SYSTEM AND METHOD OF INSERTING ADVERTISEMENTS INTO AN INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEM DISPLAY

• US 20030135853A1
• Filed: 03/08/1999
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: GOLDMAN, PHILLIP Y., KILLIANEY, MICHAEL A., ZIGMOND, DANIEL J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,051,351 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: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• 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 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods for selecting and inserting advertisements in an information document displayed to a user, wherein the selection is based at least in part on television programming viewed by the user. The systems and methods may be implemented using the Internet or another information retrieval system that includes a client system and a remote server. The client system monitors television programming viewed by the user and compiles a user profile characterizing the television programming. When the user requests an Internet resource using the client system, the television programming information in the user profile is utilized to select an appropriate advertisement. The advertisement is then inserted in the information document and displayed to the user. Advertisement selection and insertion may be conducted at the remote server, the client system, or at the level of the Internet service provider. Such selection of advertisement increases the efficiency by which Internet advertisements are tailored to individuals. Instead of advertisements, information relating to the television programming may be retrieved over the Internet and displayed without direct user assistance.

Claims

1. In an information retrieval system including a server computer and a client system having a display device, wherein the client system has access to television programming viewed by a user of the information retrieval system, a method for inserting an advertisement into a document displayed on the display device, the method comprising the steps of:

compiling a profile of the user of the information retrieval system, including at least information associated with the television programming viewed by the user;

requesting, by the client system, an information document from the server computer;

selecting, based at least in part on the profile and on designated selection criteria, an advertisement from among a plurality of advertisements for insertion into the information document;

inserting data representing the selected advertisement into the information document; and

displaying the information document, including the selected advertisement, on the display device.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of inserting data representing the selected advertisement is conducted at the server computer.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of inserting data representing the selected advertisement is conducted by an Internet service provider.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of inserting data representing the selected advertisement is conducted at the client system.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, further comprising, before the step of selecting an advertisement, the step of receiving the plurality of advertisements at the client system.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, further comprising the step of storing the plurality of advertisements at the client system after the step of receiving the plurality of advertisements.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the information document is an HTML document.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of compiling the profile includes the step of including in the profile user information further characterizing the user, in addition to the television programming viewed by the user.

9. In an information retrieval system including a server computer and a client system having a display device, wherein the client system has access to television programming viewed by a user of the information retrieval system, a method for inserting an advertisement into a document displayed on the display device, the method comprising the steps of:

compiling a profile of the user of the information retrieval system at the client system, the profile including at least information associated with the television programming viewed by the user;

transmitting the profile from the client system to the server computer,

requesting, by the client terminal, an information document from the server computer;

selecting, by the server computer, an advertisement from among a plurality of advertisements for insertion into the information document, the advertisement being selected based at least in part on the profile and on designated selection criteria;

inserting, by the server computer, data representing the selected advertisement into the information document;

transmitting the information document, including the data, to the client system; and

displaying the information document, including the selected advertisement, on the display device.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the step of compiling the profile comprises the step of identifying content of the television programming using an electronic television programming database having a content description corresponding to the television programming.

11. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the step of compiling the profile comprises the step of identifying content of the television programming by monitoring closed captioning information associated with the television programming.

12. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the step of compiling the profile comprises the step of including demographic information associated with the user in the profile.

13. In an information retrieval system including a server computer and a client system having a display device, wherein the client system has access to television programming viewed by a user of the information retrieval system, a method for displaying information on the display device in response to the television programming, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring, by the client system, television programming viewed by the user of the information retrieval system;

comparing the television programming viewed by the user to a plurality of information categories to identify at least one information category that corresponds, according to designated selection criteria, with the television programming;

requesting, by the client system, an information document classified under the at least one identified information category from the server computer; and

displaying the information document on the display device.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the information document includes news.

15. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the information document includes reference information relating to the content of the television programming.

16. A method as defined in claim 13, further comprising, prior to the step of comparing the television programming viewed by the user to the plurality of information categories, the step of selecting the plurality of information categories based in part on user input.

17. A method as defined in claim 13, further comprising, prior to the step of comparing the television programming viewed by the user to the plurality of information categories, the step of selecting the plurality of information categories based at least in part on a profile of the user.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein the profile includes information associated with the television programming viewed by the user.

19. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the step of requesting an information document is conducted without direct user assistance.

20. A computer program product for implementing a method of displaying an information document including an advertisement selected at least in part on television programming viewed by a user of an information retrieval system, wherein the method is implemented in a client system of the information retrieval system, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium carrying computer-executable instructions for implementing the method, wherein the computer-executable instructions comprise;

program code means for monitoring television programming viewed by the user;

program code means for compiling a user profile, wherein the user profile includes information associated with the television programming viewed by the user;

program code means for requesting an information document from a server computer; and

program code means for displaying the information document having the advertisement included therein, wherein the advertisement has been selected from a plurality of advertisements based at least in part on the user profile.

21. A computer program product as defined in claim 20, wherein the computer-executable instructions further comprise program code means for initiating transmission of the user profile to the server computer, wherein the advertisement is selected from the plurality of advertisements at the server computer.

22. A computer program product as defined in claim 20, wherein the computer-executable instructions further comprise program code means for initiating transmission of the user profile to an Internet service provider, wherein the advertisement is selected from the plurality of advertisements at the Internet service provider.

23. A computer program product as defined in claim 20, wherein the computer-executable instructions further comprise program code means for selecting the advertisement from among the plurality of advertisements at the client terminal.

24. A computer program product as defined in claim 23, wherein the computer-executable instructions further comprise program code means for receiving the plurality of advertisements from an advertisement source and storing the plurality of advertisements at the client system.

25. A computer program product as defined in claim 23, wherein the computer-executable instructions further comprise program code means for inserting data representing the selected advertisement into the information document.

26. A computer program product as defined in claim 20, wherein the program code means for monitoring television programming comprises program code means for monitoring an electronic programming database that includes content descriptions associated with the television programming.

27. A computer program product as defined in claim 20, wherein the program code means for monitoring television programming comprises program code means for monitoring closed captioning information associated with the television programming.

28. A system configured to display an information document including an advertisement selected at least in part on television programming viewed by a user of the system, the system comprising:

a home entertainment system for providing the television programming viewed by the user, including;

a television programming feed for delivering the television programming; and

a television for displaying the television programming; and

an information retrieval system including;

means for monitoring the television programming viewed by the user;

means for compiling a user profile, including at least information associated with television programming viewed by the user;

means for requesting an information document from a server computer; and

means for displaying the information document having the advertisement included therein, wherein the advertisement has been selected from a plurality of advertisements based at least in part on the user profile.

29. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the means for displaying the information document comprises the television of the home entertainment system.

30. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the means for requesting an information document comprises an Internet browser.

31. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the means for monitoring the television programming viewed by the user comprises an electronic programming database monitoring unit.

32. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the means for monitoring the television programming viewed by the user comprises a closed captioning monitoring unit.