Patent Application
20170083939
Supplemental content providers (e.g., sellers of goods and/or services) may desire to provide users with supplemental content that is relevant to the users. For example, a user that is watching a championship sporting event may desire to purchase a jersey of a player, but the supplemental content provider (e.g., a sporting apparel provider) may be unaware that the user is viewing the championship sporting event. Unfortunately, because the supplemental content provider is unaware that the user is viewing the championship sporting event, the supplemental content provider may not provide the user with an offer to purchase the jersey and thus may forfeit a sale of the jersey.
In accordance with the present disclosure, one or more systems and/or methods for supplemental content identification are provided. In an example, service usage of a client device of a user may be identified during a time frame corresponding to an event (e.g., a user may be microblogging about a race car event that the user is currently watching through a streaming application hosted on a videogame console). External data (e.g., a day of the week, a holiday, a weather condition, a location of one or more events relative to a current location of the user, a time frame of one or more events relative to a current time, etc.), location data of the user, and/or demographic data of the user (e.g., gender, age, nationality, geographic residence, occupation, etc.) may be identified. In an example where the location data indicates that the current location of the user is within a threshold distance of the event and the service usage corresponding to the event, the user may be determined to be attending the event. Responsive to the demographic data indicating that the user is within a demographic associated with the event (e.g., a mechanic aged 20-29 may be more likely to view car racing than a woman aged 70-79 years) and the service usage corresponding the event, the user may be determined to be viewing the event.
A micro-event may be identified during the event (e.g., a car crash). An increase in the service usage by users may be determined as corresponding to the micro-event (e.g., an increase in users discussing the car crash through social networks, emails, text messages, microblogs, etc.). A service usage pattern may be determined based upon the service usage (e.g., a timespan of increases and/or decreases in the service usage by users relative to the event). The service usage pattern may comprise the increase in the service usage corresponding to the micro-event, such as where more users are discussing the car crash.
A second service usage of a second client device of a second user may be identified during a second time frame (e.g., the second users may post a photo of the race car event while watching the race car event). Second location data and second demographic data about the second user may be identified. A second service usage pattern may be identified based upon the second service usage. In this way, service usage of a plurality of users, such as event related content shared by users through social networks and other services, may be identified. Responsive to the service usage pattern of the user and the second service usage pattern of the second user comprising a pattern similarity exceeding a pattern threshold, the second user may be identified as viewing the event. The second user may be provided with supplemental content (e.g., an offer for a product associated with the event, an offer for a service associated with the event, information about the event, a user rating of the event, a user comment about the event, a location of interest associated with the event, etc.).
While the techniques presented herein may be embodied in alternative forms, the particular embodiments illustrated in the drawings are only a few examples that are supplemental of the description provided herein. These embodiments are not to be interpreted in a limiting manner, such as limiting the claims appended hereto.
Subject matter will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, specific example embodiments. This description is not intended as an extensive or detailed discussion of known concepts. Details that are known generally to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art may have been omitted, or may be handled in summary fashion.
The following subject matter may be embodied in a variety of different forms, such as methods, devices, components, and/or systems. Accordingly, this subject matter is not intended to be construed as limited to any example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, example embodiments are provided merely to be illustrative. Such embodiments may, for example, take the form of hardware, software, firmware or any combination thereof.
The following provides a discussion of some types of computing scenarios in which the disclosed subject matter may be utilized and/or implemented.
1.1. Networking
The servers 104 of the service 102 may be internally connected via a local area network 106 (LAN), such as a wired network where network adapters on the respective servers 104 are interconnected via cables (e.g., coaxial and/or fiber optic cabling), and may be connected in various topologies (e.g., buses, token rings, meshes, and/or trees). The servers 104 may be interconnected directly, or through one or more other networking devices, such as routers, switches, and/or repeaters. The servers 104 may utilize a variety of physical networking protocols (e.g., Ethernet and/or Fibre Channel) and/or logical networking protocols (e.g., variants of an Internet Protocol (IP), a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and/or a User Datagram Protocol (UDP). The local area network 106 may include, e.g., analog telephone lines, such as a twisted wire pair, a coaxial cable, full or fractional digital lines including T1, T2, T3, or T4 type lines, Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDNs), Digital Subscriber Lines (DSLs), wireless links including satellite links, or other communication links or channels, such as may be known to those skilled in the art. The local area network 106 may be organized according to one or more network architectures, such as server/client, peer-to-peer, and/or mesh architectures, and/or a variety of roles, such as administrative servers, authentication servers, security monitor servers, data stores for objects such as files and databases, business logic servers, time synchronization servers, and/or front-end servers providing a user-facing interface for the service 102.
Likewise, the local area network 106 may comprise one or more sub-networks, such as may employ differing architectures, may be compliant or compatible with differing protocols and/or may interoperate within the local area network 106. Additionally, a variety of local area networks 106 may be interconnected; e.g., a router may provide a link between otherwise separate and independent local area networks 106.
In the scenario 100 of
In the scenario 100 of
1.2. Server Configuration
The server 104 may comprise one or more processors 210 that process instructions. The one or more processors 210 may optionally include a plurality of cores; one or more coprocessors, such as a mathematics coprocessor or an integrated graphical processing unit (GPU); and/or one or more layers of local cache memory. The server 104 may comprise memory 202 storing various forms of applications, such as an operating system 204; one or more server applications 206, such as a hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) server, a file transfer protocol (FTP) server, or a simple mail transport protocol (SMTP) server; and/or various forms of data, such as a database 208 or a file system. The server 104 may comprise a variety of peripheral components, such as a wired and/or wireless network adapter 214 connectible to a local area network and/or wide area network; one or more storage components 216, such as a hard disk drive, a solid-state storage device (SSD), a flash memory device, and/or a magnetic and/or optical disk reader.
The server 104 may comprise a mainboard featuring one or more communication buses 212 that interconnect the processor 210, the memory 202, and various peripherals, using a variety of bus technologies, such as a variant of a serial or parallel AT Attachment (ATA) bus protocol; a Uniform Serial Bus (USB) protocol; and/or Small Computer System Interface (SCI) bus protocol. In a multibus scenario, a communication bus 212 may interconnect the server 104 with at least one other server. Other components that may optionally be included with the server 104 (though not shown in the schematic diagram 200 of
The server 104 may operate in various physical enclosures, such as a desktop or tower, and/or may be integrated with a display as an “all-in-one” device. The server 104 may be mounted horizontally and/or in a cabinet or rack, and/or may simply comprise an interconnected set of components. The server 104 may comprise a dedicated and/or shared power supply 218 that supplies and/or regulates power for the other components. The server 104 may provide power to and/or receive power from another server and/or other devices. The server 104 may comprise a shared and/or dedicated climate control unit 220 that regulates climate properties, such as temperature, humidity, and/or airflow. Many such servers 104 may be configured and/or adapted to utilize at least a portion of the techniques presented herein.
1.3. Client Device Configuration
The client device 110 may comprise one or more processors 310 that process instructions. The one or more processors 310 may optionally include a plurality of cores; one or more coprocessors, such as a mathematics coprocessor or an integrated graphical processing unit (GPU); and/or one or more layers of local cache memory. The client device 110 may comprise memory 301 storing various forms of applications, such as an operating system 303; one or more user applications 302, such as document applications, media applications, file and/or data access applications, communication applications such as web browsers and/or email clients, utilities, and/or games; and/or drivers for various peripherals. The client device 110 may comprise a variety of peripheral components, such as a wired and/or wireless network adapter 306 connectible to a local area network and/or wide area network; one or more output components, such as a display 308 coupled with a display adapter (optionally including a graphical processing unit (GPU)), a sound adapter coupled with a speaker, and/or a printer; input devices for receiving input from the user, such as a keyboard 311, a mouse, a microphone, a camera, and/or a touch-sensitive component of the display 308; and/or environmental sensors, such as a global positioning system (GPS) receiver 319 that detects the location, velocity, and/or acceleration of the client device 110, a compass, accelerometer, and/or gyroscope that detects a physical orientation of the client device 110. Other components that may optionally be included with the client device 110 (though not shown in the schematic diagram 300 of
The client device 110 may comprise a mainboard featuring one or more communication buses 312 that interconnect the processor 310, the memory 301, and various peripherals, using a variety of bus technologies, such as a variant of a serial or parallel AT Attachment (ATA) bus protocol; the Uniform Serial Bus (USB) protocol; and/or the Small Computer System Interface (SCI) bus protocol. The client device 110 may comprise a dedicated and/or shared power supply 318 that supplies and/or regulates power for other components, and/or a battery 304 that stores power for use while the client device 110 is not connected to a power source via the power supply 318. The client device 110 may provide power to and/or receive power from other client devices.
In some scenarios, as a user 112 interacts with a software application on a client device 110 (e.g., an instant messenger and/or electronic mail application), descriptive content in the form of signals or stored physical states within memory (e.g., an email address, instant messenger identifier, phone number, postal address, message content, date, and/or time) may be identified. Descriptive content may be stored, typically along with contextual content. For example, the source of a phone number (e.g., a communication received from another user via an instant messenger application) may be stored as contextual content associated with the phone number. Contextual content, therefore, may identify circumstances surrounding receipt of a phone number (e.g., the date or time that the phone number was received), and may be associated with descriptive content. Contextual content, may, for example, be used to subsequently search for associated descriptive content. For example, a search for phone numbers received from specific individuals, received via an instant messenger application or at a given date or time, may be initiated. The client device 110 may include one or more servers that may locally serve the client device 110 and/or other client devices of the user 112 and/or other individuals. For example, a locally installed webserver may provide web content in response to locally submitted web requests. Many such client devices 110 may be configured and/or adapted to utilize at least a portion of the techniques presented herein.
One or more systems and/or techniques for supplemental content identification are provided. Users may view an event (e.g., a Cult Television Show) while utilizing services on a client device (e.g., posting to social media, sending an email, sending a text, etc.). Service usage of the users may be indicative of a service usage pattern that is distinct for users viewing the Cult Television Show (e.g., the service usage pattern would be different for users viewing Talk Television Show, or Sporting Event). For example, the Cult Television Show may have a slow beginning during which a number of users on social media websites may increase. If the Cult Television Show has a death of a fan favorite character, then social media activity of the users may be low prior to the death, and may spike following the death. Increases and decreases in service usage based upon what is occurring in the Cult Television Show may be used to identify the service usage pattern. A second user may be utilizing services on a second client device. A second service usage pattern may be determined based upon second service usage of the second user. In an example, the second service usage pattern may comprise a pattern similar to the service usage pattern (e.g., a lull in service usage followed by a spike in service usage corresponding to the death in the Cult Television Show). Based upon the second service usage pattern, it may be determined that the second user is viewing the Cult Television Show. Thus, the second user may be provided with supplemental content (e.g., a website where users are discussing the Cult Television Show, an offer to buy Cult Television Show memorabilia, etc.) associated with the Cult Television Show from a supplemental content provider.
Thus, the supplemental content provider may determine in near-real time what the second user is viewing, and may provide the second user with the supplemental content that is relevant to the user. The ability to provide supplemental content (e.g., such as supplemental content that is new to the second user) based upon the second service usage pattern, may increase the second user's engagement and interaction with the supplemental content provider, as compared to a supplemental content provider that lacks an ability to provide supplemental content based on the second service usage pattern. Additionally, identifying the supplemental content based upon the event that the second user is viewing may result in providing users with relevant supplemental content that may reduce power consumption and bandwidth otherwise wasted by users attempting to find such supplemental content.
The supplemental content identification component 410 may utilize the external data 409, the demographic data 406, the location data 408, and/or the service usage 404 to identify 412 an event that the user is viewing. In an example, the user may comprise a 25 year-old-male from First City. The external data 409 may indicate that the there is a Sports Championship being currently played and that one of the teams in the Sports Championship is from First City. The service usage 404 of the user may be compared to service usage of one or more other users (e.g., users who are likely viewing the Sports Championship) who have similar characteristics (e.g., young men from First City) to determine (e.g., a likelihood) that the user is viewing the Sports Championship. In an example, if the user's service usage 404 is different than a majority of users that are likely viewing the Sports Championship, then the supplemental content identification component 410 may determine that the user is not viewing the event. However, if the user's service usage 404 is similar to the majority of users that are likely viewing the event, the supplemental content identification component 410 may determine that the user is viewing the event.
The supplemental content identification component 410 may determine 414 a service usage pattern 416 from the service usage 404 and/or service usage of other users (e.g., by identifying times relative to the Sports Championship that users increase or decrease service usage). In an example, the service usage pattern 416 may be determined based upon a service usage threshold number of users generating similar service usage patterns. In another example, a micro-event (e.g., a goal being scored) may trigger a sharp increase in service usage 404 (e.g., social media posts about the goal, text message about the goal, etc.) directly after the goal, and a second micro-event (e.g., a “bad” call by an official) five minutes later may trigger another sharp increase in service usage 404.
The supplemental content identification component 410 may identify a category of the event (e.g., a sports category, a live event category, an audiovisual category, etc). For example, responsive to the external data 409 indicating that the current date comprises a holiday where fireworks are often set off, the event may be identified 412 as a fireworks display (e.g., in the live event category). The service usage pattern may be utilized for firework displays generally (e.g., for both a fireworks display in First City and a fireworks display in Second City), because the service usage pattern 416 for the fireworks display may be constant for one or more different fireworks displays in one or more locations.
The supplemental content identification component 410 may utilize the second external data 429, the second demographic data 425, the second location data 428, and/or the second service usage 424 to determine 430 a second service usage pattern of the second user. The second service usage pattern may be compared to the service usage pattern 416 of the user to determine whether the service usage pattern 416 and the second service usage pattern comprise a pattern similarity exceeding a pattern threshold 432 (e.g., similar increases or decreases in social network activity). Responsive to the service usage pattern 416 of the user and the second service usage pattern of the second user comprising the pattern similarity exceeding the pattern threshold 432, the second user may be identified 433 as viewing the event (e.g., Sports Championship).
In an example, the current location of the second user (e.g., the second user may be located in the First City) may be utilized to increase the pattern similarity between the service usage pattern 416 and the second service usage pattern. For example, if the second user is currently in the First City (e.g., where the Sports Championship is being held), then the pattern similarity may be increased.
In an example, the second demographic data 425 may be utilized to increase/decrease the pattern similarity between the service usage pattern 416 and the second service usage pattern. For example, if the second user is a 78 year-old-woman (e.g., where elderly women are unlikely to watch the Sports Championship), then the pattern similarity may be decreased. In another example, if the second user has a nationality that does not traditionally enjoy the sport played in the Sports Championship, then the pattern similarity may be decreased.
In an example, second external data 429 may be utilized to increase/decrease the pattern similarity between the service usage pattern 416 and the second service usage pattern. For example, if the Sports Championship is weather sensitive (e.g., rain may delay or cancel the game) and the second external data 429 indicates it is raining at the championship location (e.g., where the Sports Championship is being played), then the pattern similarity may be decreased. In another example, if the second external data 429 and/or the and the second demographic data 425 indicates that the user purchased a vacation for this week, then the pattern similarity may be decreased because the second user is unlikely to view the Sports Championship while on vacation.
In another example, the second user may view the event live or at a later time (e.g., such as where the event was recorded). Thus, the second service usage pattern may indicate that the second user is viewing the event, regardless of whether the second user is watching the event live or is watching a recording of the event.
The supplemental content 426 associated with the event may be identified 434. Responsive to identifying the second user as viewing the event, the second user may be provided with the supplemental content 426. The supplemental content 426 may be associated with the event where the supplemental content 426 is specific to the event. For example, the supplemental content 426 may comprise a website where users are discussing the Sports Championship, a text message offer to subscribe to text message score updates for the Sports Championship, an offer to sell a jersey associated with the Sports Championship, directions to a location of interest associated with a team in the Sports Championship, etc.
In an example, the second peak 506 may coincide with a first commercial break (e.g., the users may view a social media newsfeed rather than the event during the first commercial break). In an example, a lull 516 in the service usage may coincide with an epic battle in the Cult Television Show, and thus the lull 516 may be a result of the epic battle drawing the user's attention to the Cult Television Show and away from the social media newsfeed. The peaks 504-514 and lull 516 may be used to identify the service usage pattern that corresponds to the event.
The supplemental content identification component 610 may determine 614 the service usage pattern 616 from the service usage 604 and/or service usage of other users (e.g., by identifying times relative to the Hockey game that users increase or decrease service usage). Service usage (e.g., service usage 604), comprising a percentage of users utilizing services on the client devices, is depicted on a y-axis. Time (e.g., 0 minutes to 100 minutes), relative to the Hockey game, is depicted on an x-axis. A line 620 may depict the percentage of users utilizing services over a time frame of the Hockey game (e.g., where the Hockey game has a first period followed by a first break, a second period followed by a second break, and a third period followed by an end of the Hockey game, where each period and break has a time frame of 20 minutes). The service usage pattern 616 may comprise a percentage of users viewing the Hockey game utilizing services on client devices during the first period (e.g., 0 minutes-20 minutes). The service usage pattern 616 may comprise an increase in users utilizing services on client devices during the first break, as illustrated by service usage spikes 622 from 20 minutes-40 minutes, and the second break, as illustrated by service usage spikes 628 from 60 minutes-80 minutes. In an example, a micro-event, such as a goal being scored during the second period (e.g., 40 minutes-60 minutes) may trigger a spike 624 in service usage directly after the goal, and a second micro-event (e.g., a fight between Hockey team (A) and Hockey team (B)) during the second period may trigger a second spike 626 in service usage). The service usage pattern 616 may comprise a decrease in the percentage of users utilizing services on the client devices 602 during the third period (e.g., 80 minutes-100 minutes), with an increase in the percentage of users utilizing services at the end of the Hockey game, illustrated by a third spike 630. The third spike 630 may be indicative of users communicating (e.g., via social network post, text, email, etc.) about an outcome of the Hockey game (e.g., Hockey team (A) won). The service usage pattern 616 determined 614 for the users viewing the Hockey game may be indicative of users watching Hockey games in general (e.g., with increases in service usage during the first break, the second break, and the third spike at the end of the game).
In an example, the supplemental content identification component 610 may identify a second service usage pattern, of a second user of a second client device, as being indicative of the second user having a relatively high likelihood of watching a Hockey game. The supplemental content identification component 610 may utilize one or more spikes in service usage (e.g., corresponding to one or more micro-events specific to a particular Hockey game) to determine which Hockey game (e.g., between Hockey team (D) and Hockey team (F), between Hockey team (H) and Hockey team (N), etc.) the second user is viewing. Other events may have a similar service usage pattern. For example, a sitcom may tend to have commercial breaks at regular intervals (e.g., where spikes in service usage may be correlated to the commercial breaks), while certain sports may have regulated time periods, and thus an increase in service usage during timed breaks may be indicative of which sport (e.g., basketball, football, soccer, etc.) or sitcom the user is viewing. Service usage patterns may be utilized to identify categories of events (e.g., a sports category, a live event category, an audiovisual category, etc.) and/or sub-categories (e.g., a hockey event category, a fireworks display category, a sitcom category, etc.) of events.
An embodiment of content selection is illustrated by an example method 700 of
As used in this application, “component,” “module,” “system”, “interface”, and/or the like are generally intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a controller and the controller can be a component. One or more components may reside within a process and/or thread of execution and a component may be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers.
Unless specified otherwise, “first,” “second,” and/or the like are not intended to imply a temporal aspect, a spatial aspect, an ordering, etc. Rather, such terms are merely used as identifiers, names, etc. for features, elements, items, etc. For example, a first object and a second object generally correspond to object A and object B or two different or two identical objects or the same object.
Moreover, “example” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, illustration, etc., and not necessarily as advantageous. As used herein, “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or”. In addition, “a” and “an” as used in this application are generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form. Also, at least one of A and B and/or the like generally means A or B or both A and B. Furthermore, to the extent that “includes”, “having”, “has”, “with”, and/or variants thereof are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising”.
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing at least some of the claims.
Furthermore, the claimed subject matter may be implemented as a method, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard programming and/or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof to control a computer to implement the disclosed subject matter. The term “article of manufacture” as used herein is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device, carrier, or media. Of course, many modifications may be made to this configuration without departing from the scope or spirit of the claimed subject matter.
Various operations of embodiments are provided herein. In an embodiment, one or more of the operations described may constitute computer readable instructions stored on one or more computer readable media, which if executed by a computing device, will cause the computing device to perform the operations described. The order in which some or all of the operations are described should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. Alternative ordering will be appreciated by one skilled in the art having the benefit of this description. Further, it will be understood that not all operations are necessarily present in each embodiment provided herein. Also, it will be understood that not all operations are necessary in some embodiments.
Also, although the disclosure has been shown and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art based upon a reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. The disclosure includes all such modifications and alterations and is limited only by the scope of the following claims. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (e.g., elements, resources, etc.), the terms used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (e.g., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure. In addition, while a particular feature of the disclosure may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.
