Content distribution system for generating content streams to suit different users and facilitating e-commerce transactions using broadcast content metadata

Abstract

A content distribution system is provided to facilitate e-commerce transactions for products and services associated with distributed content. A content stream comprising content blocks, reference content blocks and floating reference content blocks uses metadata to identify products and services associated with content blocks. The metadata and floating reference content blocks are used to substitute dynamically selected content for content blocks based on one or more of profiles of user(s), the broadcast station, the advertisement spot defined in the stream, content available for substitution, among other criteria. A market server can determine optimal matches to support content substitution, and perform brokerage and bidding functions among suppliers of products or services associated with content selected by users.

1 . A method of generating data streams with dynamically selected content for users comprises:
 generating a first content stream packetized into logical content blocks of different types comprising content blocks, reference content blocks and floating reference content blocks, said content blocks comprising at least one of metadata and content, said reference content blocks comprising a reference to another content block, and said floating reference content block being initially empty and later resolved to a content block or reference content block;   transmitting said first content stream and metadata, said metadata describing the content and how the content can be used, said metadata being transmitted via at least one of in-band transmission by embedding in said first content stream and out-of-band transmission;   using said metadata to select content for transmission to at least one user; and   dynamically replacing at least one floating reference content block in said first content stream with at least one of the selected content and a reference to content blocks that correspond to the selected content.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of performing Internet Protocol packetization of said first content stream for transport via the Internet. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first content stream is used to generate different content streams having different content selected for different users using said metadata and specified via reference content blocks resolved from said floating reference content blocks in said first content stream, said users having user devices that are operable to switch between respective said different content streams using the resolved reference content blocks. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the user has a user device, and further comprising:
 receiving said first content stream via the user device;   receiving a reference content block in said first content stream, said reference content block comprising a reference to at least one of a plurality of content blocks;   requesting a content block associated with said reference;   receiving a second stream address corresponding to said requested content block; and   opening a second content stream using said second stream address.   
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising the step of;
 receiving a floating reference content block having no content in said first content stream;   resolving said floating reference content block into at least one of a selected content block and a reference content block that refers to a selected content block; and   substituting at least one of said selected content block and said reference content block that refers to said selected content block for said floating reference content block in said first content stream.   
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said selected content block is selected using said metadata and based on said user. 
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said content blocks are selected from the group consisting of text, graphics, and multimedia information. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said metadata comprises data specifying at least one of duration of a content block, number of bytes in a content block, title of content, type of block, security options, security options relating to at least one of encryption, decryption and integrity of the content, a description of the content, format of the at least one of content in a content block selected from the group consisting of audio, video, text, graphics, and data, a description of associated products, a description of the content owner, a description of user rights, and unique block identifiers. 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first content stream is unicast. 
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first content stream is broadcast. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a content provider dynamically replaces said floating reference content block in the different content streams with references to the content selected for the different users based on user characteristics. 
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each of the different users can open multiple streams based on the resolved reference content blocks.