Method and apparatus for adjusting streaming media content based on context

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, responsive to a viewing request associated with a media content item, for each original content segment of a plurality of content segments of the media content item determining whether content characteristic information associated with the original content segment is compatible with viewing context information associated with the viewing request, and, if not compatible, then replacing the original content segment with an alternative content segment of the plurality of content segments, and streaming the alternative content segment to a user device, and, if compatible, then responsive to determining the content characteristic information is compatible with the viewing context information, streaming the original content segment to the user device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving via a first user device, by a processing system including a processor, a viewing request associated with a media content item;   identifying, by the processing system, content restriction information for a second user device located within a range of the first user device;   responsive to the content restriction information for the second user device, modifying, by the processing system, at least one content segment within the media content item to create a modified content segment; and   streaming, by the processing system, the modified content segment to the first user device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the processing system, that the second user device is within the range of the first user device by determining that the first user device and the second user device share a local area network connection. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the processing system, that the second user device is within the range of the first user device by comparing a first location information associated with the first user device and a second location information associated with the second user device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content restriction information for the second user device is obtained by obtaining, by the processing system, subscription data for a user of the second user device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the processing system, a location of the first user device according to first location information associated with the first user device, wherein the location is not compatible with the content restriction information for the second user device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of content characteristic information associated with the media content item comprise a plurality of content tags. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of content tags indicate a presence of one or more of violent content, profanity, and sexual content in the media content item. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content restriction information for the second user device is based on a user preference associated with the second user device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content restriction information for the second user device is based on an account associated with the second user device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modifying comprises modifying a portion of audio or video associated with the media content item to generate the modified content segment that is compatible with the viewing request. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving from the first user device, by the processing system, content characteristic information associated with the media content item. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising storing, by the processing system, the content characteristic information. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the processing system, content characteristic information associated with the media content item; and   storing, by the processing system, the content characteristic information.   
     
     
         14 . A device, comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving via a first user device a viewing request associated with a media content item, wherein a plurality of content characteristic information is associated with the media content item, and wherein the plurality of content characteristic information indicates categories of content within the media content item; 
 obtaining content restriction information for a second user device that is located within a range of the first user device, the content restriction information indicating which categories of content are permissible to be viewed on the second user device; 
 modifying, responsive to the content restriction information for the second user device, at least one content segment within the media content item to create a modified content segment; and 
 streaming the modified content segment to the first user device. 
   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise determining that the second user device is within the range of the first user device by determining that the first user device and the second user device share a local area network connection. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a location of the first user device according to first location information associated with the first user device, wherein the location is not compatible with the content restriction information for the second user device. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of content characteristic information comprise a plurality of content tags associated with the media content item. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the content restriction information for the second user device is based on an account associated with the second user device. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving via a first user device a viewing request associated with a media content item;   determining that a second user device is within a range of the first user device;   responsive to content restriction information for the second user device that is determined to be within the range of the first user device, modifying at least one content segment within the media content item to create a modified content segment; and   streaming the modified content segment to the first user device.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the content restriction information indicates which categories of content are permissible to be viewed on the second user device.