Control-based Content Pricing

Abstract

In an implementation of control-based content pricing, a content server distributes media content to a client device in response to a request from the client device to receive the media content. A valuation application allocates a cost to the client device when the media content is distributed to the client device. The content server receives a view control input from the client device that indicates how the media content is to be rendered and the valuation application adjusts the cost according to the view control input and how the media content is to be rendered.

1 . A control-based content pricing system, comprising:
 a content server configured to:
 distribute a media content to a client device in response to a request from the client device to receive the media content; 
 distribute an advertisement with the media content; and 
 receive a view control input from the client device after the media content has been distributed to the client device, the view control input indicating how the media content is to be rendered, wherein the view control input comprises a navigation control selected from a plurality of navigation controls; 
   an advertisement log located on the content server and configured to track how the advertisement is rendered for viewing by the client device based on the view control input received; and   a valuation application located on the content server and configured to:
 allocate a cost to the client device for the media content that is distributed; and 
 adjust the cost allocated for the media content according to the view control input and how the media content was rendered on the client device, wherein at least one navigation control of the plurality of navigation controls has an associated cost adjustment. 
   
     
     
         2 . A control-based content pricing system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the advertisement is prepended to the media content before the media content and the advertisement are distributed to the client device. 
     
     
         3 . A control-based content pricing system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the advertisement log is further configured to track how the advertisement is rendered for viewing by the client device according to a base time-line that is based on rendering both the media content and the advertisement. 
     
     
         4 . A control-based content pricing system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the valuation application is further configured to adjust the cost based on how the advertisement is rendered for viewing based on the view control input received. 
     
     
         5 . A control-based content pricing system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the valuation application is further configured to adjust the cost based on how the advertisement is rendered for viewing according to a base time-line that includes a media content duration and an advertisement duration. 
     
     
         6 . A method comprising:
 receiving from a client device, a request to access media content;   allocating a cost to the client device to receive the media content;   transmitting the media content to the client device;   receiving from the client device, an indication of a user-selected view control input on the client device during rendering of the media content, the user-selected view control input being one of a plurality of available view control inputs;   determining a cost adjustment associated with the user-selected view control input, wherein a at least one view control input of the plurality of available view control inputs has an associated cost adjustment; and   adjusting the cost allocated to the client device to receive the media content according to the cost adjustment associated with the user-selected view control input.   
     
     
         7 . A method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the user-selected view control input includes a command to end viewing of the media content before an endpoint of the media content has been rendered for viewing; and   adjusting the cost allocated to the client device to receive the media content includes decreasing the cost allocated.   
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the user-selected view control input includes a command to replay a portion of the media content; and   adjusting the cost allocated to the client device to receive the media content includes increasing the cost allocated.   
     
     
         9 . A method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the user-selected view control input includes a request to render an advertisement for viewing; and   adjusting the cost allocated to the client device to receive the media content includes decreasing the cost allocated.   
     
     
         10 . A method as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising transmitting an advertisement to the client device with the media content. 
     
     
         11 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining how the advertisement is rendered for viewing on the client device;   increasing the cost allocated to the client device to receive the media content based on a determination that the advertisement is rendered at a faster than normal playback speed.   
     
     
         12 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 increasing the cost allocated to the client device to receive the media content based on a determination that the advertisement is not rendered for viewing on the client device.   
     
     
         13 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining how the advertisement is rendered for viewing on the client device;   decreasing the cost allocated to the client device to receive the media content based on a determination that the advertisement is rendered at a normal playback speed.   
     
     
         14 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving from the client device, an indication of a user-selected view control input on the client device during rendering of the advertisement;   determining a cost adjustment associated with the user-selected view control input on the client device during rendering of the advertisement; and   adjusting the cost allocated to the client device to receive the media content according to the cost adjustment associated with the user-selected view control input on the client device during rendering of the advertisement.   
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining a viewing duration during which at least a portion of the advertisement and the media content are rendered for viewing on the client device;   comparing the viewing duration to a base time-line that includes a duration of the media content and a duration of the advertisement; and   adjusting the cost allocated to the client device to receive the media content based on the comparison.   
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 a client device requesting media content from a content server;   receiving the media content on the client device from the content server;   while rendering the media content for viewing on the client device, receiving on the client device a user-selected view control input selected from a plurality of view control inputs wherein:
 the user-selected view control input indicates how the media content is to be rendered; and 
 at least one view control input of the plurality of view control inputs has an associated cost adjustment; 
   communicating an indication of the user-selected view control input from the client device to the content server to provide a basis to adjust a cost allocated to the client device for receiving the media content, the basis for adjusting the allocated cost being based on a cost adjustment associated with the user-selected view control input.   
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising receiving an advertisement with the media content from the content server. 
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein:
 the user-selected view control input includes a command to render the advertisement for viewing; and   communicating an indication of the user-selected view control input from the client device to the content server provides a basis to decrease the cost allocated to the client device for receiving the media content.   
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein:
 the user-selected view control input includes a command to render the advertisement for viewing at a faster than normal playback speed; and   communicating an indication of the user-selected view control input from the client device to the content server provides a basis to increase the cost allocated to the client device for receiving the media content.   
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the basis for adjusting the allocated cost is further based on a comparison between a viewing duration during which at least a portion of the advertisement and the media content are rendered for viewing on the client device and a base time-line that includes a duration of the media content and a duration of the advertisement.