Affinity marketing for interactive media systems

• US 20020133817A1
• Filed: 03/13/2002
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intellocity USA, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Intellocity USA, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Markel, Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US10/099,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133817A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Viewers of broadcast content are awarded points for responding to events contained in or presented during the broadcast. Points are accumulated and additional points may be awarded for viewing a plurality of episodes or presentations of an advertisement. Points may be redeemed for products or services. Broadcast content may be enhanced to include point event indicators. A software program, downloaded to a receiving unit, processes viewer responses and transfers response information to a server. Processing viewer responses may include a time period in which a viewer response is accepted. Reponses entered at other times, or responses greater than or equal to a predetermined number may be rejected. A website may provide viewer point information and awards information. A tool set allows simplified implementation of a points award program including specification of program name, broadcast content, schedule, events, point values, response time periods, data stored, schedule of storage and storage destination.

Claims

1. A method of rewarding viewers to watch broadcast content comprising:

informing said viewers that awards may be earned by responding to specific events contained in said broadcast content;

identifying said specific events;

providing an interface through which said viewers may enter a response to said events;

receiving said response;

assigning a point value to said response;

accumulating said point value with previous point values, if any, associated with a previous response from said viewer to produce a point total; and

providing redemption of said points when said point total is greater than or equal to a predetermined number of points.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of receiving said response comprises:

creating a time period during which a viewer response may be received.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of accumulating said point value further comprises:

not accumulating said count value if the number of viewer responses during said time period is greater than or equal to a predetermined number.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of assigning a point value further comprises:

awarding additional points if said viewer has responded to a predetermined number of episodes of said content.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of identifying said specific events further comprises:

outputting a visual indicator;

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of identifying said specific events further comprises:

outputting an audible indicator;

7. A system for rewarding a viewer to watch broadcast content comprising:

a server that includes an enhancement that may be provided with said broadcast content, said enhancement indicating an event for which a viewer response can be awarded points;

a network connection that communicates said response from said viewer;

a first software program that receives said response and assigns a point value to said response; and

a second software program that accumulates said point values with previous point values, if any, and stores an accumulated result.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a third software program that produces an interface through which said viewer registers to accumulate points.

9. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a web page that describes a product that can be obtained by redeeming a predetermined number of points

10. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a web page that describes a service that may be obtained by redeeming a predetermined number of points.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein said enhancement further comprises:

a signal that indicates the time period when a receiving unit will said response to said event from said viewer.

12. The system of claim 7 comprising:

a software routine that may be downloaded to a receiving unit, said software routine being responsive to a signal in said enhancement that indicates a time period when said receiving unit will accept said response to said event from said viewer.

14. The receiving unit of claim 13 wherein said receiving unit is a set-top box.

15. The receiving unit of claim 13 wherein said receiving unit is a personal computer.

16. The receiving unit of claim 13 wherein said receiving unit is an interactive television.

17. The receiving unit of claim 13 further comprising:

a software routine that accumulates a predetermined number of responses prior to transferring said responses to said server.

18. The receiving unit of claim 13 further comprising:

a software routine that transfers said response to said server at a predetermined time.

19. The receiving unit of claim 13 further comprising:

a software routine that transfers said response to said server when a transmit signal is present in said broadcast content.

13. A receiving unit for rewarding a viewer to watch broadcast content comprising:

a network connection that allows said receiving unit to communicate with a server, said server operable to receive a response to an event from said viewer, assign a point value to said response, and accumulate said point value with previous point values, if any, to produce a point total that may be redeemed for an award;

a first software program responsive to a signal contained in said broadcast, said signal indicating the beginning of a time period during which said response to an event may be received;

a second program that stores said response; and

a third program that transfers said response to said server.

20. A receiving unit for rewarding a viewer to watch broadcast content comprising:

a network connection that allows said receiving unit to communicate with a server, said server operable to receive a response to an event from said viewer, assign a point value to said response, and accumulate said point value with previous point values, if any, to produce a point total that may be redeemed for an award;

a first software program that displays a button containing an image representative of an event contained in said broadcast content;

a second program that receives an input from said viewer when said viewer activates said button, said second program associating said input with said button to produce response information; and

a third program that transfers said response information to said server.

21. The receiving unit of claim 20 wherein said response information further comprises:

the time that said input was received.

22. The receiving unit of claim 20 further comprising:

a software routine that inhibits transfer of said response information if a plurality of inputs greater than or equal to a predetermined number are received from said viewer.

23. The receiving unit of claim 20 wherein said receiving unit is a set-top box.

24. The receiving unit of claim 20 wherein said receiving unit is a personal computer.

25. The receiving unit of claim 20 wherein said receiving unit is an interactive television.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

defining a time period during which said viewer response may be accepted.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein said step of receiving a viewer response further comprises:

not producing said count if the number of viewer responses for said reward indicator is greater than or equal to a predetermined number.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising:

a third software program that produces an interface through which said viewer registers to accumulate points.

31. The system of claim 29 further comprising:

a web page that describes a product that can be obtained by redeeming a predetermined number of points

32. The system of claim 29 further comprising:

a web page that describes a service that may be obtained by redeeming a predetermined number of points.

26. A method of rewarding viewers to watch broadcast content comprising:

rendering said broadcast content;

rendering a reward indicator in conjunction with said broadcast content;

receiving a viewer response to said indicator and producing a count;

accumulating said count with a previous count, if any, to produce a count total; and

providing a reward when said count total is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

29. A system for rewarding a viewer to watch broadcast content comprising:

a server that receives a response from said viewer to an event contained in said broadcast content for which said viewer response can be awarded points, said response including information identifying said event and said viewer;

a network connection that communicates said response from said viewer;

a first software program that receives said response and assigns a point value to said response; and

a second software program that accumulates said point values with previous point values, if any, and stores an accumulated result.

33. A system for implementing point rewards for viewer response to events associated with broadcast content comprising:

a campaign creation tool that specifies a campaign name, broadcast date, and video source of said broadcast content;

an event definition tool that specifies a time period associated with an event occurring in conjunction with said broadcast content during which a viewer response will be accepted, and that allows a point value to be assigned to said response; and

a data encapsulation tool that defines data to be saved, the scheduling of when said data is saved, and the location at which said data is saved.

34. A method of providing broadcast content viewing information comprising:

implementing a points award method wherein viewers are awarded points for responding to events associated with presentation of said broadcast content, said method including registering viewers and obtaining demographic information describing said viewers;

receiving responses from said viewers;

calculating the number of said viewers providing responses to said presentation of said broadcast content; and

generating a report including the number of said viewers and a demographic profile of said viewers.