Systems and methods for causing a user to view secondary content that relates to a media asset from which a user has switched away

1. A method for causing a user to view secondary content that relates to a media asset from which a user has switched away, the method comprising:

receiving a media asset received from a linear media data source;

generating for display, the media asset on user equipment;

determining that a user is present with the user equipment when the media asset is being displayed on the user equipment;

in response to determining that a user is present with the user equipment when the media asset is being displayed on the user equipment, monitoring, during each break in the media asset, any request to switch away from the linear media data source;

in response to receiving a request to switch away from the linear media data source during a break in the media asset,

monitoring secondary content transmitted from the linear media data source from a time when the user equipment switches away from the linear media data source;

detecting, during the monitoring of the secondary content, that a segment of the secondary content is related to the media asset;

in response to determining that the segment of the secondary content is related to the media asset, automatically switching back to the linear media data source to cause the segment of the secondary content to be displayed in real time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting, during the monitoring of the secondary content, that a segment of the secondary content is related to the media asset comprises:

determining a unique identifier corresponding to the secondary content;

accessing, from metadata corresponding to the media asset, an identifier reference data structure;

determining, based on information of the identifier reference data structure, whether the unique identifier for the secondary content corresponds to an identifier of the media asset.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting, during the monitoring of the secondary content, that a segment of the secondary content is related to the media asset comprises:

identifying characteristics of the media asset;

fingerprinting a video frame of the secondary content to create a fingerprint;

comparing characteristics of the fingerprint to each of the characteristics of the media asset; and

determining whether, based on the comparing, a match exists between a characteristic of the characteristics of the fingerprint and a characteristic of the characteristics of the media asset.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining that a user is present with the user equipment when the media asset is being displayed on the user equipment, determining that the user is engaged in viewing the media asset by:

monitoring, using a biometric instrument, a level of attention that the user is paying to the media asset;

determining that the level of attention exceeds a threshold; and

in response to determining that the level of attention exceeds the threshold, determining that the user is engaged in viewing the media asset.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

further in response to determining that the secondary content is related to the media asset, buffering the secondary content into a buffer, switching to a beginning of the buffer.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the unique identifier corresponding to the secondary content comprises:

accessing auxiliary information corresponding to the secondary content;

determining a subject of the secondary content from the auxiliary information; and

assigning the subject of the secondary content to be the unique identifier.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining, based on information of the identifier reference data structure, whether the unique identifier for the secondary content corresponds to an identifier of the media asset comprises:

comparing the subject to the identifier of the media asset; and

determining, based on the comparing of the subject to the identifier of the media asset, whether the subject of the secondary content describes the identifier of the media asset.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining whether the subject of the secondary content describes the identifier of the media asset comprises:

identifying a title of the media asset; and

determining whether the subject of the secondary content is the title of the media asset.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the media asset is a single component of a larger collection of media assets; and, wherein

determining whether the subject of the secondary content is the title of the media asset comprises determining that the subject of the media asset specifically identifies the complete title of the media asset, as opposed to a portion of the title shared among the larger collection of media assets.

10. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

determining, during playback of the secondary content from the buffer, that transmission of the media asset has resumed from the source;

in response to determining, during playback of the secondary content from the buffer, that transmission of the media asset has resumed from the source, buffering the media asset in the buffer;

detecting the conclusion of playback of the secondary content; and

in response to detecting the conclusion of playback of the secondary content, playing back the media asset from the buffer.

11. A system for causing a user to view secondary content that relates to a media asset from which a user has switched away, the system comprising:

communication circuitry configured to receive a media asset received from a linear media data source;

display circuitry configured to generate for display, the media asset on user equipment; and

processing circuitry configured to:

determine that a user is present with the user equipment when the media asset is being displayed on the user equipment;

in response to determining that a user is present with the user equipment when the media asset is being displayed on the user equipment, monitor, during each break in the media asset, any request to switch away from the linear media data source;

in response to receiving a request to switch away from the linear media data source during a break in the media asset,

monitor secondary content transmitted from the linear media data source from a time when the user equipment switches away from the linear media data source;

detect, during the monitoring of the secondary content, that a segment of the secondary content is related to the media asset; and

in response to determining that the segment of the secondary content is related to the media asset, automatically switch back to the linear media data source to cause the segment of the secondary content to be displayed in real time.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured, when detecting, during the monitoring of the secondary content, that a segment of the secondary content is related to the media asset, to:

determine a unique identifier corresponding to the secondary content;

access, from metadata corresponding to the media asset, an identifier reference data structure; and

determine, based on information of the identifier reference data structure, whether the unique identifier for the secondary content corresponds to an identifier of the media asset.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured, when detecting, during the monitoring of the secondary content, that a segment of the secondary content is related to the media asset, to:

identify characteristics of the media asset;

fingerprint a video frame of the secondary content to create a fingerprint;

compare characteristics of the fingerprint to each of the characteristics of the media asset; and

determine whether, based on the comparing, a match exists between a characteristic of the characteristics of the fingerprint and a characteristic of the characteristics of the media asset.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

in response to determining that a user is present with the user equipment when the media asset is being displayed on the user equipment, determine that the user is engaged in viewing the media asset by:

monitoring, using a biometric instrument, a level of attention that the user is paying to the media asset;

determining that the level of attention exceeds a threshold; and

in response to determining that the level of attention exceeds the threshold, determining that the user is engaged in viewing the media asset.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

further in response to determining that the secondary content is related to the media asset, buffering the secondary content into a buffer, switch to a beginning of the buffer.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured, when determining the unique identifier corresponding to the secondary content, to:

access auxiliary information corresponding to the secondary content;

determine a subject of the secondary content from the auxiliary information; and

assign the subject of the secondary content to be the unique identifier.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured, when determining, based on information of the identifier reference data structure, whether the unique identifier for the secondary content corresponds to an identifier of the media asset, to:

compare the subject to the identifier of the media asset; and

determine, based on the comparing of the subject to the identifier of the media asset, whether the subject of the secondary content describes the identifier of the media asset.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured, when determining whether the subject of the secondary content describes the identifier of the media asset, to:

identify a title of the media asset; and

determine whether the subject of the secondary content is the title of the media asset.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the media asset is a single component of a larger collection of media assets; and, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured, when determining whether the subject of the secondary content is the title of the media asset, to determine that the subject of the media asset specifically identifies the complete title of the media asset, as opposed to a portion of the title shared among the larger collection of media assets.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine, during playback of the secondary content from the buffer, that transmission of the media asset has resumed from the source;

in response to determining, during playback of the secondary content from the buffer, that transmission of the media asset has resumed from the source, buffer the media asset in the buffer;

detect the conclusion of playback of the secondary content; and

in response to detecting the conclusion of playback of the secondary content, play back the media asset from the buffer.