Addition of supplemental multimedia content and interactive capability at the client

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer programs for delivering supplemental content within streamed media are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request at a client for a media segment, which includes a plurality of video frames. Further, a stream of the media segment to the client from a media server is obtained and supplemental content (SC) is accessed from storage in the client or from an SC server. The access of the SC from the SC server can be performed before receiving the request, or while obtaining the stream, or after the stream has been obtained. Further, the method includes combining the media segment with the SC at the client, which inserts the SC to add or augment video frames from the media segment. The combination is then displayed to the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a client, supplemental content (SC) and scheduling criteria for presentation of the SC at the client for a viewer, the scheduling criteria including a definition of a target viewer for presentation of the SC;   receiving, at the client, a media segment for presentation at the client to the viewer;   determining, at the client, if the viewer matches the target viewer by comparing profile data of the viewer with the definition of the target viewer;   inserting, at the client, the SC in the media segment when the viewer matches the target viewer, the inserting the SC includes adding or augmenting a plurality of video frames of the media segment to define a locally modified media segment that is to be displayed at the client; and   displaying the locally modified media segment at the client.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the SC received is selected based on one or more of user identification, or client device identification, or the media segment. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the scheduling criteria further includes one or more of desired time period for displaying the SC, or a placement of the SC in the media segment being displayed, or a type of SC being displayed, or whether a response is expected from the viewer. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the media segment is selected from a group consisting of internet streamed media, broadcast media, or on-demand media. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein determining if the viewer matches the target viewer further includes:
 downloading profile data of the viewer from a server.   
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the scheduling criteria further includes a trigger for inserting the SC, the trigger being selected from a group consisting of time when the media segment is presented to the viewer, or type of event associated with the media segment, or a title of the media segment. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further including:
 tracking which SCs have been delivered to the viewer; and   avoid sending to the client an SC that has already been presented to the viewer.   
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the definition of the target viewer includes one or more of age of the viewer, or gender of the viewer, or geography associated with the viewer, or purchases of the viewer, or viewing history of the viewer, or preferences of the viewer, or hobbies of the viewer. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the media segment is a unique piece of downloaded media indented to be shown in its entirety to the viewer as a single unit. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a media server operable to transmit a media segment;   a supplemental content server operable to transmit supplemental content (SC) and scheduling criteria for presentation of the SC to a viewer, the scheduling criteria including a definition of a target viewer for presentation of the SC; and   a client device operable to receive the media segment, the SC, and the scheduling criteria for presentation of the media segment and the SC at the client, wherein the client device identifies a user id of a viewer of the client device, wherein the client device determines if the viewer matches the target viewer by comparing profile data of the viewer with the definition of the target viewer, and wherein the client device inserts the SC in the media segment when the viewer matches the target viewer, the inserting the SC includes adding or augmenting a plurality of video frames of the media segment to define a locally modified media segment that is to be displayed at the client, wherein the client device is operable to display the locally modified media segment.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further including:
 a user database with information about users, wherein users in the user database are registered and have a login identifier and a password.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the user database includes information about users including one or more of age, geography, usage history, preferences, hobbies, purchasing history, or SC interaction history. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , further including:
 a partner database for storing information about partners that supply SC, the partner database including partner id and one or more of partner category, revenue sharing arrangements, SC provided, or desired number of impressions for each SC provided by the partner.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , further including:
 a media metadata database for storing metadata about the media available for viewing, the metadata including one or more of sources for media segments, or media format, or length of the media segment, or type of content, or appropriate places for placing SC within the media segment.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the supplemental content server indexes users by a unique identifier associated with the client device. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:
 program instructions for receiving, at a client, supplemental content (SC) and scheduling criteria for presentation of the SC at the client for a viewer, the scheduling criteria including a definition of a target viewer for presentation of the SC;   program instructions for receiving, at the client, a media segment for presentation at the client to the viewer;   program instructions for determining, at the client, if the viewer matches the target viewer by comparing profile data of the viewer with the definition of the target viewer;   program instructions for inserting, at the client, the SC in the media segment when the viewer matches the target viewer, the inserting the SC includes adding or augmenting a plurality of video frames of the media segment to define a locally modified media segment that is to be displayed at the client; and   program instructions for displaying the locally modified media segment at the client.   
     
     
         17 . The storage medium as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the SC received is selected based on one or more of user identification, or client device identification, or the media segment. 
     
     
         18 . The storage medium as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the scheduling criteria further includes one or more of desired time period for displaying the SC, or a placement of the SC in the media segment being displayed, or a type of SC being displayed, or whether a response is expected from the viewer. 
     
     
         19 . The storage medium as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the media segment is selected from a group consisting of internet streamed media, broadcast media, or on-demand media. 
     
     
         20 . The storage medium as recited in  claim 16 , wherein by adding SC at the client at a time that the media segment is viewed, the client is operable to replace stale commercials with new commercials before presenting the media segment.