Systems and methods for coordinating interactive and passive advertisement and merchandising opportunities

• US 20020124255A1
• Filed: 12/06/2000
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Reichardt, M. Scott, Herrington, W. Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US09/731,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20020124255A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/4622 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing enhanced advertising and merchandising opportunities are described. Advertisements may be provided for passive programming such as television programs, commercials, pay-per-view programs, passive video products, or other suitable passive programming. Interactive advertisements may be provided in interactive applications such as interactive television program guides, web browsers, home shopping applications, operating systems, or other suitable interactive applications.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a passive video product from an interactive application comprising:

providing a branded selectable option within an interactive application display; and

providing a passive video product associated with the brand in response to a user selecting the option from the interactive application display.

2. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising providing interactive content with the passive video product.

3. The method defined in claim 2 wherein:

the interactive content comprises an alert icon; and

the method further comprises providing a merchandising opportunity to the user in response to the user selecting the alert icon.

4. The method defined in claim 3 wherein the alert icon is overlaid onto the passive video product.

5. The method defined in claim 2 wherein:

the interactive content comprises a television program listing; and

the method further comprises providing additional information for the television program listing in response to the user selecting the televison program listing.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein:

the interactive application is an interactive television program guide; and

the branded selectable option is a branded selectable menu option of the interactive television program guide.

7. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the interactive application is a web browser.

8. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing the passive video product comprises tuning equipment associated with the user to a television channel.

9. A method for providing advertisements for passive programming within an interactive application implemented at least in part on user equipment comprising:

providing an advertisement for passive programming in an interactive application display; and

providing the advertised passive programming on the user equipment in response to the user selecting the advertisement from the interactive application display.

10. The method defined in claim 9 wherein the passive programming is a television program, a commercial, a pay-per-view program, or a passive video product segment.

11. The method defined in claim 9 further comprising retrieving the advertisement associated with the passive programming.

12. The method defined in claim 11 wherein retrieving an advertisement comprises retrieving an advertisement according to a schedule.

13. The method defined in claim 11 wherein retrieving an advertisement comprises retrieving an advertisement according to a real-time flag.

14. The method defined in claim 9 wherein the advertisement is branded.

15. The method defined in claim 9 wherein the interactive application is an interactive television program guide, an operating system, a home shopping application, or a web browser.

16. The method defined in claim 9 wherein:

the interactive application is an interactive television program guide; and

providing the advertisement in the interactive application display comprises providing the advertisement as a panel advertisement in the interactive television program guide.

17. The method defined in claim 9 wherein providing the advertised passive programming comprises tuning the user equipment to a channel on which the programming is provided.

19. The method defined in claim 18 wherein the passive programming is a television program, a commercial, a pay-per-view program, or a passive video product segment.

20. The method defined in claim 18 further comprising retrieving the advertisement.

21. The method defined in claim 20 wherein retrieving an advertisement comprises retrieving an advertisement according to a schedule.

22. The method defined in claim 20 wherein retrieving an advertisement comprises retrieving an advertisement according to a real-time flag.

23. The method defined in claim 18 wherein the interactive application is an interactive television program guide, an operating system, a home shopping application, or a web browser.

24. The method defined in claim 18 wherein:

the interactive application is an interactive television program guide; and

providing the interactive display comprises providing the advertisement as a panel advertisement in an interactive television program guide display.

26. The method defined in claim 25 further comprising:

providing a user with an opportunity to select the advertisement in the interactive application; and

providing the passive program in response to the user selecting the advertisement in the interactive application.

27. The method defined in claim 25 wherein the passive program is a television program, a commercial, a pay-per-view program, or a passive video product segment.

28. The method defined in claim 25 wherein the interactive application is an interactive television program guide, an operating system, a home shopping application, or a web browser.

30. The system defined in claim 29 further comprising means for providing interactive content with the passive video product.

31. The system defined in claim 30 wherein:

the interactive content comprises an alert icon; and

the system further comprises means for providing a merchandising opportunity to the user in response to the user selecting the alert icon.

32. The system defined in claim 31 wherein the alert icon is overlaid onto the passive video product.

33. The system defined in claim 30 wherein:

the interactive content comprises a television program listing; and

the system further comprises means for providing additional information for the television program listing in response to the user selecting the televison program listing.

34. The system defined in claim 20 wherein:

the interactive application is an interactive television program guide; and

the branded selectable option is a branded selectable menu option of the interactive television program guide.

35. The system defined in claim 20 wherein the interactive application is a web browser.

36. The system defined in claim 20 wherein the means for providing the passive video product comprises means for tuning equipment associated with the user to a television channel.

38. The system defined in claim 37 wherein the passive program is a television program, a commercial, a pay-per-view program, or a passive video product segment.

39. The system defined in claim 37 further comprising means for retrieving the advertisement.

40. The system defined in claim 39 wherein the means for retrieving the advertisement comprises means for retrieving an advertisement according to a schedule.

41. The system defined in claim 39 wherein the means for retrieving the advertisement comprises means for retrieving an advertisement according to a real-time flag.

42. The system defined in claim 37 wherein the advertisement is branded.

43. The system defined in claim 37 wherein the interactive application is an interactive television program guide, an operating system, a home shopping application, or a web browser.

44. The system defined in claim 9 wherein:

the interactive application is an interactive television program guide; and

the means for providing the advertisement in the interactive application display comprises means for providing the advertisement as a panel advertisement in the interactive television program guide.

45. The system defined in claim 37 wherein the means for providing the advertised programming comprises means for tuning the user equipment to a channel on which the advertised programming is provided.

47. The system defined in claim 46 wherein the passive programming is a television program, a commercial, a pay-per-view program, or a passive video product segment.

48. The system defined in claim 46 further comprising means for retrieving the advertisement.

49. The system defined in claim 48 wherein the means for retrieving an advertisement comprises retrieving an advertisement according to a schedule.

50. The system defined in claim 48 wherein the means for retrieving an advertisement comprises retrieving an advertisement according to a real-time flag.

51. The system defined in claim 46 wherein the interactive application is an interactive television program guide, an operating system, a home shopping application, or a web browser.

52. The system defined in claim 46 wherein:

the interactive application is an interactive television program guide; and

the means for providing the interactive display comprises means for providing the advertisement as a panel advertisement in an interactive television program guide display.

18. A method for providing advertisements within an interactive application implemented at least in part on user equipment comprising:

providing branded passive programming to the user equipment;

providing a user associated with the user equipment with an opportunity to indicate a desire to access additional information associated with the branded passive programming; and

providing an interactive display on the user equipment in response to the user indicating a desire to access the additional information, wherein the display comprises an advertisement for an advertiser associated with the brand of the branded passive programming.

25. A method for providing advertisement space to advertisers across television-related products comprising:

allocating advertisement time for an advertiser on an interactive application and during a passive program; and

providing an advertisement for the advertiser within a display for the interactive product and with the passive program, during the allocated advertisement time.

29. A system for providing access to a passive video product from an interactive application comprising:

means for providing a branded selectable option within an interactive application display; and

means for providing a passive video product associated with the brand in response to a user selecting the option from the interactive application display.

37. A system for providing advertisements for passive programming within an interactive application implemented at least in part on user equipment comprising:

means for providing an advertisement for passive programming in an interactive application display; and

means for providing the advertised passive programming on the user equipment in response to the user selecting the advertisement from the interactive application display.

46. A system for providing advertisements within an interactive application running at least in part on user equipment comprising:

means for providing branded passive programming to the user equipment;

means for providing a user associated with the user equipment with an opportunity to indicate a desire to access additional information associated with the branded passive programming; and

means for providing an interactive display on the user equipment in response to the user indicating a desire to access the additional information, wherein the display comprises an advertisement for an advertiser associated with the brand of the branded passive programming.

53. A system for providing advertisement space to advertisers across television related-products comprising:

means for allocating advertisement time for an advertiser on an interactive application and during a passive program; and

means for providing an advertisement for the advertiser within a display for the interactive product and with the passive program, during the allocated advertisement time.

54. The system defined in claim 53 further comprising:

means for providing a user with an opportunity to select the advertisement in the interactive application; and

means for providing the passive program in response to the user selecting the advertisement in the interactive application.

55. The system defined in claim 53 wherein the passive program is a television program, a commercial, a pay-per-view program, or a passive video product segment.

56. The system defined in claim 53 wherein the interactive application is an interactive television program guide, an operating system, a home shopping application, or a web browser.

58. The system defined in claim 57 wherein the interactive application is further configured to provide interactive content with the passive video product.

59. The system defined in claim 58 wherein:

the interactive content comprises an alert icon; and

wherein the interactive application is further configured to provide a merchandising opportunity to the user in response to the user selecting the alert icon.

60. The system defined in claim 59 wherein the alert icon is overlaid onto the passive video product.

61. The system defined in claim 58 wherein:

the interactive content comprises a television program listing; and

wherein the interactive application is further configured to provide additional information for the television program listing in response to the user selecting the televison program listing.

62. The system defined in claim 57 wherein:

the interactive application is an interactive television program guide; and

the branded selectable option is a branded selectable menu option of the interactive television program guide.

63. The system defined in claim 57 wherein the interactive application is a web browser.

64. The system defined in claim 57 wherein the interactive application is configured to provide the passive programming by tuning the user equipment to a television channel on which the passive programming is provided.

57. A system for providing access to a passive video product from an interactive application comprising:

user equipment on which an interactive application is at least partly implemented, wherein the interactive application is configured to;

provide a display on the user equipment, wherein the display comprises a branded selectable option; and

provide a passive video product associated with the branded selectable option on the user equipment in response to a user selecting the option.

65. A system for providing advertisements for passive programming within an interactive application comprising:

user equipment on which an interactive application is at least partly implemented, wherein the interactive application is configured to;

provide a display on the user equipment, wherein the display comprises an advertisement for passive programming; and

provide the passive programming in response to the user selecting the advertisement.

66. The system defined in claim 65 wherein the passive program is a television program, a commercial, a pay-per-view program, or a passive video product segment.

67. The system defined in claim 65 wherein the interactive application is further configured to retrieve the advertisement.

68. The system defined in claim 65 wherein the interactive application is further configured to retrieve the advertisement according to a schedule.

69. The system defined in claim 65 wherein the interactive application is further configured to retrieve the advertisement according to a real-time flag.

70. The system defined in claim 65 wherein the advertisement is branded.

71. The system defined in claim 65 wherein the interactive application is an interactive television program guide, an operating system, a home shopping application, or a web browser.

72. The system defined in claim 65 wherein:

the interactive application is an interactive television program guide; and

the interactive television program guide is configured to provide the advertisement as a panel advertisement.

73. The system defined in claim 65 wherein the interactive application is configured to provide the passive programming by tuning the user equipment to a television channel on which the passive programming is provided.

75. The system defined in claim 73 wherein the passive programming is a television program, a commercial, a pay-per-view program, or a passive video product segment.

76. The system defined in claim 73 wherein the interactive application is further configured to retrieve the advertisement.

77. The system defined in claim 73 wherein the interactive application is further configured to retrieve the advertisement according to a schedule.

78. The system defined in claim 73 wherein the interactive application is further configured to retrieve the advertisement according to a real-time flag.

79. The system defined in claim 73 wherein the interactive application is an interactive television program guide, an operating system, a home shopping application, or a web browser.

80. The system defined in claim 73 wherein:

the interactive application is an interactive television program guide; and

the interactive television program guide is configured to provide the advertisement as a panel advertisement.

74. A system for providing advertisements within an interactive application comprising:

user equipment on which an interactive application is at least partly implemented, wherein the interactive application is configured to;

provide a display on the user equipment, wherein the display comprises branded passive programming;

provide a user with an opportunity to indicate a desire to access additional information associated with the branded passive programming; and

provide a display in response to the user indicating a desire to access the additional information, wherein the display comprises an advertisement for an advertiser associated with the brand of the branded passive programming.

81. A system for providing advertisement time to advertisers across television related products comprising:

a distribution facility configured to provide passive programming having an advertisement for an advertiser during a given time block; and

user equipment on which an interactive application is at least partly implemented, wherein the interactive application is configured to provide a display comprising an advertisement for the advertiser during the give time block.

82. The system defined in claim 81 wherein the interactive application is further configured to:

provide a user with an opportunity to select the advertisement in the display provided by the interactive application; and

provide the passive programming in response to the user selecting the advertisement in the interactive application.

83. The system defined in claim 81 wherein the passive programming is a television program, a commercial, a pay-per-view program, or a passive video product segment.

84. The system defined in claim 81 wherein the interactive application is an interactive television program guide, an operating system, a home shopping application, or a web browser.