Systems and methods for characterizing television preference over a wireless network
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Abstract
A system for interacting with viewers of television programming includes a television set and a network terminal for each such user. The terminals are connected by the network to an interactive server which maintains a first database of persistent information for each user and a second database of current preference information for each user. The current preference information includes registrations of users as viewing particular programs or as participating in certain activities chronicled in television programs, such as lotteries, polls, and product promotions. According to information in the first and second databases and according to current user requests, the interactive server forwards information to users'"'"' terminals, modifies content of all television programming, or modifies content of television programming targeted to certain users or groups of users for selection by those users'"'"' cable or satellite set-top boxes.
92 Citations
48 Claims
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1-16. -16. (canceled)
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17. A method for implementing television viewer polling, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a television signal from an interactive server to television sets of viewers;
registering, by a viewer, a desire to participate in a poll related to a particular program by sending a registration message from a terminal of the viewer to the interactive server using a communication network;
adding, by the interactive server, a message to the television signal, the message being displayed in the television sets with the particular program and indicating information related to the poll;
answering, by the viewer, the poll and sending the polling answer from the terminal to the interactive server; and
tabulating the results of the poll at the interactive server. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for implementing a television viewer poll, comprising:
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a television transmitter arranged and dimensioned for broadcasting a program to a plurality of television sets associated with a plurality of viewers;
an interactive server connected to said television transmitter for forwarding a television signal of the program to the television transmitter and connected to communication network for communicating with viewer terminals of viewers associated with respective television sets, said interactive server comprising means for conducting a poll related to the program, including means for receiving registration messages from terminals of participating viewers desiring to participate in the poll, sending a message with the television signal so that the message is displayed on the television sets with the program and indicates information related to the polls, and receiving results of the poll from the terminals of participating viewers and tabulating the results of the poll at the interactive server. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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- 39. An interactive server connected to a television transmitter for forwarding a television signal of the program to the television transmitter and connected to communication network for communicating with viewer terminals of viewers associated with respective television sets receiving the program, said interactive server comprising means for conducting a poll related to the program, including means for receiving registration messages from terminals of participating viewers desiring to participate in the poll, sending a message with the television signal so that the message is displayed on the television sets with the program and indicates information related to the polls, and receiving results of the poll from the terminals of the participating viewers and tabulating the results of the poll at the interactive server.
Specification