MUIAAAAAUS 20130051772A1
`
`as) United States
`a2) Patent Application Publication co) Pub. No.: US 2013/0051772 Al
`Ramaswamyetal.
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Feb.28, 2013
`
`(54) METHODS AND APPARATUS TO ACCESS
`MEDIA
`
`(62)
`
`UWISLCE ssccosnsene 386/291; 709/203; 705/14.45;
`705/14.72; 705/14.66; 386/E05.003
`
`(76)
`
`(21)
`(22)
`
`(51)
`
`Inventors: Arun Ramaswamy, Tampa, FL (US);
`Alan Nguyen Bosworth, Odessa, FL
`(US)
`Appl. No.: 13/222,909
`Paar
`:
`Filed:
`Aug. 31,2011
`
`Publication Classification
`
`Int. Cl.
`HOAN 5/76
`G060 30/00
`GO6F15/16
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to share
`media are disclosed. An example method involves receiving
`from a mobile device a representation of media content
`detected at the mobile device. The example method also
`involves receiving from the mobile device a first user identi-
`fier of a first user of the mobile device and a second user
`identifier of a second user different from the first user. In
`
`addition, the media content is identified based on the repre-
`sentation of the media content. The seconduseris selectively
`provided with access to the media content based on the sec-
`ond useridentifier.
`
`
`122 MEDIA ACCESS SERVICE ENTITY
`
`
`
`MEDIA CONTENT
`
`126
`PROVIDER
`MEDIA ACCESS
`
`
`
`BROADCAST MEDIA
`
`RECORDER
`RECORDED
`MEDIA AND
`LICENSE
`DATA STORE
`
`
`MEASUREMENT
`
`AUDIENCE
`
`
`
`
`MEDIA
`PRESENTATION
`Ee
`
`DATA STORE
`:
`
`
`
`
`MEDIA
`CONTENT
`
`DEMOGRAPHICS
`
`
`
`ADVERTISEMENT
`NETWORK
`
`136
`
`104
`
`
`
`CLOUD-BASED
`DIGITAL VIDEO
`RECORDER (DVR)
`114
`
`100
`
`EX1038
`Roku V. Media Chain
`U.S. Patent No. 10,489,560
`
`EX1038
`Roku V. Media Chain
`U.S. Patent No. 10,489,560
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`MEDIA ACCESS SERVICE ENTITY
`
`122
`
`BROADCAST MEDIA
`RECORDER
`
`MEDIA ACCESS
`
`MEDIA AND
`LICENSE
`DATA STORE
`
`AUDIENCE RECORDED
`
`MEDIA CONTENT
`PROVIDER
`
`MEDIA
`
`PRESENTATION
`108
`
`104 100
`
`
`
`
`aecie
`CONTENT
`
`106
`
`FIG. 1
`
`.
`
`°
`
`MEASUREMENT
`DATA STORE
`
`© nEMOGRAPHICS
`134
`
`ADVERTISEMENT
`NETWORK
`
`[kb7
`
`[—t)—}.,)
`
`CLOUD-BASED
`DIGITAL VIDEO
`RECORDER(DVR)
`114
`
`uoHedygnguoneoayddyjusaeg
`
`
`
`
`$JOTIVIYSEL07‘87“G2A
`IV7ZL1$00/t107SN
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
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`Feb. 28, 2013 Sheet 2 of 8
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`US 2013/0051772 Al
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`
`
`
`
`
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`jSONAIGNYJYOLSVLVGOSLW/a1avo|yOLO3130
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Feb. 28,2013 Sheet 3 of 8
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`US 2013/0051772 Al
`
`300
`
`USER
`INTERFACE
`
`PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`SENSOR
`INTERFACE
`
`INFERENTIATOR
`
`302
`
`ous
`
`306
`
`a
`
`314
`
`316
`
`6
`
`MEDIA
`
`
`
`SEGMENT
`RECORDER
`
`308
`
`SIGNATURE
`GENERATOR
`
`EXTRACTOR
`
`INFORMATION
`
`MEMORY
`
`COMMUNICATION
`
`INTERFACE
`
`FIG..3
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
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`Feb. 28,2013 Sheet 4 of 8
`
`US 2013/0051772 Al
`
`START
`
`RECEIVE AND INSTALL MEDIA ACCESS
`APPLICATION PROGRAM
`
`RUN MEDIA SHARE APPLICATION
`PROGRAM
`
`COLLECT MEDIA-REPRESENTATIVE
`INFORMATION?
`E"
`CAPTURE MEDIA SEGMENT
`
`Y
`
`40
`
`2
`
`40
`
`4
`
`406
`
`408
`
`410
`
`NO
`
`EMBEDDED INFORMATION
`?
`PRESENT
`
`Y
`
`ES
`
`EXTRACT EMBEDDED INFORMATION
`
`414
`
`416
`
`
`
`
`
`MEDIA-REPRESENTATIVE INFORMATION
`
`
`GENERATE SIGNATURE?
`
`
` GENERATE SIGNATURE
`
`STORE CAPTURED MEDIA SEGMENT AS
`
`FIG. 4A
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
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`Feb. 28,2013 Sheet 5 of 8
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`US 2013/0051772 Al
`
`420
`
`NO
`
`RECEIVED REQUEST TO DIGITALLY
`RECORD MEDIA CONTENT?
`422
`To.
`SET DIGITAL RECORD REQUEST IN MEDIA
`ACCESS QUERY
`
`
`
`424
`
`NO
`
`RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE SECOND
`USER IDENTIFIER?
`
`YES
`
`426
`
`LOCATE MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE
`INFORMATION, FIRST USER IDENTIFIER,
`AND SECOND USER IDENTIFIER(S) IN
`MEDIA ACCESS QUERY
`
`IDENTIFIER IN MEDIA ACCESS QUERY
`
`LOCATE MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE
`INFORMATION AND FIRST USER
`
`SEND MEDIA ACCESS QUERY TO MEDIA
`SHARE SERVICE ENTITY
`
`430
`
`FIG. 4B
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
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`Feb. 28,2013 Sheet 6 of 8
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`US 2013/0051772 Al
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`SEND MEDIA ACCESS APPLICATION
`PROGRAM TO USER DEVICE
`
`502
`
`NO 504
`
`RECEIVED MEDIA ACCESS QUERY?
`
`YES
`
`OBTAIN MEDIA-REPRESENTATIVE
`INFORMATION
`
`
`
`COMPARE MEDIA-REPRESENTATIVE
`INFORMATION WITH MEDIA-
`REPRESENTATIVE REFERENCES
`
`506
`
`508
`
`510
`
`RECOGNIZE MEDIA CONTENT
`
`SEARCH FOR RELATED MEDIA
`CONTENT?
`
`YES
`
`FIRST USER DEMOGRAPHIC
`
`INFORMATION AVAILABLE?
`
`YES
`
`512
`
`NO
`
`514
`
`516
`
`ey
`
`RETRIEVE FIRST USER DEMOGRAPHIC
`INFORMATION
`
`518
`
`NO
`
`
`
`
`
`IS MEDIA CONTENT TO BE SHARED
`NO
`
`
`WITH AT LEAST ONE SECOND
`
`PERSON?
`
`
`YES
`
`520
`
`RETRIEVE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
`FOR SECOND PERSON(S)
`
`:
`
`FIG. 5A
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
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`Feb. 28,2013 Sheet 7 of 8
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`US 2013/0051772 Al
`
`522
`
`OBTAIN AT LEAST ONE CHARACTERISTIC
`OF MEDIA CONTENT
`
`524
`
`OBTAIN RELATED MEDIA CONTENT
`526
`
`COMPILE MEDIA CONTENT
`
`528
`
`NO
`
`
`
`DIGITALLY RECORD MEDIA
`CONTENT IN CLOUD-BASED
`DIGITAL MEDIA RECORDER?
`
`YES
`
`530
`
`
`
`
`
`INITIATE DIGITAL RECORDING OF MEDIA
`CONTENT
`
`
`
`532
`
`534
`
`NO
`
`CREATE HYPERLINK TO MEDIA
`CONTENT?
`
`YES
`
`
`
`
`
`
`GENERATE HYPERLINK IN MEDIA ACCESS
`MESSAGE(S)
`
`GENERATE COPY OF MEDIA CONTENT
`
`ATTACH COPY OF MEDIA CONTENT TO
`MEDIA ACCESS MESSAGE(S)
`
`
`
`SEND MEDIA ACCESS MESSAGE(S)
`
`AWARD RECEPTIVITY CREDIT TO MEDIA
`CONTENT
`
`540
`
`542
`
`END
`
`FIG. 5B
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
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`Feb. 28,2013 Sheet 8 of 8
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`US 2013/0051772 Al
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`PROCESSOR
`
`f°"
`
`614
`
`612
`
`626
`
`622
`
`618
`
`V0
`DEVICE
`
`632 MEMORY
`
`VO
`CONTROLLER
`
`CONTROLLER
`
`620
`
`630
`
`0
`DEVICE
`
`NETWORK
`INTERFACE
`
`628
`
`SYSTEM
`MEMORY
`
`
`
`MASS STORAGE
`MEMORY
`
`624
`
`625
`
`(0) OPTICAL MEDIA
`
`627
`
`FIG. 6
`
`

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`US 2013/0051772 Al
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`Feb. 28, 2013
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`METHODS AND APPARATUS TO ACCESS
`MEDIA
`
`FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
`
`[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to monitor-
`ing media and, moreparticularly, to methods and apparatus to
`access media.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`People are often exposed to media content presented
`[0002]
`by media presentation devices such as televisions, radios,
`computers, media reproduction devices (e.g., digital versatile
`disk players, compact disk players, tape players, personal
`video recorder, a digital video recorder, etc.), etc. Such media
`exposure may occur withinprivate places such as households
`and/or work environments and/or may occur within public
`places such as restaurants, retail establishments,malls, stores,
`entertainment venues, etc. When a person is interested in
`obtaining and/or sharing media content to whichthe personis
`exposed, the person must often spend significant time and
`resources to identify the media content, determine where to
`obtain copies of the media content, and identify the most
`suitable manner of sharing the media content with others.
`Such exhaustion of time and resources often discourages
`people fromseeking to obtain and/or share the media content.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 illustrates an example internetwork system
`[0003]
`that maybe used to share and/or record media content.
`[0004]
`FIG. 2 illustrates an example implementationofthe
`media access service entity of FIG. 1 to facilitate sharing
`and/or recording media content.
`[0005]
`FIG. 3 illustrates an example apparatus that may be
`used to initiate sharing and/or recording of media content
`from a user device of FIGS.
`1 and 2 in accordance with
`example methods disclosed herein.
`[0006]
`FIGS. 44 and 4B are a flow diagram representative
`of example machine readable instructions that may be
`executed at the user device of FIGS. 1 and 2 to initiate sharing
`and/or recording of media content.
`[0007]
`FIGS. 5A and 5B are a flowdiagram representative
`of example machine readable instructions that may be
`executed at the example media access service entity of FIGS.
`1 and 2 to share and/or record media content.
`
`FIG. 6 is an example processor system that may be
`[0008]
`used to execute the exampleinstructions of FIGS. 4.4 and 4B
`to implement the example apparatus of FIG. 3 and/or to
`execute the example instructions of FIGS. 5A and 5B to
`implement systems and/or apparatus of the example media
`access service entity of FIGS. 1 and/or 2.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`[0009] Example methods, apparatus, systems, and articles
`of manufacture disclosed herein may be used to share media.
`Some examples disclosed herein may be used to equip user
`devices such as personal computers, portable devices, mobile
`phones, Internet appliances, and/or any other user device to
`monitor media presentations occurring external to the user
`devices and enable usersto share and/or record media content
`
`detected in the monitored media presentations.
`[0010] Disclosed example methods to share and/or record
`media involve receiving from a mobile device media-repre-
`sentative information(e.g., a representation(e.g., a signature,
`
`acode, a recorded segment, metadata, etc.) of media content)
`detected by the mobile device via a sensor (e.g., a micro-
`phone, a camera or imaging sensor, etc.). The media content
`(e.g., a television program, a movie, a newscast, radio con-
`tent, a song, an image, an advertisement, etc.) is presented by
`a media presentation device (e.g., a television, a radio, a
`computer, an audio/video advertisement device, etc.) sepa-
`rate from the mobile device. Such example methods also
`involve receiving from the mobile devicea first user identifier
`(e.g., an email address, a username,etc.) of a first user of the
`mobile device and a second user identifier (e.g., an email
`address, a username, etc.) of a second user. Such example
`methods also involve identifying the media content based on
`the representation of the media content.
`In some such
`examples, the first user identifier is used to send thefirst user
`a hyperlink corresponding to an Internet location (e.g., a
`media database proprietor server) that provides access to the
`media content.
`
`Some example methodsselectively providethe sec-
`[0011]
`ond user with access to the media content based on the second
`user identifier. For example, a media database proprietor
`server may send a copy of the media content to an email
`address or a web pageof the seconduser based onthe second
`useridentifier. Additionally or alternatively, a hyperlink to the
`media content stored at a media database may be sent to the
`email address or posted to the web page of the second user
`based on the second user identifier.
`
`In some examples, an audience-interest credit or
`[0012]
`receptivity credit is awarded to at least one ofa television
`programepisode, a movie, or a song advertised in the media
`content based on receiving the representation of the media
`content from the mobile device. As used herein, audience-
`interest or receptivity indicates audience interest in media
`content or media content categories. The audience-interest or
`receptivity metric quantifies receptivity and may be measured
`by detecting when an audience memberelects to share media
`content to which the audience member was exposed. Such
`audience-interest or receptivity metric may indicate that the
`audience member found the media content relevant to her/
`him and/or that the audience member would like to see other
`similar or related media content(e.g., in the same category/
`genre, by the same media network, by the same production
`company/record label, by the sameartist, with the same actor
`(s), about the same product, etc.),
`[0013]
`In some examples, additional content relevanttoat
`least one ofthefirst user or the second user is identified based
`on at least one of a characteristic of the media content or
`demographic information of the first user and/or the second
`user. For example, such additional content may be one or
`more advertisements selected as relevantto at least one ofthe
`first user or the second user based on their demographic
`information orselected as relevant to the nature of the media
`content based on the characteristic of the media content.
`
`Additionally or alternatively, such additional content may be
`one or more of television program episode(s)or clip(s), song
`(s) or song clip(s), movie(s) or movie clip(s), newscast(s) or
`newscast clip(s), advertisement(s) and/or any other feature
`presentation(s) or feature presentationclip(s) selectedas rel-
`evantto at least oneof the first user or the second user based
`on their demographic informationor selected as relevant to
`the nature ofthe media content based onthe characteristic of
`the media content.
`
`In some examples, a request may be received from
`[0014]
`the mobile deviceto initiate storing ofat least one of a copy of
`
`

`

`US 2013/0051772 Al
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`Feb. 28, 2013
`
`the media content, a copy ofa television program episode
`advertised in the media content, a copy of a movie advertised
`in the media content, or a copy of a song advertised in the
`media content. In such examples, the storing may occur at a
`cloud-based digital video recorder location accessible by the
`first user.
`
`[0015] Example systems and apparatus to share media are
`alsodisclosed. A disclosed example system includesanappli-
`cation program distributioninterface to provide access to an
`application program for downloading to a user device. In
`some examples, the application programreceives user input
`froma first user to cause theuser deviceto initiate a sampling
`of ambient sound detectable by the user device, collect rep-
`resentative information(e.g., a signature, a code, a recorded
`segment, metadata, etc.) corresponding to media content con-
`tributing to the ambient sound, and receive an indication ofa
`second user to receive access to the media content. In some
`
`examples, the media content is presented by a media presen-
`tation device (e.g., a television, a radio, a computer, an audio/
`video advertisement device, etc.) that is separate from the
`user device. Some such example systemsalso include a query
`interface to receive the representative information from the
`user device via internetwork communications and a media
`
`content recognizer to identify the media content based on the
`representative information. In addition, some such example
`system includes a media access provider to send to the first
`user a hyperlink to access the media contentand to selectively
`provide the second user with access to the media content.
`[0016]
`Somedisclosed example systems include an adver-
`tisementinterfaceto indicate a first advertisement to combine
`with a presentation of the media content when the media
`content is accessed via the hyperlink by the first user and to
`indicate a second advertisement to combine with a presenta-
`tion of the media content when the media contentis accessed
`by the seconduser. In some examples, thefirst advertisement
`is selected based onat least one of a first demographic char-
`acteristic of the first user or a characteristic of the media
`content, and the second advertisementis selected based on at
`
`least one of a second demographic characteristic of the sec-
`ond useror the characteristic of the media content.
`
`Some disclosed example systems include an adver-
`[0017]
`tiser interface to submit at least one of the first demographic
`characteristic, the second demographic characteristic, or the
`characteristic of the media content to an advertisement net-
`work proprietor.
`In response, the advertisement interface
`receives from the advertisement network proprietor a first
`advertisementidentifier of the first advertisement and a sec-
`ond advertisementidentifier of the second advertisement. In
`some examples, the advertisementinterface indicatesthefirst
`advertisement based on the first advertisement
`identifier
`received by the advertiser interface and indicates the second
`advertisement based on the second advertisement identifier
`
`received by the advertiser interface.
`[0018]
`Some disclosed example systems include a cloud-
`based digital video recorder (DVR) interface toinitiate stor-
`ing of at least one of a copy of the media content, a copy ofa
`television program episode advertised in the media content, a
`copy ofa movie advertised in the media content, or a copy of
`a song advertised in the media content.
`In such some
`examples, the storing occurs at a cloud-based digital video
`recorder location accessible by the first user.
`[0019]
`Some disclosed example systems include an audi-
`ence-interest interface to award an audience-interestcredit or
`
`receptivity credit to at least one of the media content, a tele-
`
`vision program episode advertised in the media content, a
`movie advertised in the media content, or a song advertised in
`the media content based on the query interface receiving the
`representative information fromthe user device.
`[0020]
`FIG. 1 illustrates an example internetwork system
`100 that may be used to share and/or record media content
`(e.g., television program episodes, movies, songs, radio con-
`tent, newscasts, images, advertisements, etc.). In the illus-
`trated example, a user device 102 operable by a person or user
`104 is configured to detect and capture ambient audio and/or
`video from media content 106 presented by a media presen-
`tation device 108. The media presentation device 108 may be
`separate and external fromthe user device 102 and/or may be
`integrated in the user device 102. In this manner, whenthe
`user 104 finds aninterest in, or an affinity to,media content to
`which the user 104 is exposed by the media presentation
`device 108, the user 104 may operate the user device 102 to
`initiate sharing of the detected media content with one or
`moreothers and/orto initiate recording ofthe detected media
`content. In illustrated examples disclosed herein, the sharing
`and/or recording of media content involves sending or pro-
`viding accessto a copy ofthe media contentofinterest (e.g..
`in its entirety). That is, at the request ofthe user 104, the user
`device 102 ofthe illustrated example collects representative
`information (e.g., a signature, a code, metadata, a recorded
`audio and/or video sample segment, an image,etc.) from the
`detected media content 106 that is presented by the media
`presentation device 108, Based onthe collected representa-
`tive information, the media content 106 can be recognized as
`discussed in detail below and a copy of the media content 106
`in its entirety (e.g., an entire television program episode, an
`entire movie, an entire song, an entire advertisement, an
`entire radio program, an entire newscast, etc.) or a clip or
`portion thereof can be shared with others and/or recorded (or
`stored) for later playback by the user 104, In some examples,
`the media content 106 is presented by the media presentation
`device 108 as part of an advertisementfor the media content
`106. For example, the media content 106 may be a television
`program episode advertised in an advertisement, a movie
`advertised in an advertisement, and/ora song advertised in an
`advertisement.
`
`Inthe illustrated example, sharing of the media con-
`[0021]
`tent 106 may be performed by sending one or more hyperlinks
`for Internet-accessible location(s) storing copy(ies) of the
`media content 106 and/or by sending copy(ies) ofthe media
`content 106 to user(s) or person(s) via user email account(s)
`110¢ and 1106 and/or via posting(s) on personal web page(s)
`112a and 1124 (e.g., registered user pages of social network
`services such as Facebook). Also in the illustrated example,
`recording of the detected media content 106 is performed at a
`remote network-accessible location such as a cloud-based
`digital video recorder (DVR) 114 for later playback.
`[0022]
`In the illustrated example, the user device 102 is
`shown as a mobile communication device capable of wireless
`communications(e.g., cellular communications, Wi-Fi com-
`munications, etc.). However,
`in other examples, techniques
`disclosed herein may be implemented in connection with
`other types of user devices suchas personal computers, com-
`puting tablets (e.g., an IPAD®tablet), personaldigital assis-
`tants (PDA's), portable media players, electronic watches,
`wearable electronic accessories, etc. The media presentation
`device 108 ofthe illustrated example may be any type of
`device capable of presenting audio, video, images, etc. per-
`ceivable to users (e.g., the user 104) and detectable by user
`
`

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`license data store 128 alsostores licensing informationforthe
`stored media. The license information defines any rights of
`the media access service entity 122 to reproduce, distribute,
`and/or provide access to the stored media content (e.g., a
`stored copy of the media content 106) in the recorded media
`and license data store 128.
`
`the broadcast media recorder
`In some examples,
`[0026]
`includes or is connected to multiple tuners (e.g., television
`tuners and/or radio tuners) so that it can receive multiple
`broadcast channels simultaneously and record multiple
`media content being transmitted simultaneously. In this man-
`ner, the recorded media and license data store 128 can store
`numerous media content to which the user 104 and/or other
`users may be exposed via different media presentation
`devices such as the media presentation device 108. Storing
`such a vast quantity of media content enables the media
`access service entity 122 to provide access to a wide range
`(e.g., virtually any) media content to which the user 104 (or
`anyother user) may be exposed. For example, if the broadcast
`transmission station 116 broadcasts a particular television
`programepisode, the media presentation device 108 and the
`broadcast media recorder 126 will receive it simultaneously.
`While the media presentation device 108 will reproduce and
`present the television program episode, the broadcast media
`recorder 126 will record and/or store a recorded copy of the
`television program episodein the recorded media and license
`data store 128. Ifthe user 104 requests to share and/or record
`the television program episode based onhis/her exposuretoit
`via the media presentation device 108, the media access share
`entity 122 can provide such access and/or recording based on
`its copy ofthe television program episode stored in the
`recorded media and license data store 128.
`
`devices (e.g., the user device 102) whenin the vicinity of the
`media presentation device 108. For example, the media pre-
`sentation device 108 may be a radio, audio speakers, a tele-
`vision, a computer, an advertisementdisplay, etc.
`[0023]
`In the illustrated example, the media presentation
`device 108 is shown as receiving over-the-air (OTA) media
`content broadcast by a broadcast transmission station 116. In
`the illustrated example, the broadcast transmission station
`116 is operated by a local broadcast media network that
`receives content from a media content provider 118. The
`media content provider 118 of the illustrated example may be
`the local broadcast media network or may be a parent media
`network or a third-party provider of media content. In the
`illustrated example, the media content provider 118 includes
`a media data store 120 that stores media content(e.g., televi-
`sion programs, movies, songs, radio content, images, etc.) to
`be broadcast by the broadcast transmission station 116 and
`received and reproduced by the media presentation device
`108. Although the illustrated example of FIG. 1 shows the
`media presentation device 108 as receiving OTA media con-
`tent broadcast transmissions fromthe broadcast transmission
`station 116, in other examples, the media presentation device
`108 may additionally or alternatively receive and reproduce
`media content from cable television/radio transmission sys-
`tems, satellite transmission systems, Internet-based transmis-
`sion systems (e.g., satellite radio and/or television, internet
`protocol television (IPTV), internet radio, streaming audio/
`video,etc.), and/or storage media (e.g., compact disks (CDs),
`digital versatile disks (DVDs), hard drives, solid-state
`memory devices, tapes, network-accessible storage devices,
`etc.).
`In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, an example
`[0024]
`media access service entity 122 facilitates the sharing and/or
`recording of the media content 106 detected by the user
`device 102. The media access service entity 122 and the user
`device 102 exchange communications via an internetwork
`suchas the Internet 124 as shownintheillustrated example of
`FIG. 1. To initiate sharing and/or recording of the media
`content 106, the user 104 interacts with the user device 102 to
`submit a request. In response, the user device 102 sends the
`request to the media access service entity 122 in the form of
`a query along with media-representative information col-
`lected by the user device 102 fromthe detected media content
`106 presented by the media presentation device 108. In this
`manner, the media access service entity 122 may perform a
`media recognition process on the media-representative infor-
`mation to recognize the media content 106 presented by the
`media presentation device 108 and for whichthe user 104 has
`expressed aninterest in sharing with one or more other per-
`sons and/oran interest in recording or storing for later play-
`back. The media-representative information may be any one
`or more media representations, such as signatures, codes,
`metadata, captured media segment samples, audio samples,
`video samples, etc., that are generated, extracted, and/or col-
`lected by the user device 102.
`[0025]
`In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the media
`access to such media content 106 must be provided by a
`access service entity 122 includes a broadcast media recorder
`126, a recorded media and license data store 128, a media
`third-party (e.g.,
`the media content provider 118). For
`access server 130, and an audience measurement data store
`example,
`if the media access service entity 122 has not
`
`132. The broadcast media recorder 126 ofthe illustrated securedalicense to record and/ordistribute the media content
`
`Inthe illustrated examples, the media access service
`[0027]
`entity 122 provides the user 104, and/or any other person(s)
`indicated by the user 104, access to one or more copies of
`media content 106 in the form ofa hyperlink or a copy of the
`media content 106. In the illustrated example ofFIG. 1, the
`media access service entity 122 provides such access by
`sending a hyperlink or a copy of the media content 106 to the
`email account 110¢ ofthe user 104 and/or posting a hyperlink
`oracopy of the media content 106 to the web page 112a ofthe
`user 104. In addition, the media access service entity 122
`sends the hyperlink or copy of the media content 106 to the
`email account 1106 ofat least a second person indicated by
`the user 104 and/or posts the hyperlink or copy ofthe media
`content 106 to the web page 1124 of atleast the second person
`indicated by the user 104.
`[0028] To initiate sharing and/or recording of the media
`content 106, the media access server 130 of the illustrated
`example receives a query fromthe user device 102 requesting
`to share and/or record the media content 1.06,In the illustrated
`example, the media access server 130 recognizes the media
`content 106 based on media-representative information
`received in the query from the user device 102 and determines
`whether a copy ofthe media content 106 is stored in the
`recorded media and license data store 128 and/or whether
`
`transmissions
`example receives media content broadcast
`from the broadcast transmissionstation 116 and records and/
`or stores the received media content in the recorded media
`
`and license data store 128. The example recorded media
`
`106, the media access service entity 122 defers to the owner
`and/orlicensee(s) of the media content 106 to provide access
`to such media content 106. In the illustrated example, the
`media content provider 118 may be an owner and/or distri-
`
`

`

`US 2013/0051772 Al
`
`Feb. 28, 2013
`
`bution licensee of some media content and/or may have an
`agreement with the media access service entity 122 to allow
`the media access service entity 122 to send hyperlinksto users
`(e.g., the user 104 and/or a numberof second users specified
`by the user 104) that enable accessing requested media con-
`tent from the media data store 120 and/or another Internet-
`accessible storage location controlled by the media content
`provider 118.
`[0029]
`Intheillustrated example, the media access server
`130 also awards audience-interest or receptivity credits to
`media content in which the user 104 (and/or other users) has
`expressed an interest by requesting to share and/or record the
`media content. The media access server 130 of the illustrated
`examplestores such audience-interestor receptivity credits in
`the audience measurementdata store 132 in association with
`identifiers of corresponding media content. Such audience-
`interest or receptivity credits can subsequently be used to
`generate and/or supplement mediaratingsfor different media
`content.
`
`In some examples, the media access service entity
`[0030]
`122 identifies additional or auxiliary media content that may
`be ofinterest to the user 104 or one or more second user(s)
`specified by the user 104 to receive a copy ofthe indicated
`media content 106. Such auxiliary media content may be
`other media programming(e.g., clips of or full-length televi-
`sion programepisodes, movies, songs, newscasts,etc.) and/or
`advertisements. Selection ofthe auxiliary media content may
`be performed by the media access server 130 or a third-party
`systemor entity that is separate from the media access service
`entity 122. The auxiliary media content may be selected
`based onat least one of a first demographic characteristic(s)
`ofthe user 104, a second demographic characteristic(s) ofat
`least a second person specified by the user 104, and/or a
`characteristic(s) of the media content 106 that the user 104
`requested to share and/or record. In some examples, different
`auxiliary media content may be selected forthe user 104 and
`for the one or more second users. For example,first auxiliary
`media content for the user 104 may be selected based on at
`least one of a first demographic characteristic(s) of the user
`104 and/or a characteristic of the media content 106, and
`second auxiliary media contentdifferent fromthefirst auxil-
`iary media content may be selected for a second person based
`onat least one of a second demographic characteristic(s) of
`the second personand/or the characteristic of the media con-
`tent 106. Further, when demographic information for the user
`104 and/or the second specified person(s) is not available to
`the media access service entity 122 or a third-party entity that
`selects auxiliary media content, auxiliary media content can
`be selected based on one or more characteristics of the media
`content 106 and/or anyothercriteria (e.g., a contractual com-
`mitment). If the user 104 and/or the second specified person
`(s) are interested in the subject or contents of the media
`content 106, there is a high likelihoodthat the user 104 and/or
`the second specified person(s) will be interested in auxiliary
`media content having similarities to one or more characteris-
`tics of the media content 106.
`
`To provide the auxiliary media content to the user
`[0031]
`104 and/or one or more specified second person(s), the media
`access server 130 of FIG. 1 generates a media content com-
`pilation including a copy of the media content 106 and one or
`more auxiliary media content and provides the copy of the
`media content compilation or a hyperlink to access the copy
`of the media content compilation to the user 104 and/or the
`one or more specified person(s). As discussed above, auxil-
`
`iary media contentselected for the user 104 may be different
`from auxiliary media content selected for the one or more
`specified second person(s). As such, a media content compi-
`lation prepared for the user 104 may havedifferent auxiliary
`media content than a media content compilation prepared for
`the one or more specified second person(s), When the user
`104 selects to record or store a copy of the media content 106
`in the cloud-based DVR 114, a corresponding media content
`compilation including the auxiliary media contentis stored in
`the cloud-based DVR 114 forlater playback by the user 104.
`[0032] To store demographic information ofthe user 104
`and other persons, a demographicsdata store 134 is operated
`and maintained by the media access service entity 122 or a
`third-party database proprietor. In some examples, the media
`access service entity 122 maintains a demographics database
`and a third-party database proprietor maintains another
`demographics database. In this manner, when the media
`access service entity 122 does not have demographic infor-
`mation for a particular user, the media access service entity
`122 may request such demographic information from the
`third-party database proprietor. In some examples, demo-
`graphic information may be maintained based onspecific
`persons and/or based on geographic areas ofdifferent demo-
`graphic markets. For demographic information stored for
`s