System and method for performing purchase transactions utilizing a broadcast-based device

• US 20050049933A1
• Filed: 01/06/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Upendran, Manish, Rowlen, Matthew, Vakili, Valla, Behhnam-Dehkordy, Hamid-Reza
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/42684 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 21/4532 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and method for performing purchase transactions utilizing a broadcast-based device. In one embodiment, an online user interface is used to enter a plurality of user preferences that are then used to tailor what purchase options will be available to a client-side broadcast-based device. In another embodiment, product purchases may be made using a broadcast-based device, where the purchase transaction options and setting have been previously defined in an online environment. In yet another embodiment, the product purchase options presented are based on predetermined criteria, such as previous user activity.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a user computer, coupled to a data network, to display a user interface usable to enter a plurality of purchase preferences; and

a broadcast-based client-side device, coupled to the network, to receive user preference data from said data network based on said plurality of purchase preferences, and to receive broadcast programming content from a broadcast source, said broadcast-based client-side device to include,

a display to display a plurality of purchase options based on said plurality of purchase preferences, and

a user input device to select from among said plurality of purchase options, and to consummate a purchase transaction.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said data network is the Internet, said broadcast source is a television programming source, and said client-side device includes a set top box that is coupled to the Internet and to said broadcast source.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said user interface is used to access a user account prior to entering said plurality of purchase preferences, said user account to be used to associate said plurality of purchase preferences with a particular user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said broadcast-based client-side device is associated with said user account and said plurality of purchase preferences by performing a secure logon operation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of purchase preferences includes at least one of payment method, product preference information and product delivery information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said user preference data is based on at least one of said plurality of purchase preferences and a user profile, where said user profile is based on tracking user activities.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said user activities include at least one of websites visited, online keyword searching, broadcast content viewed, broadcast content searching.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of purchase options includes at least one of a list of downloadable/ recordable content that is available to purchase, products available to purchase and purchase history.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of purchase options includes subscription-based video on demand (SVOD) purchase options.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of purchase options are displayed on said display as an overlay to said broadcast programming content.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said overlay is displayed based on said broadcast programming content that is currently being viewed on said display.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said purchase transaction is consummated using a secure connection between said broadcast-based client-side device and a server coupled to said data network.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said server is a third-party retailer that is paid according to a payment method contained in said plurality of purchase preferences, and delivers a product according to a delivery method contained in said plurality of purchase preferences.

14. A method comprising:

entering a plurality of purchase preferences using a user interface displayed on a user computer that is coupled to a data network;

receiving, by a broadcast-based client-side device coupled to the data network, user preference data from said data network and broadcast programming content from a broadcast source, said user preference data to be based on said plurality of purchase preferences;

displaying, on a display of said broadcast-based client-side device, a plurality of purchase options based on said plurality of purchase preferences;

selecting from among said plurality of purchase options using a user input device of said broadcast-based client-side device; and

consummating a purchase transaction using said user input device of the broadcast-based client-side device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said receiving comprises receiving user preference data from the data network and broadcast programming content from the broadcast source, wherein said user preference data is based on said plurality of purchase preferences, said data network is the Internet, said broadcast source is a television programming source, and said broadcast-based client-side device includes a set top box that is coupled to the Internet and to said broadcast source.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising accessing, using said user interface, a user account prior to said entering the plurality of purchase preferences, said user account to be used to associate said plurality of purchase preferences with a particular user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising performing, by said broadcast-based client-side device, a secure logon operation wherein said client-side device is associated with said user account and said plurality of purchase preferences.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said entering comprises entering the plurality of purchase preferences using the user interface displayed on the user computer that is coupled to the data network, said plurality of purchase preferences to include at least one of a payment method, product preference information and product delivery information.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising tracking user activities to establish a user profile, said user preference data to be based on at least one of said plurality of purchase preferences and said user profile.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said tracking user activities comprises tracking user activities to establish the user profile, said user preference data to be based on at least one of said plurality of purchase preferences and said user profile, where said user activities include at least one of websites visited, online keyword searching, broadcast content viewed, broadcast content searching.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said displaying comprises displaying, on a display of said broadcast-based client-side device, said plurality of purchase options based on said plurality of purchase preferences, where said plurality of purchase options includes at least one of a list of downloadable/ recordable content that is available to purchase, products available to purchase and purchase history.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein said displaying comprises displaying, on a display of said broadcast-based client-side device, said plurality of purchase options based on said plurality of purchase preferences, wherein said plurality of purchase options includes subscription-based video on demand (SVOD) purchase options.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying said plurality of purchase options on said display as an overlay to said broadcast programming content.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said displaying the plurality of purchase options comprises displaying said plurality of purchase options on the display as said overlay to said broadcast programming content, where said plurality of purchase options are based on said broadcast programming content that is currently being viewed on said display.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein said consummating the purchase transaction comprises consummating the purchase transaction using said user input device of the broadcast-based client-side device over a secure connection between said broadcast-based client-side device and a server coupled to said data network.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

making payment to said server where said server is a third-party retailer that is paid according to a payment method contained in said plurality of purchase preferences; and

delivering a product according to a delivery method contained in said plurality of purchase preferences.

27. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer program code embodied therein to display information, the computer program product having;

computer readable program code to enter a plurality of purchase preferences using a user interface displayed on a user computer that is coupled to a data network;

computer readable program code to receive, by a broadcast-based client-side device coupled to the data network, user preference data from said data network and broadcast programming content from a broadcast source, said user preference data to be based on said plurality of purchase preferences;

computer readable program code to display, on a display of said broadcast-based client-side device, a plurality of purchase options based on said plurality of purchase preferences;

computer readable program code to select from among said plurality of purchase options using a user input device of said broadcast-based client-side device; and

computer readable program code to consummate a purchase transaction using said user input device of the broadcast-based client-side device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said computer readable program code to receive comprises computer readable program code to receive user preference data from the data network and broadcast programming content from the broadcast source, wherein said user preference data is based on said plurality of purchase preferences, said data network is the Internet, said broadcast source is a television programming source, and said client-side device includes a set top box that is coupled to the Internet and to said broadcast source.

29. The computer program product of claim 27, further having computer readable program code to access, using said user interface, a user account prior to said entering the plurality of purchase preferences, said user account to be used to associate said plurality of purchase preferences with a particular user.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, further having computer readable program code to perform, by said broadcast-based client-side device, a secure logon operation wherein said client-side device is associated with said user account and said plurality of purchase preferences by.

31. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein said computer readable program code to enter comprises computer readable program code to enter the plurality of purchase preferences using the user interface displayed on the user computer that is coupled to the data network, said plurality of purchase preferences to include at least one of a payment method, product preference information and product delivery information.

32. The computer program product of claim 27, further having computer readable program code to track user activities to establish a user profile, said user preference data to be based on at least one of said plurality of purchase preferences and said user profile.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein said computer readable program code to track user activities comprises computer readable program code to track user activities to establish the user profile, said user preference data to be based on at least one of said plurality of purchase preferences and said user profile, where said user activities include at least one of websites visited, online keyword searching, broadcast content viewed, broadcast content searching.

34. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein said computer readable program code to display comprises computer readable program code to display, on a display of said broadcast-based client-side device, said plurality of purchase options based on said plurality of purchase preferences, where said plurality of purchase options includes at least one of a list of downloadable/ recordable content that is available to purchase, products available to purchase and purchase history.

35. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein said computer readable program code to display comprises computer readable program code to display, on a display of said broadcast-based client-side device, said plurality of purchase options based on said plurality of purchase preferences, wherein said plurality of purchase options includes subscription-based video on demand (SVOD) purchase options.

36. The computer program product of claim 27, further having computer readable program code to display said plurality of purchase options on said display as an overlay to said broadcast programming content.

37. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein said computer readable program code to display the plurality of purchase options comprises computer readable program code to display said plurality of purchase options on the display as said overlay to said broadcast programming content, where said plurality of purchase options are based on said broadcast programming content that is currently being viewed on said display.

38. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein said computer readable program code to consummate the purchase transaction comprises computer readable program code to consummate the purchase transaction using said user input device of the broadcast-based client-side device over a secure connection between said broadcast-based client-side device and a server coupled to said data network.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, further having:

computer readable program code to make payment to said server where said server is a third-party retailer that is paid according to a payment method contained in said plurality of purchase preferences; and

computer readable program code to deliver a product according to a delivery method contained in said plurality of purchase preferences.