Content consumption monitoring

Abstract

Monitoring consumption of media content on a device may include receiving a media content playback event at a content consumption device, generating a content consumption notification message including subscriber information, content consumption device information, media content playback event identifier, and media content information, and transmitting the generated consumption notification message to a content consumption monitoring system.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for monitoring consumption of media content comprising:
 receiving a media content playback event at a content consumption device;   generating a content consumption notification message including subscriber information, content consumption device information, media content playback event identifier, and media content information; and   transmitting the generated consumption notification message to a content consumption monitoring system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 resetting a monitoring timer after transmitting the generated consumption notification message when the media content playback event indicated playing of the media content;   determining if the monitoring timer has expired prior to receiving a further media content playback event;   generating a further content consumption notification message indicating continued playback of the media content; and   transmitting the further content consumption notification message to the content consumption monitoring system.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 stopping a monitoring timer after transmitting the generated consumption notification message when the media content playback event indicated stopping of playback of the media content.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media content playback event comprises one or more of:
 initiating playback of the media content;   pausing playback of the media content;   stopping playback of the media content; and   occurrence of an error in the playback of the media content.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving the consumption notification message at the content consumption monitoring system; and   writing at the content consumption monitoring system the consumption notification message to a file.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 resetting a monitoring timeout timer at the content consumption monitoring system associated with the content consumption device after receiving the consumption notification message; and   determining a playback error has occurred upon expiry of the monitoring timeout timer.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 storing the file; and   writing subsequently received consumption notification messages to a different file.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 providing an indication of the media content playback event received in the consumption notification message;   updating a lock state associated with the media content based on the indication of the media content playback event; and   sending playback control information to a media content playback component.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the lock state associated with the media content provides an indication of a number of streams of the media content currently associated with a subscriber viewing the media content. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein updating the lock state comprises determining if the subscriber is authorized to view the media content based on the lock state when the content playback event indicates playing the media content. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 determining that the media content playback event is associated with pausing or stopping playback of the media content;   determining a bookmark repository for storing bookmark information based on a subscriber type;   storing bookmark information associated with the media content in the determined bookmark repository.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 determining that the media content playback event is associated with initiating or continuing playback of the media content;   determining a bookmark repository for retrieving bookmark information from based on a subscriber type; and   retrieving bookmark information associated with the media content in the determined bookmark repository.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 retrieving the stored file;   processing the stored file to place media content consumption into a plurality of buckets based on one or more of:
 the access technology used to view the media content; 
 the subscription information; and 
 the media content consumed; and 
   determining a charge based on the media content consumption usage in each of the plurality of buckets.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of buckets include one or more buckets for:
 media content accessed over a cellular network;   media content accessed over a home network; and   media content accessed over an out-of-home network.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each bucket is associated with a weighting for use in determining the charge. 
     
     
         16 . A device for consuming media content comprising:
 a processing unit for executing instructions; and   a memory unit for storing instructions, which when executed by the processing unit configure the system to provide:
 media consumption functionality for playback of media content; and 
 media consumption monitoring functionality for:
 receiving a media content playback event at a content consumption device; 
 generating a content consumption notification message including subscriber information, content consumption device information, media content playback event identifier, and media content information; and 
 transmitting the generated consumption notification message to a content consumption monitoring system. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the media consumption monitoring functionality is further for:
 resetting a monitoring timer after transmitting the generated consumption notification message when the media content playback event indicated playing of the media content;   determining if the monitoring timer has expired prior to receiving a further media content playback event;   generating a further content consumption notification message indicating continued playback of the media content; and   transmitting the further content consumption notification message to the content consumption monitoring system.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the media consumption monitoring functionality is further for:
 stopping a monitoring timer after transmitting the generated consumption notification message when the media content playback event indicated stopping of playback of the media content.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the media content playback event comprises one or more of:
 initiating playback of the media content;   pausing playback of the media content;   stopping playback of the media content; and   occurrence of an error in the playback of the media content.   
     
     
         20 . A device for monitoring media content consumption comprising:
 a processing unit for executing instructions; and   a memory unit for storing instructions, which when executed by the processing unit configure the system to provide:
 notification reception functionality for
 receiving consumption notification messages from a plurality of consumption device, each of the received consumption notification messages including subscriber information, content consumption device information, media content playback event identifier, and media content information; and 
 writing the received consumption notification messages to a file. 
 
   
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the notification reception functionality is further for:
 resetting a monitoring timeout timer associated with a content consumption device after receiving a consumption notification message from the content consumption device; and   determining a playback error has occurred upon expiry of the monitoring timeout timer.   
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the notification reception functionality is further for:
 storing the file; and   writing subsequently received consumption notification messages to a different file.   
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the notification reception functionality is further for:
 providing an indication of the media content playback event received in the consumption notification message;   updating a lock state associated with the media content based on the indication of the media content playback event; and   sending playback control information to a media content playback component.   
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the lock state associated with the media content provides an indication of a number of streams of the media content currently associated with a subscriber viewing the media content. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein updating the lock state comprises determining if the subscriber is authorized to view the media content based on the lock state when the content playback event indicates playing the media content. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the notification reception functionality is further for:
 determining that the media content playback event is associated with pausing or stopping playback of the media content;   determining a bookmark repository for storing bookmark information based on a subscriber type;   storing bookmark information associated with the media content in the determined bookmark repository.   
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the notification reception functionality is further for:
 determining that the media content playback event is associated with initiating or continuing playback of the media content;   determining a bookmark repository for retrieving bookmark information from based on a subscriber type; and   retrieving bookmark information associated with the media content in the determined bookmark repository.   
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the notification reception functionality is further for:
 retrieving the stored file;   processing the stored file to place media content consumption into a plurality of buckets based on one or more of:
 the access technology used to view the media content; 
 the subscription information; and 
 the media content consumed; and 
   determining a charge based on the media content consumption usage in each of the plurality of buckets.   
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of buckets include one or more buckets for:
 media content accessed over a cellular network;   media content accessed over a home network; and   media content accessed over an out-of-home network.   
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein each bucket is associated with a weighting for use in determining the charge.