Method and system for the storage, viewing management, and delivery of targeted advertising

• US 20040025174A1
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Predictive Media Corporation
• Inventors: Cerrato, Dean E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• 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 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• 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 21/44224 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 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for managing television advertisements. The method includes determining if a subscriber has reached a minimum level of advertisement viewing and curtailing the service level of the subscriber if the subscriber does not maintain the minimum level of advertisement viewing.

Claims

1. A method for managing television advertisements, comprising:

collecting a plurality of television advertisements;

crediting a viewer each time the viewer views one of the television advertisements;

determining if a minimum level of advertisement viewing is maintained by the viewer by using the credited television advertisements; and

curtailing a service level of the viewer if the viewer does not maintain the minimum level of advertisement viewing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein set-top boxes are used for collecting the plurality of advertisements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a minimum level of advertisement viewing is maintained includes determining if advertisements are viewed within an acceptable time-frame.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a minimum level of advertisement viewing is maintained includes determining if advertisements are viewed at an acceptable frequency.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a minimum level of advertisement viewing is maintained includes determining if advertisements are viewed in acceptable overall numbers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a minimum level of advertisement viewing is maintained includes determining if advertisements are viewed over an acceptable distribution of types of advertisements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum level of advertisement viewing depends on a service tier elected by the viewer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the viewer to select the advertisements to be viewed.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising developing a profile of the viewer based on the advertisements selected by the viewer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising targeting the television advertisements to the viewer based on a profile of the viewer and content about the television advertisements.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising rating the collected television advertisements for relevance based on the viewer'"'"'s profile.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the viewer to manage when the viewer views television advertisements.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising requiring interaction from the viewer when one of the television advertisements is viewed in order for the viewer to be credited for viewing one of the television advertisements.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the interaction includes accepting start and stop instructions from the viewer.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the interaction includes manually initiating the display of the advertisement.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting a plurality of television advertisements includes collecting advertisements from one or more of a broadcast channel, an advertisement server, and a networked personal video recorder.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein curtailing the service level of the viewer includes reducing the level of service of the viewer until the viewer reaches the minimum level of advertisement viewing.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein curtailing the service level of the viewer includes pushing advertisements to the viewer.

19. A method for managing television advertisements, comprising:

collecting and maintaining a plurality of television advertisements;

determining if a minimum level of advertisement viewing is maintained by a viewer by monitoring the viewing of television advertisements by the viewer; and

negatively impacting a service level of the viewer if the viewer does not maintain the minimum level of advertisement viewing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein collecting and maintaining a plurality of television advertisements includes sorting the television advertisements for relevance based on the viewer'"'"'s profile.

21. A set top box for an iTV, comprising:

a memory for storing a program; and

a processor operative with the program to;

collect a plurality of television advertisements;

credit a viewer each time the viewer views one of the television advertisements;

determine if a minimum level of advertisement viewing is maintained by the viewer by using the credited television advertisements; and

curtail a service level of the viewer if the viewer does not maintain the minimum level of advertisement viewing.

22. A method for managing television advertisements, comprising:

collecting a plurality of television advertisements;

crediting a viewer each time the viewer views one of the television advertisements;

determining if a minimum level of advertisement viewing is maintained by the viewer by using the credited television advertisements; and

providing the viewer with a discount for service if the viewer maintains at least the minimum level of advertisement viewing.