Systems and methods for processing overlapping content

1 . A method comprising:

accessing a first usage pattern for a first instance of a content item associated with a first usage event and a second usage pattern for a second instance of the content item associated with a second usage event, wherein:

at least a portion of the first instance of the content item is the same as at least a portion of the second instance of the content item, and

each of the first and second usage patterns includes metadata reflecting media content operations of portions of the first instance of the content item and the second instance of the content item, respectively;

comparing the first usage pattern for the portion of the first instance of the content item that is the same as the at least the portion of the second instance of the content item with the second usage pattern for the portion of the second instance of the content item;

determining, based at least in part on the comparing, the first usage pattern is similar to the second usage pattern; and

based at least in part on determining the first usage pattern is similar to the second usage pattern, automatically controlling playback of a third instance of the content item associated with a third usage event, wherein the automatically controlled playback is based at least in part on the metadata reflecting the media content operations of the portions of the first and second instances of the content item, wherein the first, second, and third instances of the content item are separate instances.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first usage pattern includes a heatmap of the metadata of the first instance of the content item and the second usage pattern includes a heatmap of the metadata of the second instance of the content item.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving first usage data and second usage data indicative of user usage during consumption of the first instance of the content item and the second instance of the content item, respectively.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first usage data comprises navigation data of the first instance of the content item and the second usage data comprises navigation data of the second instance of the content item, wherein the media content operations comprise at least one of pausing, rewinding, or replaying of at least one portion of the first and second instances of the content item, and wherein the navigation data reflects the at least one of pausing, rewinding, or replaying of the at least one portion of the first instance of the content item and the second instance of the content item.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

determining, based at least in part on the first usage data, the first usage pattern; and

determining, based at least in part on the second usage data, the second usage pattern.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the first usage pattern or the second usage pattern comprises identifying common usage activity across a plurality of user usage data around particular respective time segments of the content item.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein identifying the common usage activity comprises analyzing the common usage activity within a machine learning system, the machine learning system trained with samples of usage data corresponding to samples of content, and determining potential content overlap by using the machine learning system to determine a likelihood of an overlap based at least in part on comparing patterns in the first and second usage patterns.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second usage patterns is stored in a data file with the respective first or second instances of the content item.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing an optimization operation, wherein the optimization operation comprises consolidating storage of the content item in a shared location of computer memory, and wherein the optimization comprises replay of the first instance of the content item and second instance of the content item using stored content from the shared location of computer memory.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying at least a portion of the content item as proprietary.

11 . A system comprising:

control circuitry configured to:

access a first usage pattern for a first instance of a content item associated with a first usage event and a second usage pattern for a second instance of the content item associated with a second usage event, wherein:

at least a portion of the first instance of the content item is the same as at least a portion of the second instance of the content item, and

each of the first and second usage patterns includes metadata reflecting media content operations of portions of the first instance of the content item and the second instance of the content item, respectively;

compare the first usage pattern for the portion of the first instance of the content item that is the same as the at least the portion of the second instance of the content item with the second usage pattern for the portion of the second instance of the content item;

determine, based at least in part on the comparing, the first usage pattern is similar to the second usage pattern; and

based at least in part on determining the first usage pattern is similar to the second usage pattern, automatically control playback of a third instance of the content item associated with a third usage event, wherein the automatically controlled playback is based at least in part on the metadata reflecting the media content operations of the portions of the first and second instances of the content item, wherein the first, second, and third instances of the content item are separate instances.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first usage pattern includes a heatmap of the metadata of the first instance of the content item and the second usage pattern includes a heatmap of the metadata of the second instance of the content item.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive first usage data and second usage data indicative of user usage during consumption of the first instance of the content item and the second instance of the content item, respectively.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the first usage data comprises navigation data of the first instance of the content item and the second usage data comprises navigation data of the second instance of the content item, wherein the media content operations comprise at least one of pausing, rewinding, or replaying of at least one portion of the first and second instances of the content item, and wherein the navigation data reflects the at least one of pausing, rewinding, or replaying of the at least one portion of the first instance of the content item and the second instance of the content item.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine, based at least in part on the first usage data, the first usage pattern; and

determine, based at least in part on the second usage data, the second usage pattern.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine the first usage pattern or the second usage pattern to identify common usage activity across a plurality of user usage data around particular respective time segments of the content item.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein:

the control circuitry is further configured to:

identify the common usage activity to analyze the common usage activity within a machine learning system, the machine learning system trained with samples of usage data corresponding to samples of content; and

determine potential content overlap by using the machine learning system to determine a likelihood of an overlap based at least in part on comparing patterns in the first and second usage patterns.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first or second usage patterns is stored in a data file with the respective first or second instances of the content item.

19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to perform an optimization operation, wherein the optimization operation comprises consolidating storage of the content item in a shared location of computer memory, and wherein the optimization comprises replay of the first instance of the content item and second instance of the content item using stored content from the shared location of computer memory.

20 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising blocking unauthorized distribution of the portion of the content item identified as proprietary.