Personal video recorder and method for inserting a stored advertisement into a displayed broadcast stream

• US 20030074661A1
• Filed: 10/17/2001
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keen Personal Media, Inc. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Keen Personal Media, Inc. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Elliott, Timothy J., Kapner, L. Jeffrey III, Krapf, Russell M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,079,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The present invention may be regarded as personal video recorder and a method of displaying a targeted advertisement on a display in conjunction with displaying of a broadcast stream on the display. The method defines a viewer profile of a viewer of the display based on signals received by a controller indicating usage of a viewer control interface by the viewer, for example based on viewer reactions to a broadcast stream or to an advertisement. A targeted advertisement is selected from stored advertisements based on the viewer profile of the viewer of the display. The targeted advertisement is displayed on the display. The viewer profile is updated based on subsequent signals received by the controller indicating usage of the viewer control interface. The signals indicate viewer reactions, for example, a viewer reaction to a broadcast stream or a viewer reaction to an advertisement or a viewer purchase.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a targeted advertisement to a viewer of a display in conjunction with displaying a broadcast stream on the display, the method comprising:

a. selecting a broadcast stream;

b. displaying the selected broadcast stream on the display;

c. receiving a first signal from a viewer control interface indicating a viewer reaction to the selected broadcast stream;

d. defining a viewer profile of the viewer of the display based on the viewer reaction to the selected broadcast stream;

e. selecting a first advertisement from a plurality of stored advertisements based on the viewer profile of the viewer of the display; and

f. displaying the first advertisement on the display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

g. updating the viewer profile based on a second signal received from the viewer control interface;

h. selecting a second advertisement from plurality of stored advertisements based on the updated viewer profile; and

i. displaying the second advertisement on the display.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting the updated viewer profile to a head end.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein step (g) comprises:

i. receiving a second signal from the viewer control interface indicating a viewer reaction to the first advertisement; and

ii. updating the viewer profile based on the second signal received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer reaction to the first advertisement.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein step (g) comprises:

i. receiving a second signal from the viewer control interface indicating a viewer purchase of a good/service; and

ii. updating the viewer profile based on the second signal received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer purchase of the good/service.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein step (g) comprises:

i. receiving a second signal from the viewer control interface indicating a viewer reaction to the selected broadcast stream; and

ii. updating the viewer profile based on the second signal received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer reaction to the selected broadcast stream.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein step (g) comprises:

i. receiving a second signal from the viewer control interface indicating a viewer program search; and

ii. updating the viewer profile based on the second signal received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer program search.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein steps (h)-(i) are repeated until a third signal received from the viewer control interface indicates a positive viewer reaction or until a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the viewer profile to a head end.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises:

i. displaying an identification of at least one of the stored advertisements including the first advertisement on the display; and

ii. receiving a second signal from the viewer control interface selecting the first advertisement to be displayed on the display.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein step (e)(i) comprises displaying an identification of at least one of the stored advertisements including the first advertisement via a menu on the display.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein step (e)(i) comprises displaying an identification of at least one of the stored advertisements including the first advertisement via a banner on the display.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein step (e)(i) comprises displaying an identification of at least one of the stored advertisements including the first advertisement via an icon on the display.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) comprises displaying the first advertisement on the display immediately prior to displaying a second broadcast stream on the display.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) comprises displaying the first advertisement on the display in a time slot adjacent to a time slot for displaying regularly scheduled advertisements within the broadcast stream.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) comprises displaying the first advertisement instead of displaying a regularly scheduled advertisement within the broadcast stream.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast stream is a television broadcast stream.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast stream is a cable broadcast stream.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast stream is a satellite broadcast stream.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast stream is an Internet broadcast stream.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises defining a viewer profile of a plurality of viewers of the display based on a plurality of signals received by a controller indicating usage of a viewer control interface by the plurality of viewers, and step (e) comprises:

i. determining an individual viewer profile for a viewer viewing the display at a current time; and

ii. selecting the first advertisement from the stored advertisements based on the individual viewer profile of the viewer of the display at the current time.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein in step (e)(ii) comprises selecting the first advertisement from the stored advertisements based on the individual viewer profile of the viewer of the display at the current time and based on content of the selected broadcast stream.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (e) comprises selecting the first advertisement from the stored advertisements based on the viewer profile and based on content of the selected broadcast stream.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the plurality of advertisements on a hard disk drive.

25. A method for displaying a targeted advertisement to a viewer of a display in conjunction with displaying a broadcast stream on the display, the method comprising:

a. selecting a broadcast stream;

b. displaying the selected broadcast stream on the display;

c. displaying at least one advertisement on the display;

d. receiving a first signal from a viewer control interface indicating a viewer reaction to the at least one advertisement;

e. defining a viewer profile of the viewer of the display based on the viewer reaction to the at least one advertisement;

f. selecting a first targeted advertisement from a plurality of stored advertisements based on the viewer profile; and

g. displaying the first targeted advertisement on the display.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

h. updating the viewer profile based on a second signal received from the viewer control interface;

i. selecting a second advertisement from plurality of stored advertisements based on the updated viewer profile; and

j. displaying the second advertisement on the display.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting the updated viewer profile to a head end.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein step (h) comprises:

i. receiving a second signal from the viewer control interface indicating a viewer reaction to the first advertisement; and

ii. updating the viewer profile based on the second signal received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer reaction to the first advertisement.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein step (h) comprises:

i. receiving a second signal from the viewer control interface indicating a viewer purchase of a good/service; and

ii. updating the viewer profile based on the second signal received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer purchase of the good/service.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein step (h) comprises:

i. receiving a second signal from the viewer control interface indicating a viewer reaction to the selected broadcast stream; and

ii. updating the viewer profile based on the second signal received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer reaction to the selected broadcast stream.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein step (h) comprises:

i. receiving a second signal from the viewer control interface indicating a viewer program search; and

ii. updating the viewer profile based on the second signal received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer program search.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein steps (i)-(j) are repeated until a third signal received from the viewer control interface indicates a positive viewer reaction or until a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

33. The method of claim 25, further comprising transmitting the viewer profile to a head end.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein step (f) comprises:

i. displaying an identification of at least one of the stored advertisements including the first advertisement on the display; and

ii. receiving a second signal from the viewer control interface selecting the first advertisement to be displayed on the display.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein step (f)(i) comprises displaying an identification of at least one of the stored advertisements including the first advertisement via a menu on the display.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein step (f)(i) comprises displaying an identification of at least one of the stored advertisements including the first advertisement via a banner on the display.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein step (f)(i) comprises displaying an identification of at least one of the stored advertisements including the first advertisement via an icon on the display.

38. The method of claim 25, wherein step (g) comprises displaying the first advertisement on the display immediately prior to displaying a second broadcast stream on the display.

39. The method of claim 25, wherein step (g) comprises displaying the first advertisement on the display in a time slot adjacent to a time slot for displaying regularly scheduled advertisements within the broadcast stream.

40. The method of claim 25, wherein step (g) comprises displaying the first advertisement instead of displaying a regularly scheduled advertisement within the broadcast stream.

41. The method of claim 25, wherein the broadcast stream is a television broadcast stream.

42. The method of claim 25, wherein the broadcast stream is a cable broadcast stream.

43. The method of claim 25, wherein the broadcast stream is a satellite broadcast stream.

44. The method of claim 25, wherein the broadcast stream is an Internet broadcast stream.

45. The method of claim 25, wherein step (e) comprises defining a viewer profile of a plurality of viewers of the display based on a plurality of signals received by a controller indicating usage of a viewer control interface by the plurality of viewers, and step (f) comprises:

i. determining an individual viewer profile for a viewer viewing the display at a current time; and

ii. selecting the first advertisement from the stored advertisements based on the individual viewer profile of the viewer of the display at the current time.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein in step (f)(ii) comprises selecting the first advertisement from the stored advertisements based on the individual viewer profile of the viewer of the display at the current time and based on content of the selected broadcast stream.

47. The method of claim 25, wherein in step (f) comprises selecting the first advertisement from the stored advertisements based on the viewer profile and based on content of the selected broadcast stream.

48. The method of claim 25, further comprising storing the plurality of advertisements on a hard disk drive.

49. A personal video recorder for sending a targeted advertisement to a display for viewing by a viewer in conjunction with viewing a broadcast stream on the display, the personal video recorder comprising:

a viewer control interface configured to allow the viewer to interact with the broadcast stream being displayed on the display;

a storage device for storing a plurality of advertisements; and

a controller responsive to the viewer control interface and connectable to the display, the controller configured to receive signals indicating a reaction to the broadcast stream from the viewer control interface, to define a viewer profile of the viewer of the display based on the signals received from the viewer control interface, to select a first advertisement from the plurality of stored advertisements based on the viewer profile, and to send the first advertisement to the display.

50. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the storage device is a hard disk drive.

51. The personal video recorder of claim 49, further comprising a remote interface in communication with the controller, the remote interface configured to transmit the viewer profile to a head end.

52. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the controller is further configured to update the viewer profile based on the signals received from the viewer control interface, to select a second advertisement from the plurality of stored advertisements based on the updated viewer profile, and to send the second advertisement to the display.

53. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the controller is further configured to receive signals indicating a viewer reaction to the first advertisement from the viewer control interface, to update the viewer profile based on the signals received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer reaction to the first advertisement, to select a second advertisement from the plurality of stored advertisements based on the updated viewer profile, and to send the second advertisement to the display.

54. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the controller is further configured to receive signals indicating a viewer purchase of a good/service from the viewer control interface, to update the viewer profile based on the signals received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer purchase of the good/service, to select a second advertisement from the plurality of stored advertisements based on the updated viewer profile, and to send the second advertisement to the display.

55. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the controller is further configured to receive signals indicating a viewer search request from the viewer control interface, to update the viewer profile based on the signals received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer search request, to select a second advertisement from the plurality of stored advertisements based on the updated viewer profile, and to send the second advertisement to the display.

56. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the controller displays the first advertisement on the display immediately prior to displaying a second broadcast stream on the display.

57. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the controller displays the first advertisement on the display in a time slot adjacent to a time slot for displaying regularly scheduled advertisements within the broadcast stream.

58. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the controller displays the first advertisement instead of displaying a regularly scheduled advertisement within the broadcast stream.

59. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the controller displays the first advertisement upon request by the viewer.

60. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the broadcast stream is a television broadcast stream.

61. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the broadcast stream is a cable broadcast stream.

62. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the broadcast stream is a satellite broadcast stream.

63. The personal video recorder of claim 49, wherein the broadcast stream is an Internet broadcast stream.

64. A personal video recorder for sending a targeted advertisement to a display for viewing by a viewer in conjunction with viewing a broadcast stream on the display, the personal video recorder comprising:

a viewer control interface configured to allow the viewer to interact with the broadcast stream being displayed on the display;

a storage device for storing a plurality of advertisements; and

a controller responsive to the viewer control interface and connectable to the display, the controller configured to receive signals indicating a reaction to at least one advertisement displayed on the display from the viewer control interface, to define a viewer profile of the viewer of the display based on the signals received from the viewer control interface, to select the first targeted advertisement based on the viewer profile, and to send the first targeted advertisement to the display.

65. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the storage device is a hard disk drive.

66. The personal video recorder of claim 64, further comprising a remote interface in communication with the controller, the remote interface configured to transmit the viewer profile to a head end.

67. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the controller is further configured to update the viewer profile based on the signals received from the viewer control interface, to select a second targeted advertisement from the plurality of stored advertisements based on the updated viewer profile, and to send the second targeted advertisement to the display.

68. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the controller is further configured to receive signals indicating a viewer reaction to the first targeted advertisement from the viewer control interface, to update the viewer profile based on the signals received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer reaction to the first targeted advertisement, to select a second targeted advertisement from the plurality of stored advertisements based on the updated viewer profile, and to send the second targeted advertisement to the display.

69. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the controller is further configured to receive signals indicating a viewer purchase of a good/service from the viewer control interface, to update the viewer profile based on the signals received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer purchase of the good/service, to select a second targeted advertisement from the plurality of stored advertisements based on the updated viewer profile, and to send the second targeted advertisement to the display.

70. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the controller is further configured to receive signals indicating a viewer search request from the viewer control interface, to update the viewer profile based on the signals received from the viewer control interface indicating the viewer search request, to select a second targeted advertisement from the plurality of stored advertisements based on the updated viewer profile, and to send the second targeted advertisement to the display.

71. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the controller displays the first targeted advertisement on the display immediately prior to displaying a second broadcast stream on the display.

72. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the controller displays the first targeted advertisement on the display in a time slot adjacent to a time slot for displaying regularly scheduled advertisements within the broadcast stream.

73. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the controller displays the first targeted advertisement instead of displaying a regularly scheduled advertisement within the broadcast stream.

74. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the controller displays the first targeted advertisement upon request by the viewer.

75. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the broadcast stream is a television broadcast stream.

76. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the broadcast stream is a cable broadcast stream.

77. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the broadcast stream is a satellite broadcast stream.

78. The personal video recorder of claim 64, wherein the broadcast stream is an Internet broadcast stream.