Program guide system with monitoring of advertisement usage and user activities

• US 20050251824A1
• Filed: 07/14/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Viedeo Properties Incorporated
• Original Assignee: United Viedeo Properties Incorporated
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Hassell, Joel G., Knudson, Edward B, Lemmons, Thomas R., Berezowski, David M., Thomas, William L., Boyer, Franklin E., Marshall, Connie T., Kern, Donald C.
• Application Number:
  US11/182,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251824A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• 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 21/44245 Monitoring the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. its availability, bandwidth
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 : End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A program guide system is provided in which interactive television program guide advertisement usage is monitored. Advertisement usage may be monitored by monitoring when advertisements are transmitted from a television distribution facility to user television equipment. Advertisement usage information may also be monitored by monitoring when advertisements are received by the user television equipment. Advertisement usage information may also be monitored at the time at which advertisements are displayed by a program guide. Less important data may be filtered from the collected advertisement usage data. Other activities that may be monitored include the viewing activities of the user, which program guide screens are displayed, and which non-program-guide applications are used. Real-time ratings information (e.g., real-time ratings of the popularity of certain television programs, video games, or other applications) may be provided to users in real time.

Claims

1. A system in which advertisements are displayed for users by an interactive television program guide implemented on user television equipment, comprising:

means for displaying the advertisements on the user television equipment with the interactive television program guide; and

means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements in the interactive television program guide.

2. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises means for collecting information on the amount that the advertisements are displayed.

3. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises means for collecting information on the location in the program guide where the advertisements are displayed.

4. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on which advertisements are displayed.

5. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises means for collecting advertisement identifier information which identifies which advertisements are displayed.

6. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises means for collecting information on the number of times each advertisement is displayed.

7. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises means for collecting information on which program guide screens advertisements are displayed on.

8. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises means for collecting information on which screens are active when a given one of the advertisements is selected by one of the users.

9. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises means for collecting information on which user actions result directly from selection of a given one of the advertisements by one of the users.

10. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises means for collecting information on the times that advertisements are displayed.

11. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises means for collecting information on the times that actions are taken automatically by the program guide.

12. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on which screens are displayed by the program guide.

13. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting screen identifier information that uniquely identifies which program guide screens are displayed by the program guide.

14. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on the frequency with which certain program guide screens are displayed by the program guide.

15. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on the duration for which program guide screens are displayed by the program guide.

16. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on how users arrive at program guide screens in the program guide.

17. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on which television programs are displayed on the user television equipment.

18. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on whether a user interacts with the program guide during the display of a given program on the user television equipment.

19. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on whether the user television equipment is muted during the display of a given program on the user television equipment.

20. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on whether a screen overlay is present on the user television equipment during the display of a given program on the user television equipment.

21. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on which non-program-guide applications are used on the user television equipment.

22. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information with the program guide on which non-program-guide applications are used on the user television equipment.

23. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on how users invoke non-program-guide applications on the user television equipment.

24. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for collecting information on the amount that non-program-guide applications are used on the user television equipment.

25. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the advertisements are transmitted to the user television equipment from a television distribution facility, the system further comprising means for monitoring when advertisements are transmitted from the television distribution facility to the user television equipment.

26. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the advertisements are transmitted to the user television equipment from a television distribution facility, the system further comprising means for monitoring when advertisements that are transmitted from the television distribution facility are received at the user television equipment.

27. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the advertisements are transmitted to a television distribution facility from a main facility, the system further comprising means for monitoring when advertisements are transmitted from the main facility to the television distribution facility.

28. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the information that is collected on the usage of advertisements in the program guide is transmitted from the user television equipment to a data processing facility, the system further comprising means for filtering out less important information from the collected information prior to transmission of the collected information from the user television equipment.

29. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the information that is collected on the usage of advertisements in the program guide is transmitted from the user television equipment to a data processing facility, the system further comprising means for filtering out less important information from the collected information at the data processing facility.

30. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising filter means for filtering out less important information from the information collected on advertisement usage, the filter means being based on specific advertisements.

31. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on advertisement usage further comprises means for collecting information for multiple user profiles.

32. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising:

means for collecting real-time ratings information; and

and means for displaying the real-time ratings information on the user television equipment.

33. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements in the interactive television program guide by substantially all users of the system.

34. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises means for collecting information on the usage of the advertisements in the interactive television program guide by a subset of users of the system.

35. A method for monitoring advertisement usage in a system in which advertisements are displayed for users by an interactive television program guide implemented on user television equipment, comprising the steps of:

displaying the advertisements on the user television equipment with the interactive television program guide; and

collecting information on the usage of the advertisements in the interactive television program guide.

36. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises the step of collecting information on the amount that the advertisements are displayed.

37. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises the step of collecting information on the location in the program guide where the advertisements are displayed.

38. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on which advertisements are displayed.

39. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises the step of collecting advertisement identifier information which identifies which advertisements are displayed.

40. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises the step of collecting information on the number of times each advertisement is displayed.

41. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises the step of collecting information on which program guide screens advertisements are displayed on.

42. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises the step of collecting information on which screens are active when a given one of the advertisements is selected by one of the users.

43. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises the step of collecting information on which user actions result directly from selection of a given one of the advertisements by one of the users.

44. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises the step of collecting information on the times that advertisements are displayed.

45. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises the step of collecting information on the times that actions are taken automatically by the program guide.

46. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on which screens are displayed by the program guide.

47. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting screen identifier information that uniquely identifies which program guide screens are displayed by the program guide.

48. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on the frequency with which certain program guide screens are displayed by the program guide.

49. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on the duration for which program guide screens are displayed by the program guide.

50. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on how users arrive at program guide screens in the program guide.

51. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on which television programs are displayed on the user television equipment.

52. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on whether a user interacts with the program guide during the display of a given program on the user television equipment.

53. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on whether the user television equipment is muted during the display of a given program on the user television equipment.

54. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on whether a screen overlay is present on the user television equipment during the display of a given program on the user television equipment.

55. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on which non-program-guide applications are used on the user television equipment.

56. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information with the program guide on which non-program-guide applications are used on the user television equipment.

57. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on how users invoke non-program-guide applications on the user television equipment.

58. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of collecting information on the amount that non-program-guide applications are used on the user television equipment.

59. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the advertisements are transmitted to the user television equipment from a television distribution facility, the method further comprising the step of monitoring when advertisements are transmitted from the television distribution facility to the user television equipment.

60. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the advertisements are transmitted to the user television equipment from a television distribution facility, the method further comprising the step of monitoring when advertisements that are transmitted from the television distribution facility are received at the user television equipment.

61. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the advertisements are transmitted to a television distribution facility from a main facility, the method further comprising the step of monitoring when advertisements are transmitted from the main facility to the television distribution facility.

62. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the information that is collected on the usage of advertisements in the program guide is transmitted from the user television equipment to a data processing facility, the method further comprising the step of filtering out less important information from the collected information prior to transmission of the collected information from the user television equipment.

63. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the information that is collected on the usage of advertisements in the program guide is transmitted from the user television equipment to a data processing facility, the method further comprising the step of filtering out less important information from the collected information at the data processing facility.

64. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the step of filtering out less important information from the information collected on advertisement usage with a filter based on specific advertisements.

65. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on advertisement usage further comprises the step of collecting information for multiple user profiles.

66. The method defined in claim 35 further comprising the steps of:

collecting real-time ratings information; and

displaying the real-time ratings information on the user television equipment.

67. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements in the interactive television program guide by substantially all users of the system.

68. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements further comprises the step of collecting information on the usage of the advertisements in the interactive television program guide by a subset of users of the system.

69. A system for providing real-time ratings to users, comprising:

means for collecting real-time ratings information based on the activities of users at user television equipment; and

means for displaying the real-time ratings information on the user television equipment in real time.

70. The system defined in claim 69 further comprising means for providing an opportunity for defining a time frame for the real-time ratings.

71. The system defined in claim 70 wherein the means for providing the opportunity for defining the time frame for the real-time ratings comprises means for providing an opportunity for defining a time frame of this hour for the real-time ratings.

72. The system defined in claim 70 wherein the means for providing the opportunity for defining the time frame for the real-time ratings comprises means for providing an opportunity for defining a time frame of this evening for the real-time ratings.

73. The system defined in claim 70 wherein the means for providing the opportunity for defining the time frame for the real-time ratings comprises means for providing an opportunity for defining a time frame of today for the real-time ratings.

74. The system defined in claim 70 wherein the means for providing the opportunity for defining the time frame for the real-time ratings further comprises means for providing an opportunity for defining a time frame of this week for the real-time ratings.

75. The system defined in claim 70 wherein the means for providing the opportunity for defining the time frame for the real-time ratings further comprises means for providing an opportunity for defining a time frame of this instant for the real-time ratings.

76. The system defined in claim 69 further comprising means for providing an opportunity for selecting a geographic area for the real-time ratings.

77. The system defined in claim 69 further comprising means for providing an opportunity for selecting a genre for the real-time ratings.

78. The system defined in claim 69 further comprising means for providing an opportunity for selecting whether the real-time ratings are for television programs.

79. The system defined in claim 69 further comprising means for providing an opportunity for selecting whether the real-time ratings are for applications.

80. The system defined in claim 69 further comprising means for providing an opportunity for selecting whether the real-time ratings are for non-program-guide applications.

81. The system defined in claim 69 further comprising means for providing an opportunity for selecting whether the real-time ratings are for video games.

82. The system defined in claim 69 wherein the means for displaying the real-time ratings information comprises means for displaying real-time television program ratings.

83. The system defined in claim 69 wherein the means for displaying the real-time ratings information comprises means for displaying real-time video game ratings.

84. The system defined in claim 69 wherein the means for displaying the real-time ratings information comprises means for displaying real-time ratings for a time period of this evening.

85. The system defined in claim 69 wherein the means for displaying the real-time ratings information comprises means for displaying real-time ratings for a time period of this instant.

86. The system defined in claim 69 further comprising means for allowing each user to select which type of real-time ratings are displayed.

87. The system defined in claim 69 wherein the means for collecting the real-time ratings information comprises means for colleting information on whether a muting function is used when certain programs are watched.

88. The system defined in claim 69 wherein the means for collecting the real-time ratings information comprises means for collecting information on whether any portion of the video of a program is blocked as that program is watched.

89. The system defined in claim 69 wherein the real-time ratings information comprises a list of programs, the system further comprising means for selecting one of the programs to purchase.

90. The system defined in claim 69 wherein the real-time ratings information comprises a list of programs, the system further comprising means for selecting one of the programs to set a reminder for that program.

91. The system defined in claim 69 wherein the real-time ratings information comprises a list of programs, the system further comprising means for selecting one of the programs to record.

92. A method for providing real-time ratings to users, comprising the steps of:

collecting real-time ratings information based on the activities of users at user television equipment; and

displaying the real-time ratings information on the user television equipment in real time.

93. The method defined in claim 92 further comprising the step of providing an opportunity for defining a time frame for the real-time ratings.

94. The method defined in claim 93 wherein the step of providing the opportunity for defining the time frame for the real-time ratings comprises the step of providing an opportunity for defining a time frame of this hour for the real-time ratings.

95. The method defined in claim 93 wherein the step of providing the opportunity for defining the time frame for the real-time ratings comprises the step of providing an opportunity for defining a time frame of this evening for the real-time ratings.

96. The method defined in claim 93 wherein the step of providing the opportunity for defining the time frame for the real-time ratings comprises the step of providing an opportunity for defining a time frame of today for the real-time ratings.

97. The method defined in claim 93 wherein the step of providing the opportunity for defining the time frame for the real-time ratings further comprises the step of providing an opportunity for defining a time frame of this week for the real-time ratings.

98. The method defined in claim 93 wherein the step of providing the opportunity for defining the time frame for the real-time ratings further comprises the step of providing an opportunity for defining a time frame of this instant for the real-time ratings.

99. The method defined in claim 92 further comprising the step of providing an opportunity for selecting a geographic area for the real-time ratings.

100. The method defined in claim 92 further comprising the step of providing an opportunity for selecting a genre for the real-time ratings.

101. The method defined in claim 92 further comprising the step of providing an opportunity for selecting whether the real-time ratings are for television programs.

102. The method defined in claim 92 further comprising the step of providing an opportunity for selecting whether the real-time ratings are for applications.

103. The method defined in claim 92 further comprising the step of providing an opportunity for selecting whether the real-time ratings are for non-program-guide applications.

104. The method defined in claim 92 further comprising the step of providing an opportunity for selecting whether the real-time ratings are for video games.

105. The method defined in claim 92 wherein the step of displaying the real-time ratings information comprises the step of displaying real-time television program ratings.

106. The method defined in claim 92 wherein the step of displaying the real-time ratings information comprises the step of displaying real-time video game ratings.

107. The method defined in claim 92 wherein the step of displaying the real-time ratings information comprises the step of displaying real-time ratings for a time period of this evening.

108. The method defined in claim 92 wherein the step of displaying the real-time ratings information comprises the step of displaying real-time ratings for a time period of this instant.

109. The method defined in claim 92 further comprising the step of allowing each user to select which type of real-time ratings are displayed.

110. The method defined in claim 92 wherein the step of collecting the real-time ratings information comprises the step of colleting information on whether a muting function is used when certain programs are watched.

111. The method defined in claim 92 wherein the step of collecting the real-time ratings information comprises the step of collecting information on whether any portion of the video of a program is blocked as that program is being watched.

112. The method defined in claim 92 wherein the real-time ratings information comprises a list of programs, the method further comprising the step of selecting one of the programs to purchase.

113. The method defined in claim 92 wherein the real-time ratings information comprises a list of programs, the method further comprising the step of selecting one of the programs to set a reminder for that program.

114. The method defined in claim 92 wherein the real-time ratings information comprises a list of programs, the method further comprising the step of selecting one of the programs to record.

115. A system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on user television equipment, comprising:

means for displaying program guide display screens on the user television equipment with the interactive television program guide; and

means for collecting information on which program guide display screens are displayed in the interactive television program guide.

116. A method for using a system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on user television equipment, comprising the steps of:

displaying program guide display screens on the user television equipment with the interactive television program guide; and

collecting information on which program guide display screens are displayed in the interactive television program guide.

117. A system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on user television equipment, comprising:

means for providing an opportunity for a user to use non-program-guide applications on the user television equipment; and

means for collecting information with the interactive television program guide on which non-program guide applications are used.

118. A method for using a system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on user television equipment, comprising the steps of:

providing an opportunity for a user to use non-program-guide applications on the user television equipment; and

collecting information with the interactive television program guide on which non-program guide applications are used.