodiment of a method  500  for analyzing the consumption of multimedia content provided by MCDN  100  to clients  120  is depicted. Accordingly, method  500  may be executed in a continuous or intermittent manner across a large number of clients  120 . It is noted that consumption analysis application  152 , alone or in combination with consumption application  318 , may be configured to execute method  500 . It is further noted that the operations depicted in  FIG. 5  may be rearranged, duplicated, or omitted in various embodiments of method  500 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , a historical log of content consumption is received from a client (operation  502 ). The historical log may represent content selection events for the user associated with the client. The historical log may be analyzed to generate consumption data (operation  504 ). A comparison of the consumption data with a user subscription is generated (operation  506 ). In some embodiments, the consumption data is compared with a plurality of available subscriptions and a respective plurality of comparison results may be generated in operation  506 . 
     Next in method  500 , a monetary difference between the actual value of multimedia content consumed by the user and the value of a user subscription is determined (operation  508 ). In one illustrative example, the user may have consumed supplementary PPV programs for a total of $48 in the last month, in addition to paying a base subscription package costing $12 per month. Thus, a total cost of $60 per month as an actual consumption value and $12 a month as the value of the user subscription, yielding a monetary difference of $48, may be determined in operation  508 . In this case, the actual consumption is determined for the user in operation  508 . 
     In a different example, an actual consumption of $60 for the past month may be compared with an extended subscription costing $36 per month, in operation  506 . The extended subscription, however, includes unlimited access to the PPV programs selected by the user in the last month which alone cost $48. In this case, a total cost of $60 per month as an actual consumption value may be compared with the subscription value of $36 per month, yielding a monetary difference of negative $24, or a net savings for the extended subscription, in operation  508 . In this example, the actual consumption is analyzed relative to a different subscription in operation  508 . 
     The consumption data including the monetary difference may then be sent to the client (operation  510 ). As discussed above with respect to operation  416  in  FIG. 4 , a recommendation for a different subscription may be determined in operation  510 . In some embodiments, information, including the comparison and/or monetary difference, is sent to the client in the form of a page in an EPG, such as a hypertext markup language (HTML) document, in operation  510 . 
     Method  500  may then provide consumption data for one or more clients to third parties (operation  512 ). In some cases, third parties may perform data mining on the consumption data for a plurality of clients, in order to perform market analyses, program ratings evaluations, advertising analyses, etc, using the data provided in operation  512 . It is also noted that operation  512  may include monetization of access to consumption data provided to third parties. 
     The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present disclosure is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.