Advertisement system and methods for video-on-demand services

• US 20030188317A1
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mediachip International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mediachip International, Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, Chunyan Tricia, Liew, William J.
• Application Number:
  US10/109,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20030188317A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/88
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/231 Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers, prioritizing data for deletion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• 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 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26225 involving billing parameters, e.g. priority for subscribers of premium services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• 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

An advertisement system and methods for video-on-demand (VOD) services. The invented system comprises means and steps of synchronizing and coordinating between advertisement play and VOD play so that the advertisement play will not be skipped by fast-forwarding of the VOD play to assure the viewing of advertisements by viewers.

Claims

1. A VOD system comprising:

at least one advertisement server;

at least one VOD server;

a plurality of clients connecting to said advertisement server and said VOD server with each of said clients comprising;

a playing unit which plays VOD files or advertisement files and generates a VOD play or an advertisement play,

a VOD unit communicating with said VOD server,

an advertisement unit communicating with said advertisement server,

a scheduling unit which schedules said VOD play and said advertisement play according to scheduling commands from said advertisement server or said VOD server.

2. The VOD system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said VOD play is controlled separately than said advertisement play and said advertisement play cannot be controlled by said client.

3. The VOD system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said advertisement unit interrupts and pauses said VOD play and starts said advertisement play according said scheduling commands;

said advertisement unit resumes said VOD play after said advertisement play ends from a point where said VOD play was paused.

4. The VOD system as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said advertisement play cannot be interrupted or paused or stopped by any external commands other than said scheduling commands.

5. The VOD system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said client further comprises a storage unit;

advertisement files and VOD files from said storage unit are input into said playing unit for said advertisement play and said VOD play.

6. The VOD system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said client implements a fast forward play function by dropping a given number of video frames during said VOD play,

7. The VOD system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said client implements a slow forward play function by repeating video frames by a given number of times during said VOD play.

8. The VOD system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said client implements a fast backward play function by dropping a given number of video frames and playing video frames in a backward fashion during said VOD play.

9. The VOD system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said client implements a slow backward play function by repeating video frames by a given number of times and playing video frames in a backward fashion during said VOD play.

10. The VOD system as defined in claim 5 wherein:

said fast forward play can be interrupted and paused by said advertisement play according to said scheduling commands.

11. The VOD system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

each of said clients comprises a software program implementing a process comprising the steps of;

(11-1) starting said software program and then proceeding to step 11-2,

(11-2) checking if said advertisement play is scheduled, and proceeding to step 11-3 if said advertisement play is not scheduled, and proceeding to step 11-4 if said advertisement play is scheduled, and proceeding to step 11-6 if said advertisement play is scheduled or not scheduled,

(11-3) continuing said VOD play,

(11-4) interrupting and pausing said VOD play and proceeding to step 11-5,

(11-5) playing said advertisement play until said advertisement play ends, and proceeding to step 11-3,

(11-6) after a given delay, proceeding back to step 11-2.