Multi-level matching facilitating delivery of enhanced content
A server receives a message from a subscriber. The message includes a subscriber identifier and one or more one or more first identifying attributes associated with a first media-work played-out by the subscriber. The server performs a first-level match between the first identifying attributes and unique identifiers included in a database. In response to the first-level match indicating that the first identifying attributes do not include any of unique identifiers, the server performs a second-level match, which compares the first identifying attributes to content attributes of different media-works linked to the unique identifiers. In response to the second-level match identifying one or more matching first identifying attributes to the content attributes that are linked to a particular unique identifier included in the database, the server selects enhanced content based on the particular unique identifier, and delivers that enhanced content to the subscriber.
1. A method for use in a server device including a processor and associated memory, the method comprising:
receiving a message from a subscriber, the message including:
a subscriber identifier;
one or more first identifying attributes associated with a first media-work played-out by the subscriber;
performing a first-level match between the one or more first identifying attributes and a plurality of unique identifiers included in a database, the plurality of unique identifiers linking content attributes of different media-works to different unique identifiers, the first-level match including:
comparing the one or more first identifying attributes to the plurality of unique identifiers to determine whether the one or more first identifying attributes include a first unique identifier matching any of the plurality of unique identifiers;
in response to the first-level match indicating that the one or more first identifying attributes do not include any of the plurality of unique identifiers, performing a second-level match, the second-level match including:
comparing the one or more first identifying attributes to the content attributes of the different media-works to attempt to identify one or more matching content attributes, wherein the one or more matching content attributes match the one or more first identifying attributes;
in response to identifying one or more matching content attributes linking the first media-work to a particular unique identifier included in the database, the particular unique identifier is linked to the one or more matching content attributes;
selecting enhanced content based on the particular unique identifier; and
delivering the enhanced content to the subscriber.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a message from a subscriber includes:
receiving information indicating that the first media-work is being played-out by the subscriber.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message from the subscriber includes a list of media-works.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content attributes include media-work aliases.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
at least one of the plurality of unique identifiers is associated with a plurality of different media-work aliases identifying a same media-work.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to both: the first-level match indicating that the one or more first identifying attributes do not include any of the plurality of unique identifiers; and the second-level match failing to identify one or more matching content attributes linking the first media-work to any unique identifier included in the database:
associating the one or more first identifying attributes with another unique identifier; and
storing the another unique identifier in the database.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting the enhanced content based on subscriber preferences indicating a type of enhanced content to be delivered.
8. A server device comprising:
a processor;
memory coupled to the processor;
a database storing a plurality of unique identifiers linking content attributes of different media-works to different unique identifiers;
at least one communications interface coupling the processor to the database and to a communications network;
the communications interface configured to receive a message from a subscriber, the message including:
a subscriber identifier;
one or more first identifying attributes associated with a first media-work played-out by the subscriber;
the processor configured to:
perform a first-level match between the one or more first identifying attributes and the plurality of unique identifiers, the first-level match including:
compare the one or more first identifying attributes to the plurality of unique identifiers to determine whether the one or more first identifying attributes include a first unique identifier matching any of the plurality of unique identifiers;
in response to the first-level match indicating that the one or more first identifying attributes do not include any of the plurality of unique identifiers, perform a second-level match, the second-level match including:
compare the one or more first identifying attributes to the content attributes of the different media-works to attempt to identify one or more matching content attributes, wherein the one or more matching content attributes match the one or more first identifying attributes;
in response to the second-level match identifying matching content attributes, link the first media-work to a particular unique identifier included in the database, wherein the particular unique identifier is already linked to the one or more matching content attributes;
select enhanced content based on the particular unique identifier; and
deliver the enhanced content to the subscriber via the communications interface.
9. The server of claim 8 , wherein the at least one communications interface is further configured to:
receive information indicating that the first media-work is being played-out by the subscriber.
10. The server of claim 8 , wherein the message from the subscriber includes a list of media-works.
11. The server of claim 8 , wherein the content attributes include media-work aliases.
12. The server of claim 11 , wherein:
at least one of the plurality of unique identifiers is associated with a plurality of different media-work aliases identifying a same media-work.
13. The server of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
in response to both: the first-level match indicating that the one or more first identifying attributes do not include any of the plurality of unique identifiers; and the second-level match failing to identify one or more matching content attributes linking the first media-work to any unique identifier included in the database:
associating the one or more first identifying attributes with another unique identifier; and
storing the another unique identifier in the database.