Method and apparatus for targeted content delivery
A method and protocol for creating and configuring customized paths, such as channels, for the delivery of electronic content to a variety of devices associated with a user is provided. A content provider may create a channel for each device registered by a user by creating a provisioning Uniform Resource Locator (“URL”) for each device. The user may select certain content to be delivered to a registered device via the channel. The user's device requests a list of feed URLs available to the user by accessing the provisioning URL. A content management program returns the list of feed URLs to the device and the list of feed URLs stored on the device is updated. The electronic content may be distributed through the disclosed protocol directly to the registered device if the device is active, or to a computing device for distribution to passive devices.
1. A computer-implemented method of delivering electronic content from a remote computer to a plurality of playback devices, the method comprising:
receiving at least one registration request for the plurality of playback devices;
in response to the at least one registration request, registering the plurality of playback devices;
providing a centralized content management interface that presents to a user a plurality of content feeds available to the user, wherein the centralized content management interface enables the user to associate at least one of the available content feeds with each of the plurality of playback devices;
communicating a provisioning network location to each of the plurality of playback devices, wherein the provisioning network location communicated to a given playback device of the plurality of playback devices includes a provisioning list specifying two or more content feeds associated with the given playback device, wherein a first provisioning network location communicated to a first playback device of the plurality of playback devices is different than a second provisioning network location communicated to a second playback device of the plurality of playback devices, wherein a provisioning list associated with the second playback device is managed by a proxy computing device, wherein the provisioning network location communicated to each of the plurality of playback devices comprises at least one of a Uniform Resource Locator, a network address or a path;
receiving a request from at least one of the plurality of playback devices for content associated with the provisioning network location which was communicated to the given playback device;
in response to the request for content associated with said provisioning network location, transmitting at least one of the two or more content feeds associated with the given playback device to the given playback device; and
periodically transmitting content to the proxy computing device from at least one content feed for transfer from the proxy computing device to the second playback device.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising periodically receiving content with the plurality of playback devices from the at least one of the two or more content feeds.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the provisioning network location comprises a provisioning URL.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the at least one of the two or more content feeds is providing a feed URL.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the content management interface allows the user to designate a plurality of content feeds for each of the plurality of registered playback devices.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the content management interface substantially automatically organizes the plurality of content feeds into categories.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the content management interface is located on a remote computer.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the provisioning list is initially substantially automatically populated based on a default setting.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the provisioning list is initially populated based on user input to the content management interface.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the provisioning list is periodically modified by the user using the content management interface.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein the provisioning list is periodically modified by selecting content feeds to add from a plurality of predefined content feeds.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein the provisioning list is periodically modified by selecting content feeds to be removed from a plurality of predefined content feeds previously associated with at least one of the plurality of playback devices.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein the provisioning list is periodically modified by the user by searching for and selecting customized content feeds.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the provisioning list is provided substantially directly to at least one of the plurality of playback devices.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the content management interface allows the user to specify a different provisioning network location for each of the plurality of playback devices.
16. A system for delivering one or more electronic content feeds from a remote computer to a plurality of playback devices, the system comprising:
a remote computing device that is configured to:
provide a centralized content management interface that presents to a user a plurality of content feeds available to the user, wherein the centralized content management interface enables the user to associate at least one of the available content feeds with each of the plurality of playback devices;
communicate a provisioning network location to each of the plurality of playback devices, wherein the provisioning network location communicated to a given playback device of the plurality of playback devices includes a provisioning list specifying two or more content feeds associated with the given playback device, wherein a first provisioning network location communicated to a first playback device of the plurality of playback devices is different than a second provisioning network location communicated to a second playback device of the plurality of playback devices, wherein a provisioning list associated with the second playback device is managed by a proxy computing device, wherein the provisioning network location communicated to each of the plurality of playback devices comprises at least one of a Uniform Resource Locator, a network address or a path;
receive a request from at least one of the plurality of playback devices for content associated with the provisioning network location which was communicated to the given playback device;
based at least in part on the request for content associated with said provisioning network location, transmit at least one of the two or more content feeds associated with the given playback device to the given playback device; and
periodically transmit content to the proxy computing device from at least one content feed for transfer from the proxy computing device to the second playback device.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein the plurality of playback devices are configured to periodically receive content from the at least one of the two or more content feeds associated with each of the plurality of playback devices.
18. The system of claim 16 wherein the content management interface is configured to allow the user to periodically modify the provisioning list by searching for and selecting customized content feeds.
19. The system of claim 16 wherein the content management interface is configured by the user to designate a plurality of content feeds for each of the plurality of registered playback devices.
20. The system of claim 16 wherein the content management interface is configured to allow the user to specify a different provisioning network location for each of the plurality of playback devices.