Rights and capability-inclusive content selection and delivery

Abstract

Intelligent content delivery enables content to be delivered to different devices in formats appropriate for those devices based on the capabilities of those devices. A user might access the same piece of content on two different devices, and can automatically receive a higher quality format on a device capable of playing that higher quality format. The user can purchase rights to content in any format, such that as new formats emerge or the user upgrades to devices with enhanced capabilities, the user can receive the improved formats automatically without having to repurchase the content. Further, the user can pause and resume content between devices even when those devices utilize different formats, and can access content on devices not otherwise associated with the user, receiving content in formats that are appropriate for those unknown devices even if the user has not previously accessed content in those formats.

1 . A computer-implemented method of dynamically determining a format of content to be provided to an electronic device, comprising:
 under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,
 receiving a request for identified content from a user of an electronic device; 
 determining rights that the user has to the identified content; 
 sending a request to the electronic device requesting the capability information for the electronic device; 
 receiving a response from the electronic device including capability information for the electronic device; 
 based at least in part on the capability information for the device and the rights that the user has to the identified content, determining at least one format of at least a portion of the content electronic device appropriate for the electronic device; and 
 enabling the user to access the determined at least one format of at least a portion of the content via the electronic device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the capability information for the electronic device includes at least one of information identifying multiple capabilities of the electronic device or preferred capabilities of the electronic device for the identified content. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the format of the content electronic device appropriate for the electronic device is the highest quality format that is supported by the electronic device. 
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented method of determining a content format, comprising:
 under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,
 receiving a request to access content via an electronic device; 
 determining one or more capabilities of the electronic device; 
 based at least in part upon the one or more capabilities of the electronic device, determining at least one appropriate format of at least a portion of the content to be accessible via the electronic device, at least one portion of the content capable of being accessible in a plurality of different formats each capable of requiring different capabilities; and 
 enabling access of at least a portion of the content in the at least one determined format via the electronic device. 
   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 determining rights of a user of the electronic device with respect to the content, the determining of at least one appropriate format of at least a portion of the content being further based at least in part upon the rights of the user with respect to the content.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the rights of the user with respect to the content include at least one of rights to a single format of the content, multiple formats of at least one portion of the content, or any existing and future format of at least a portion of the content. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein enabling access of the content includes at least one of enabling the content to be played, displayed, rendered, downloaded, streamed, or presented on the electronic device. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of formats include at least one of formats with different resolution, audio quality, display requirements, audio channels, delivery channel, and execution language. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more capabilities of the electronic device include at least one of audio capabilities, video rendering capabilities, display capabilities, rate of power consumption, available battery life, available input mechanisms, available output mechanisms, data connection type, and peripheral information. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 enabling a user to select a different format of at least a portion of the content to be accessible via the electronic device than the determined format.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 storing user override information for the selected different format, the user override information capable of being used for future format determinations for at least one of the user, the content, or the electronic device.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the content is further capable of having multiple versions in one or more formats, and further comprising:
 determining a version of the content to be accessible by the user via the electronic device based at least in part upon rights of the user.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 prompting the user to select a version of the content to be accessible in the determined format on the electronic device.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein determining one or more capabilities of the electronic device includes receiving capability information from the electronic device. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein determining one or more capabilities of the electronic device includes looking up capability information based at least in part upon an identifier for the electronic device. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 enabling a user of the electronic device to specify one or more formats to be accessible or non-accessible for at least a type of content via the electronic device.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 enabling a user of the electronic device to rank one or more formats to be accessible for at least a type of content via the electronic device.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 monitoring device performance with respect to at least a portion of the plurality of formats, the determining of an appropriate format being further based at least in part upon the monitored device performance.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the determining of an appropriate format is further based at least in part upon user behavior information, user history information, and user preference information. 
     
     
         20 . A system for determining a content format to be accessible via an electronic device, comprising
 a processor; and   memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
 receive a request to access content via an electronic device; 
 determine one or more capabilities of the electronic device; 
 based at least in part upon the one or more capabilities of the electronic device, determine at least one appropriate format of at least a portion of the content to be accessible via the electronic device, at least a portion of the content capable of being accessible in a plurality of different formats each capable of requiring different capabilities; and 
 enable access of at least a portion of the content in the determined format via the electronic device. 
   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the system to:
 determine rights of a user of the electronic device with respect to the content, the determining of at least one appropriate format of at least a portion of the content being further based at least in part upon the rights of the user with respect to the content.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the rights of the user with respect to the content include at least one of rights to a single format of the content, multiple formats of at least a portion of the content, or any existing and future format of at least a portion of the content. 
     
     
         23 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive a request to access content via an electronic device;   determine one or more capabilities of the electronic device;   based at least in part upon the one or more capabilities of the electronic device, determine at least one appropriate format of at least a portion of the content to be accessible via the electronic device, at least a portion of the content capable of being accessible in a plurality of different formats each capable of requiring different capabilities; and   enable access of at least a portion of the content in the determined format via the electronic device.   
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the processor to:
 determine rights of a user of the electronic device with respect to the content, the determining of at least one appropriate format of at least a portion of the content being further based at least in part upon the rights of the user with respect to the content.   
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein the rights of the user with respect to the content include at least one of rights to a single format of the content, multiple formats of at least a portion of the content, or any existing and future format of at least a portion of the content.