System and method for modifying advertisement responsive to EPG information

• US 20020073424A1
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E-Guide Inc.
• Original Assignee: E-Guide Inc.
• Inventors: Hancock, Kenneth, Macrae, Douglas B., Ward, Thomas E. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,635,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show'"'"'s program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement.

In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.

Claims

1. A method for displaying an advertisement in an electronic program guide (EPG) comprising the steps of:

storing television schedule information in a database;

receiving advertisement information;

combining a portion of the received advertisement information with a portion of the stored television schedule information; and

displaying the combined information in the EPG on a screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, combining, and displaying steps are performed in substantially real time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving promotional information about a future television program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving promotional information about a currently telecast television program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving promotional information about one or more of a product and a service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step comprises storing a program description and the combining step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement information with the stored program description.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step comprises storing a program telecast time and the combining step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement information with the stored program telecast time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step comprises storing a web site address and the combining step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement information with the stored web site address.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step comprises storing information related to a geographical location and the combining step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement information with the information related to a geographical location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step comprises storing information related to a television viewer and the combining step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement information with the information related to a television viewer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step comprises storing information related to rotating advertisement information in the EPG and the combining step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement information with the information related to rotating advertisement information.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying the advertisement information in the EPG based on the rotating information.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the future television program.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the one or more of a product and a service.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of selecting the displayed information using a pointing device and activating a function related to the selected information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of activating a function comprises linking to a web site based on an address related to the selected information and displaying more information from the web site.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of activating a function comprises displaying more detail information related to the selected information.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of activating a function comprises scheduling a future television program for recording.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of activating a function comprises tuning to a currently telecast television program.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing schedule information step comprises storing information related to rotating advertisement information in the EPG and the incorporating step comprises incorporating a portion of the stored advertisement information with the information related to rotating advertisement information.

20. A method for modifying an advertisement in an electronic program guide (EPG) comprising the steps of:

storing television schedule information in a first database;

storing advertisement information in a second database;

incorporating a portion of the television schedule information from the first database into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and

displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the storing advertisement information step comprises storing promotional information about a future television program.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the storing advertisement information step comprises storing promotional information about a currently telecast television program.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the storing advertisement information step comprises storing promotional information about one or more of a product and a service.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the storing schedule information step comprises storing a program description and the incorporating step comprises incorporating a portion of the received advertisement information with the stored program description.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the storing schedule information step comprises storing a program telecast time and the incorporating step comprises incorporating a portion of the stored advertisement information with the stored program telecast time.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the storing schedule information step comprises storing a web site address and the incorporating step comprises incorporating a portion of the stored advertisement information with the stored web site address.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the storing schedule information step comprises storing information related to a geographical location and the incorporating step comprises incorporating a portion of the stored advertisement information with the information related to a geographical location.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the storing schedule information step comprises storing information related to a television viewer and the incorporating step comprises incorporating a portion of the received advertisement information with the information related to a television viewer.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising displaying the advertisement information in the EPG based on the rotating information.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the future television program.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the one or more of a product and a service.

33. The method of claim 20 further comprising the steps of selecting the displayed advertisement using a pointing device and activating a function related to the selected advertisement.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of activating a function comprises linking to a web site based on an address related to the selected advertisement and displaying more information from the web site.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of activating a function comprises displaying more detail information related to the selected advertisement.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of activating a function comprises displaying a video preview related to the selected advertisement.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of activating a function comprises scheduling a future television program for recording.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of activating a function comprises tuning to a currently telecast television program.

40. The EPG of claim 39, wherein the advertisement data is promotional information about a future television program.

41. The EPG of claim 39, wherein the advertisement data is promotional information about a currently telecast television program.

42. The EPG of claim 39, wherein the advertisement data is promotional information about one or more of a product and a service.

43. The EPG of claim 39, wherein the first database includes a program description for combining a portion of the advertisement data with the stored program description.

44. The EPG of claim 39, wherein the first database includes a program telecast time for combining a portion of the advertisement data with the stored program telecast time.

45. The EPG of claim 39, wherein the first database includes a web site address for combining a portion of the advertisement data with the stored web site address.

46. The EPG of claim 39, wherein the first database includes geographical location data for combining a portion of the advertisement data with the stored geographical location data.

47. The EPG of claim 39, wherein the first database includes information related to a television viewer for combining a portion of the advertisement data with the information related to a television viewer.

48. The EPG of claim 39, wherein the first database includes information related to rotating advertisement information in the EPG for combining a portion of the advertisement data with the information related to rotating advertisement information.

49. The EPG of claim 40, wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the future television program.

50. The EPG of claim 42, wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the one or more of a product and a service.

51. The EPG of claim 39 further comprising an input device for selecting the displayed advertisement and activating a function related to the selected advertisement.

52. The EPG of claim 51, wherein the input device activates a function to link to a web site based on an address related to the selected advertisement.

53. The EPG of claim 51, wherein the input device activates a function to display more detail information related to the selected advertisement.

54. The EPG of claim 51, wherein the input device activates a function to schedule a future television program for recording.

55. The EPG of claim 51, wherein the input device activates a function to tune to a currently telecast television program.

56. The EPG of claim 51, wherein the input device activates a function to display a video preview related to the selected advertisement.

39. An interactive electronic program guide (EPG) system comprising:

a first database for storing television schedule information;

a second database for storing advertisement data, wherein a portion of the information stored in the first database is combined with a portion of an advertisement data associated in the second database to form an updated advertisement; and

a display screen for displaying the updated advertisement in the EPG.

57. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions including instruction for displaying an advertisement in an electronic program guide (EPG), the instructions, when executed by a microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to perform the steps of:

storing television schedule information in a database;

receiving advertisement information;

combining a portion of the received advertisement information with a portion of the stored television schedule information; and

displaying the combined information in the EPG on a screen.

58. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions including instruction for modifying an advertisement in an electronic program guide (EPG), the instructions, when executed by a microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to perform the steps of:

storing television schedule information in a first database;

storing advertisement information in a second database;

incorporating a portion of the television schedule information from the first database into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and

displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.