US 20160373827A1 (19) United States (2) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2016/0373827 A1 Patterson et al. (43) Pub. Date: Dec. 22, 2016 (54) SELF-SERVICE CHANNEL MARKETPLACE H04N 21/.472 (2006.01) H04N 21/26.68 (2006.01) (71) Applicant: Google Inc., Mountain View, CA (US) H04N 21/.458 (2006.01) (52) U.S. CI. (72) Inventors: James Patterson, San Francisco, CA CPC ...... H04N 21/.4828 (2013.01); H04N 21/2668 (US); Hunter Everett Walk, San (2013.01); H04N 21/.458 (2013.01); H04N Francisco, CA (US); Kuan Loong 21/47202 (2013.01); H04N 21/812 (2013.01); Yong, San Francisco, CA (US) H04L 65/4084 (2013.01) (21) Appl. No.: 15/256,100 (57) ABSTRACT A content hosting system allows content providers to create (22) Filed: Sep. 2, 2016 channels of video content and make them available to users in a marketplace. Users can search or browse for channels of Related U.S. Application Data interest, and selectively subscribe to channels. Users can (63) Continuation of application No. 14/969,793, filed on also pay for the right to view premium videos in each Dec. 15, 2015, now Pat. No. 9,467,724, which is a channel. The system ranks channels according to the value continuation of application No. 14/145,812, filed on provided. Generally, users will seek out and subscribe to the Dec. 31, 2013, now Pat. No. 9,247,278, which is a highest ranked channels that provide the greatest value. The continuation of application No. 12/826,530, filed on ranking function allows different providers to compete for Jun. 29, 2010, now Pat. No. 8,713,592. the subscriptions of users. Providers can observe their chan nel’s reception in the market by analyzing rankings and Publication Classification usage statistics to adjust channels to maximize channel performance. The system operator can also create bundled (51) Int. Cl. channels containing videos from multiple providers, and the H04N 21/.482 (2006.01) resulting subscription revenue can be distributed to the H04N 2A/81 (2006.01) various providers of the videos in the channel. Content Hosting System $ 10 Channel Market System Modifié Þatabase 420 430 User front end Content Provider Sër Vé" frotti end server 440 $50 Network interface # 60 Content Pºovideº ?sef Computer £omputer $80A 1808 3rowser Browser 190A 490B Patent Application Publication Dec. 22, 2016 Sheet 1 of 10 US 2016/0373827 A1 Content Hosting System $ 10 Channel Market System Modifie Database User front end Content Provider Sèrººf froni end server 440 $50 Network interface $60 Content Provider Üser Computer 'Computer $80A 1803 Browser *ºs Browser 190A Network 470 f{}{}B FiG. 1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 22, 2016 Sheet 2 of 10 US 2016/0373827 A1 Channel Market \{Oddle ºf 20 Channel Sèatch Channel modification rhodisie module 220 250 Subscription pmodification Content Provider evašuation nºGöttie rºodifie 240 230 Video player Channel ranking - module rhodule 260 210 FiG. 2 Patent Application Publication Dec. 22, 2016 Sheet 3 of 10 US 2016/0373827 A1 System Database $30 User Profile pata 340 Subscriber ACCOünt Viewing Data ?ata Channe; Systemwide ?ata i?sage Data FIG. 3 Patent Application Publication Dec. 22, 2016 Sheet 4 of 10 US 2016/0373827 A1 Videos i Favorites Friends | Subscribers | Fred Figglehorn i 5. YouTube. Subscriptions ; Usigg his mom's : §. fied tarts Jpgrade to a premium subscription now to unlock access to #..... : Cháñrºl. • Exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and out-takes #" .* ? *.. : 3Wailable,Go to a Hot AšD Topic 50 8 New exclusive videos added every week Check them out Upgrade for just $1.99/month §ºt ºw. i i Ali characters are Lucas Cruikshank i : Lucas Links-- : Personalhttp:#youtube.cº.ucas YouTube Channel. : Myspace: : http://myspace.com/Lucas'Cru... : w i : Facebook. - : ; Fred Sees a Therapist ;: hºwlacebookcombag.: Wittºr: : :i from:- Fred | *** * - - - M - - - -- - M - - From 8: Fred Views; 4,133,431 Corºnents: 22,391 i Exclusive, Premium Content §e part of my inne? circle and upgrade to a premium subscription to get access to exclusive, i neverseen before behind-the-scenes footage and out-takes will be adding approximately 1 premium vöeo each week. Don'tforgetoieave a commenton my videos to let me know what you'd like io see next. Sign up for just $4.99/month | About orgmálm riptions i Videos (43) Subscribe to fred's videos i Videos i \lost Viewed Most Qiscussed All Free Videos | Premium Videos | i Fred Sees a Fred Taiks Abºut i |t—— mºm. FiG, 4 Patent Application Publication Dec. 22, 2016 Sheet 5 of 10 US 2016/0373827 A1 GEOESTsoussenow'?saeZTETT Patent Application Publication Dec. 22, 2016 Sheet 6 of 10 US 2016/0373827 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 22, 2016 Sheet 7 of 10 US 2016/0373827 A1 {}{}A. Patent Application Publication Dec. 22, 2016 Sheet 8 of 10 US 2016/0373827 A1 Receive is: of videos of channels 810 Obtain individua: Video of channel prices 820 Obtain system-wide usage data 830 Calculate bºndle discount price based on usage data and prices 840 Add new revenue-shared channel to list of avašable cha?nels 850 FIG. 8 Patent Application Publication Dec. 22, 2016 Sheet 9 of 10 US 2016/0373827 A1 YOU Tu be Châânel Crèation Provider Name | Signout "IMMIEE?ºf "Y". Screencap of TIMMBEY Nº. Currently Elected Video 940 Price [T] § Tags [ ] Description *E.”Graphic Additional ?ayout Options º 360 fºromotions Advertisements FIG. 9 Patent Application Publication Dec. 22, 2016 Sheet 10 of 10 US 2016/0373827 A1 YouTube NEC S㺠Browse upload usemametz-Isonout "NBC" results i.1% of about 95,200 Related searches: community abc riba on abe nba on nbc thergé segunda pele Chafºne Restäts for NBC *rºmoted Channels 3. SEC Network 1030 Chabrie: 3 & Charine flavor text description Video Charine; flavortex; description, w £hass. Preview Šample by Provider i : Y Videos _|_bynbc.; Y Video8; KSubscribe's X $ü?SCriters - 2, CBS Netwºrk--- £hahrºº Wider) ?harºe flavortex; description 1030 £hatre flavor text description. by Provider 2 Y Videºs X * by CBS IN Videos x.Siscibers ŠiššCrišts - 3. Cºid stºrman Channe: 3 Wided Channel flavor text description. Ch?hrie favortext description. Sarpie by C83 ||Y Videºs; K Šubscribers by provider 33 Y Videos X Subscribers *- 4.chargelflavor Chaîné & exidescription * by CBS IX videosix subscribers - š. Aš? Šlëtwork video Channel flavor text description. 1000 * by ABC ?ywideosix subscribes º 8, TNT Netwºrk Video ?harºe flavor text description * by TNT ºxvideos x subscribers 102.0 *. 7. The CW § Video Charºe flavor text description. *P* by cºw. Yvideos |x subscribes - 8. SpikeTV Wided Çhafººd flavor text description ; 0.50 * by Spikely videos |x subscribes §. i?? ??twork Channel flavor text description. - {{}, {} ºrigi 5 Video Çhaß flavortex; descriptiº, * } by Providersly Videos |x subscribes if - …~ 1040 Video Channel flavor text description. Saxºpie by Prºvide? 3 Y Videos X Subscribers Fig. 40 US 2016/0373827 A1 Dec. 22, 2016 SELF-SERVICE CHANNEL MARKETPLACE [0009] The marketplace makes available hundreds, even thousands or tens of thousands of channels from any number CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED of content providers. To encourage users to explore the APPLICATIONS channel offerings of the content providers and to assist them [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent in finding content of interest in given the vast size of the application Ser. No. 14/969,793 filed on Dec. 15, 2015 marketplace, the content hosting system provides a value which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. ranking function that ranks the channels that are available to 14/145,812, filed on Dec. 31, 2013 which is a continuation users in the marketplace based on the value of the channels of U.S. Pat. No. 8,713,592 issued on Apr. 29, 2014, each of as indicated by the behavior of the subscriber community. which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. The system ranks channels based on a number of criteria, including content, price, user churn, video churn, user BACKGROUND ratings, and usage information, and similar factors indicative of subscriber interest and usage of the channels. Users [0002] 1. Field of Art browsing or searching for channels to subscribe to can select [0003] The invention generally relates to the field of to view available channels in the order of their value online video delivery and, more particularly, relates to ranking, and as corresponding to any search terms they bundling and ranking of online videos. enter. Generally, users will seek out and subscribe to the [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art highest ranked channels that provide the greatest value at the [0005] Online content hosting services such as YouTube, lowest cost. The value ranking function also gives providers Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu provide online video viewing a mechanism to identify, evaluate, and create better per experiences. Some of these services provide unlimited free viewing of both user generated content and premium content forming channels, and therefore generate more subscriptions provided by traditional content providers such as movie for their own channels. In essence, the channel value ranking studios and broadcast networks. Some of these services function allows different content providers to compete with enable users to pay for premium content at a fixed price that each other for the subscriptions of the users. allows for unlimited consumption of all available premium [0010] In other aspects, the content hosting system pro content on a monthly basis, for example satellite and cable vides content providers and users with tools by which they television packages. Others provide pricing for a la carte can create channels. In one embodiment, the content hosting purchase of individual content items, for example video on system can dynamically create a bundled channel to contain demand.