Methods and systems for monitoring content subscription usage
In some aspects, control circuitry detects a plurality of instances in which the number of requests to simultaneously stream media from a subscription service to different devices exceeds a number of streams available to the user from the subscription service. The control circuitry generates a plurality of timestamps corresponding to the plurality of instances, and compares each timestamp to a range of timestamps that corresponds to a subscription period for the subscription service in order to determine a number of instances that occurred during the subscription period. The control circuitry compares the number of instances that occurred during the subscription period to a threshold number for the subscription period. Control circuitry transmits a message, from the server to one of the different devices, if the threshold is exceeded.
1. A method of recommending to a user whether to increase a number of content streams from a subscription service, the method comprising:
logging, by control circuitry, a timestamp of each instance when a request to stream media exceeds a number of simultaneous streams available to the user under the subscription service, wherein each request is entered via a graphical user interface of a user device, wherein the timestamp consists of a start timestamp and lacks a corresponding end timestamp indicating that the request to stream the media is unfulfilled, the timestamp being one of a plurality of logged timestamps that represent a plurality of instances of unfulfilled requests to stream media;
determining, by the control circuitry, based on an average number of streams for the subscription service available in a subscription period, whether a number of previously logged timestamps of instances is within a first numeric range, wherein the first numeric range is selected from a plurality of threshold numbers based on the average number of streams and based on a media viewing history;
in response to determining that the number of previously logged timestamps of instances is greater than the first numeric range, sending, by the control circuitry to the user device, a message having a recommendation to increase the number of content streams from the subscription service;
causing, by the control circuitry, the message to be displayed via the graphical user interface of the user device; and
in response to receiving, from the user device, a response to follow the recommendation, increasing, by the control circuitry, the number of simultaneous content streams available to the user from the subscription service.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the first numeric range based on a length of time of a subscription period.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing each of the plurality of timestamps to a range of timestamps that corresponds to a portion of a subscription period for the subscription service to determine a number of the plurality of instances that occurred during the portion of the subscription period;
comparing the number of the plurality of instances that occurred during the portion of the subscription period to a second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period; and
modifying the message in response to determining that the number of the plurality of instances that occurred during the portion of the subscription period is greater than the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising selecting the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period from a plurality of potential numeric ranges based on a length of time of the subscription period.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising selecting the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period from a plurality of potential numeric ranges based on the number of streams available to the user from the subscription service.
6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising selecting the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period from a plurality of potential numeric ranges based on a date corresponding to the portion of the subscription period.
7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising selecting the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period from a plurality of potential numeric ranges based on a time of day corresponding to the portion of the subscription period.
8. The method of claim 3 , further comprising selecting the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period from a plurality of potential numeric ranges based a number of media assets that became available from the subscription service during the portion of the subscription period.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message includes recommendations for reducing a frequency of the plurality of instances.
10. A system of recommending to a user whether to increase a number of content streams from a subscription service, the system comprising:
memory;
input circuitry; and
control circuitry configured to:
log, by the control circuitry, at the memory, a timestamp of each instance when a request to stream media exceeds a number of simultaneous streams available to the user under the subscription service, wherein each request is entered via a graphical user interface of a user device, wherein the timestamp consists of a start timestamp and lacks a corresponding end timestamp indicating that the request to stream the media is unfulfilled, the timestamp being one of a plurality of logged timestamps that represent a plurality of instances of unfulfilled requests to stream media;
determine, by the control circuitry, based on an average number of streams for the subscription service available in a subscription period, whether a number of previously logged timestamps of instances is within a first numeric range, wherein the first numeric range is selected from a plurality of threshold numbers based on the average number of streams and based on media viewing history;
in response to determining that the number of previously logged timestamps of instances is greater than the first numeric range, send, by the control circuitry to the user device, a message having a recommendation to increase the number of content streams from the subscription service;
cause, by the control circuitry, the message to be displayed via the graphical user interface of the user device; and
in response to receiving, from the user via the input circuitry, a response to follow the recommendation, increase, by the control circuitry, the number of simultaneous content streams available to the user from the subscription service.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to select the first numeric range based on a length of time of a subscription period.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
compare each of the plurality of timestamps to a range of timestamps that corresponds to a portion of a subscription period for the subscription service to determine a number of the plurality of instances that occurred during the portion of the subscription period;
compare the number of the plurality of instances that occurred during the portion of the subscription period to a second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period; and
modify the message in response to determining that the number of the plurality of instances that occurred during the portion of the subscription period is greater than the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to select the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period from a plurality of potential numeric ranges based on a length of time of the subscription period.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to select the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period from a plurality of potential numeric ranges based on the number of streams available to the user from the subscription service.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to select the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period from a plurality of potential numeric ranges based on a date corresponding to the portion of the subscription period.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to select the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period from a plurality of potential numeric ranges based on a time of day corresponding to the portion of the subscription period.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to select the second numeric range for the portion of the subscription period from a plurality of potential numeric ranges based a number of media assets that became available from the subscription service during the portion of the subscription period.
18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the message includes recommendations for reducing a frequency of the plurality of instances.