Systems and methods for providing consumers with entertainment content and associated periodically updated advertising

• US 20030028888A1
• Filed: 02/07/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ochoa Optics LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ochoa Optics LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hunter, Charles Eric, Sparks, Kelly C., Hebrank, John H., Ballou, Bernard L. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/072,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028888A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/89
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2039/505 comprising antibodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2300/00 Mixtures or combinations of active ingredients, wherein at least one active ingredient is fully defined in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/57 from animals; from humans A61K38/553, A61K38/556 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/58 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 7/00 Single-crystal growth from solutions using solvents which are liquid at normal temperature, e.g. aqueous solutions from molten solvents C30B9/00; by normal or gradient freezing C30B11/00; under a protective fluid C30B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/588 with semiconductor nanocrystal label, e.g. quantum dots
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/24041 with different recording characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/254 of protective topcoat layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/257 of layers having properties involved in recording or reproduction, e.g. optical interference layers or sensitising layers or dielectric layers, which are protecting the recording layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/258 of reflective layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02 Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/045 by their particular orientation of crystalline planes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 : the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 : external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 : Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 : by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 : involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 : Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/191 : characterised by provisions for the orientation or alignment of the layer to be deposited
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/761 : Biomolecules or bio-macromolecules, e.g. proteins, chlorophyl, lipids or enzymes

Abstract

A player device for generating audio visual signals representative of entertainment content with advertisements includes a reader mechanism for reading entertainment content pre-recorded on a first medium and reading advertisements pre-recorded on a second medium, and a processor generating command signals inserting advertisements read by the reader mechanism from the second medium into entertainment content read by the reader mechanism from the first medium.

Claims

1. A method of providing a consumer with entertainment content coupled with updated advertisements, comprising:

recording entertainment content on a first medium;

recording advertisements on a second medium;

distributing entertainment content pre-recorded on the first medium to customer locations;

periodically distributing advertisements pre-recorded on the second medium to customer locations;

inserting a first medium containing customer-selected, pre-recorded entertainment content into a player device;

inserting a second medium containing pre-recorded advertising content into the player device;

displaying the selected entertainment content at the customer location via the player device; and

displaying advertisements from the second medium at times before, during, or after display of the selected entertainment content.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first medium has a hardware security feature such that display of the entertainment content is possible only upon a player device including hardware compatible with the hardware security feature.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first medium and the second medium both have a hardware security feature such that display of the entertainment content is possible only upon a player device including hardware compatible with the hardware security feature.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first medium and the second medium are the same medium.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of recording on the second medium includes recording both advertisements and an index of entertainment content.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the advertisements include current movie previews.

7. The method of claim 6 including the step of displaying the movie previews before displaying the selected entertainment content.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the advertisements include commercial advertisements other than movie previews.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the commercial advertisements other than previews are displayed before displaying the selected entertainment content.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the entertainment content includes insertion points for display of advertisements, and including the step of displaying advertisements from the second medium at the insertion points.

11. The method of claim 1 including the step of generating customer preferences by analysis of customer characteristics and selecting a subset of the advertisements contained in the second medium based upon customer preference.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first medium comprises a disc having a diameter greater than about 125 mm and less than 300 mm.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first medium comprises a disc having data recorded on a reflective layer and an optically transmissive coating having a total transmission of 635 nm of less than the minimum transmission set forth as the standard DVD specification.

14. The method of claim 1 including the step of downloading content from the player device to a second portable player device.

15. A player device for generating audio visual signals representative of entertainment content with advertisements, said device comprising:

reader mechanism reading entertainment content prerecorded on a first medium and reading advertisements pre-recorded on a second medium; and

a processor generating command signals inserting advertisements read by the reader mechanism from the second medium into entertainment content read by the reader mechanism from the first medium.

16. The player device of claim 15 wherein the reader mechanism comprises a first reader for reading the first medium containing the entertainment content and a second reader for reading the second medium containing the advertisements.

17. The player device of claim 16 wherein the first and second media reside one over the other in the player device for reading, and the device includes one reader above the top disc and the other reader below the bottom disc.

18. The player device of claim 15 wherein the reader mechanism includes a single optical pickup.

19. The player device of claim 18 wherein the first and second media are mechanically, sequentially moved for reading.

20. The player device of claim 16 including a memory device storing read data to permit seamless, uninterrupted insertion of advertisements into entertainment content.

21. The player device of claim 15 including an input for displaying signals from a broadcast content source (e.g., cable TV or direct broadcast satellite) and inserting advertisements prerecorded on the second medium into the broadcast content.

22. A method of providing consumers with entertainment content coupled with updated advertisements, comprising:

distributing to each consumer (i) a plurality of first media, each first medium containing pre-recorded movies, music selections, information or other content, (ii) at least one second medium containing a plurality of prerecorded advertisements, and (iii) a player device having the capability to read both the first and second media;

periodically, for example monthly, distributing pre-recorded advertising on a second medium;

playing consumer-selected entertainment content via the first medium; and

at times before, during or after the playing of the entertainment content, playing advertisements via the second medium.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the second medium contains an index of available entertainment content.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of distributing items (i), (ii) and (iii) to customers is free of charge to the customer.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of distributing items (i), (ii) and (iii) to customers is at a charge to customers not exceeding production and shipping costs.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the customers are provided with the entertainment content and updated advertisements without the necessity of the customers having cable TV or direct broadcast satellite service.

27. The method of claim 22 including the step of inputting display signals from a broadcast source (e.g., cable TV or direct broadcast satellite) into the player device and inserting advertisements pre-recorded on the second medium into the broadcast content.

28. The method of claim 22 including the step of shipping entertainment content on first media to customers on a periodic basis.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the periodic shipments are targeted to customer preferences.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein the entertainment content includes insertion points for display of advertisements, and including the step of displaying advertisements from the second medium at the insertion points.

31. The method of claim 22 including the step of consumers archiving first media.

32. The method of claim 22 including the step of charging customers for playing entertainment content on a play-per-view basis.

33. The method of claim 22 including the step of charging customers for playing entertainment content on a subscription basis.

34. The method of claim 22 including the step of charging customers for playing entertainment content on a one time fee-to-own basis.

35. The method of claim 22 including the step of communicating information that is representative of the playing of entertainment content and advertisements between the customer and a system operator.

36. The method of claim 22 including the step of downloading content from the player device to a second portable player device.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the portable player device includes a projector.

38. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of playing entertainment content from the first medium is carried out by an optical reader operating at or below 405 nm.