US-12621509-B2 - Systems, methods, and devices for selecting supplemental content

Abstract

A time associated with last selection of a content item at a user device may be determined. A time associated with a last user interaction with the user device may be determined. During presentation of the content item at the user device, it may be determined that a supplemental content insertion opportunity is available. A request for a supplemental content item may be sent to a server, wherein the request comprises data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device.

Inventors

• Christopher Paul WHITELY
• Zhao Xing
• Landy Eng, JR.

Assignees

• COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240828

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A device comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to: determine a time associated with last selection of a content item at a user device; determine a time associated with a last user interaction with the user device; determine, during presentation of the content item at the user device, that a supplemental content insertion opportunity is available; send, to a server, a request for a supplemental content item, wherein the request comprises data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device.
2. 2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to: receive, in response to the request, at least one supplemental content item, wherein the at least one supplemental content item is selected by the server based at least on the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and the data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device.
3. 3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to determine the time associated with last selection of the content item at a user device comprise instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to: determine a time at which a user tuned to a channel configured to output the content item.
4. 4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to determine the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device comprise instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to at least one of: receive data indicating a button selection from a user; receive data indicating a voice command from the user; receive data indicating a command from an application; or receive data indicating a modification of a television status.
5. 5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to: determine an activity state associated with the user device, wherein the activity state is indicative of whether the user device is active or inactive, and wherein the request further comprises data indicating the activity state.
6. 6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to: determine a recording state associated with output of the content item, wherein the recording state is indicative of whether the output of the content item is a live output or a recording, and wherein the request further comprises data indicating the recording state.
7. 7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the content item comprises at least one of a linear cable television program, a digital streaming video, an on-demand video, or a digitally recorded video.
8. 8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the request further comprises data indicating a time associated with the supplemental content insertion opportunity.
9. 9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental content item comprises an advertisement.
10. 10 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to: insert the at least one supplemental content item into the content item at a time associated with the supplemental content insertion opportunity.
11. 11 . A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause: determining a time associated with last selection of a content item at a user device; determining a time associated with a last user interaction with the user device; determining, during presentation of the content item at the user device, that a supplemental content insertion opportunity is available; sending, to a server, a request for a supplemental content item, wherein the request comprises data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device.
12. 12 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: receiving, in response to the request, at least one supplemental content item, wherein the at least one supplemental content item is selected by the server based at least on the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item at the user device and the data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device.
13. 13 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause determining the time associated with last selection of the content item at a user device comprise instructions that, when executed, cause: determining a time at which a user tuned to a channel configured to output the content item.
14. 14 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause determining the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device comprise instructions that, when executed, cause at least one of: receiving data indicating a button selection from a user; receiving data indicating a voice command from the user; receiving data indicating a command from an application; or receiving data indicating a modification of a television status.
15. 15 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: determining an activity state associated with the user device, wherein the activity state is indicative of whether the user device is active or inactive, and wherein the request further comprises data indicating the activity state.
16. 16 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: determining a recording state associated with output of the content item, wherein the recording state is indicative of whether the output of the content item is a live output or a recording, and wherein the request further comprises data indicating the recording state.
17. 17 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the content item comprises at least one of a linear cable television program, a digital streaming video, an on-demand video, or a digitally recorded video.
18. 18 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the request further comprises data indicating a time associated with the supplemental content insertion opportunity.
19. 19 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the supplemental content item comprises an advertisement.
20. 20 . The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: insert the at least one supplemental content item into the content item at a time associated with the supplemental content insertion opportunity.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/664,271, filed May 20, 2022, now U.S. Pat. No. 12,120,363, issued Oct. 15, 2024, which claims priority to and is a non-provisional of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/202,000, filed May 21, 2021, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND Household addressable media networks, such as cable and satellite television networks, allow network operators to provide specific content to target households. For example, an advertiser may be able to send one version of a supplemental content item (e.g. an advertisement) to a first segment of households and another version of the supplemental content item to a second segment of households. However, sending addressable supplemental content may be more expensive than sending generic, non-addressable supplemental content. An advertiser may not want to send a more expensive addressable supplemental content item to a household if a user is not actually viewing the content. Therefore, improvements in supplemental content selection techniques are needed. SUMMARY Systems, methods, and devices relating to supplemental content selection are described herein. Supplemental content may be selected based on whether a user is viewing the content item in which the supplemental content may be inserted. A request for one or more supplemental content items for insertion into an available supplemental content insertion opportunity in the content item may be generated. The request may include data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item and data indicating a time of last user interaction with the user device. The request may be sent to a server. The request may be received by the server. The information included in the request may be utilized to determine whether a user is viewing the content item. For example, the server may utilize the data indicating the time associated with the last selection of the content item and the data indicating the time associated with the last user interaction with the user device to determine whether a user is viewing the content item. If it is determined that a user is viewing the content item, one or more addressable, targeted supplemental content items may be selected for insertion into an available supplemental content insertion opportunity in the content item. If it is determined that a user is not viewing the content item, one or more non-addressable, non-targeted supplemental content items may be selected for insertion into an available supplemental content insertion opportunity in the content item. The selected item(s) of supplemental content may be sent back to the device that sent the request for insertion into the available supplemental content insertion opportunity in the content item. This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to limitations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the systems, methods, and devices: FIG. 1 shows a system. FIG. 2 shows an example set of requests for supplemental content. FIG. 3 shows an example method. FIG. 4 shows an example method. FIG. 5 shows an example method. FIG. 6 shows an example method. FIG. 7 shows an example computing system. Aspects of the disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout, unless specified otherwise. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Addressable advertising may be a highly effective form of advertising. For example, addressable advertising allows an advertiser to show different supplemental content items (e.g. advertisements) to different households and/or individuals while they are watching the same primary content item, such as a television show. Addressable advertising may be used to target specific individuals and/or specific households. For example, addressable supplemental content may be selected based on a household profile and/or various demographic criteria associated with an individual, such as age, gender, occupation, years of home ownership, household size, income, geographic location, family size, media consumption habits, and combinations thereof. By targeting specific households and/or individuals, an advertiser may increase the likelihood that the end-viewer of the supplemental content item is actually interested in v