Processing and presentation of infomercials for audio-visual programs

• US 20050204385A1
• Filed: 03/01/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vivcom, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vivcom, Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Hyeokman, Sull, Sanghoon, Chun, Seong Soo, Rostoker, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US11/069,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20050204385A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

Techniques are provided enabling users to search for, select and/or watch an infomercial of interest including commercials, advertisements, and the like from a recorded stream. The user'"'"'s history can be analyzed in the DVR, and replacing an original advertisement in a live/recorded program by one or more other advertisement(s) belonging to a genre type from the user history stored in the DVR. A GUI is provided for an infomercial guide; and when a user selects the infomercial guide, displaying the infomercial guide so that the user can select infomercials of interest. The user may select the infomercial guide by pressing a dedicated key on a remote control. In a first window of the GUI, upper categories of infomercials that are recorded or downloaded in the DVR may be displayed. The user may select one of the upper categories of interest by moving a highlight cursor. In a second window of the GUI, a more detailed categorization of the categories based on the user'"'"'s selection in the first window of the GUI may be displayed.

Claims

1. A method of presenting of infomercials for AV programs comprising:

providing means for enabling users to search for, select and/or watch an infomercial of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

infomercial metadata is extracted from an EPG and stored in the database of a DVR with additional information such as PID, major/minor channel number, a visual feature of a first frame of the segment or the entire segment, start time of recording and the start time of the video stream which infomercial metadata references to.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

keeping a copy of the infomercial segment in local storage of the DVR.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

if a video file for the infomercial segment is not in the local storage of the DVR, downloading the video file from a video server.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

playing the infomercials stored in a DVR while a user is watching a live/recorded program in the DVR.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in the DVR, analyzing a user history, and replacing an original advertisement in a live/recorded program by one or more other advertisement(s) belonging to a genre type from the user history stored in the DVR.

7. A method of presenting infomercials comprising:

providing a GUI for an infomercial guide; and

displaying the infomercial guide for user selection of infomercials.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the user selects the infomercial guide by pressing a dedicated key on a remote control.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

in a first window of the GUI, displaying upper categories of infomercials that are recorded or downloaded in the DVR.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the upper categories of the infomercials are selected from any of a categorical genre table.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

the user selecting a selected one of the upper categories of interest by moving a highlight cursor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the user makes the selection by using a dedicated input device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

in a second window of the GUI, displaying a more detailed categorization of the categories based on the user'"'"'s selection in the first window of the GUI.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

when the user selects a more detailed categorization, a third window appears that shows titles of infomercial segments.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the titles of infomercial segments comprise text.