Interactive Media System and Method for Dimensioning Interaction Servers in an Interactive Media System

Abstract

Interaction servers for an interactive television system may be dimensioned dynamically depending on the predicted likelihood of user interactions. In one exemplary embodiment, a dimensioning system ( 60 ) assesses event likelihoods based on a number of requests for interactive media programs and categories for the interactive media programs, and dimensions one or more interaction servers ( 26 ) based on the predicted event likelihoods.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for a dynamic allocation of resources for interactive media programs including one or more user interactive events, said method comprising a dimensioning server performing the steps of:
 determining a number of download requests associated with each of said interactive media programs;   determining media categories, by assigning a media program to a category, for each of said interactive media programs;   determining event likelihoods based at least in part on the media category and on the number of download requests for said interactive media programs, said event likelihoods indicating likelihoods of user interactive events; and   allocating one or more resources, based on said determined event likelihoods, to handle said user interactive events.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein determining the number of requests associated with said interactive media programs comprises determining the number of requests for interaction documents associated with said interactive media programs. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein determining event likelihoods comprises determining said event likelihoods based on a history of usage in respective media categories. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein determining event likelihoods comprises adjusting event likelihoods based on one or more external events. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said external events comprise scheduled events and wherein adjusting event likelihoods comprises adjusting event likelihoods based on a pre-existing event schedule. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein adjusting event likelihoods comprises determining event likelihoods based on comparisons between said media categories for said user interactive media programs and corresponding event categories for said external events. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein determining event likelihoods comprises determining event likelihoods for selected events in individual media programs. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein determining event likelihoods comprises determining aggregate event likelihoods for individual media programs. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein determining event likelihoods comprises determining aggregate event likelihoods for media categories. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein dimensioning one or more interaction resources based on said event likelihoods comprises determining weights for said event likelihoods and allocating resources based on said event likelihoods and said weights. 
     
     
         33 . A system for a dynamic allocation of resources for user interactive media programs including one or more user interactive events, said system comprising a dimensioning server including a processor configured to:
 determine a number of download requests associated with each of said user interactive media programs;   determine media categories, by assigning a media program to a category, for each of said user interactive media programs;   determine event likelihoods based at least in part on the media categories and on the number of download requests for said user interactive media programs, said event likelihoods indicating likelihoods of user interactive events; and   allocate one or more resources, based on said determined event likelihoods, to handle said user interactive events.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein said processor is configured to determine the number of requests associated with said user interactive media programs by determining the number of requests for interaction documents associated with said user interactive media programs. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein said processor is configured to determine event likelihoods by determining said event likelihoods based on a history of usage in respective media categories. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein said processor is configured to determine event likelihoods by adjusting event likelihoods based on one or more external events. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein said external events comprise scheduled events and wherein said processor is configured to adjust event likelihoods by adjusting event likelihoods based on a pre-existing event schedule. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein said processor is configured to adjust event likelihoods by determining event likelihoods based on comparisons between said media categories for said user interactive media programs and corresponding event categories for said external events. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein said processor is configured to determine event likelihoods for selected events in individual media programs. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein said processor is configured to determine event likelihoods for individual media programs. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein said processor is configured to determine aggregate event likelihoods for media categories. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein said processor is configured to allocate one or more interaction resources by determining weights for said event likelihoods and allocating resources based on said event likelihoods and said weights. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising an event database for storing information about external events that may impact the likelihood of interaction events and for providing event information to said dimensioning server to use in computing said event likelihoods. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising a categorization server for assigning a media program to a category, and providing information to said dimensioning server about the categories of the media programs to use in computing said event likelihoods.