Method and system for addressable and program independent advertising during recorded programs

• US 20050283796A1
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Prime Research Alliance E, LLC
• Original Assignee: Prime Research Alliance E., Inc.
• Inventors: Flickinger, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US11/196,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283796A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/35
• 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 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for delivering addressable or targeted advertising to subscribers during programming that the subscribers have recorded identifies the timing and characterization of programs to be recorded and the probable subscriber of those programs. Using the subscriber profiles of those subscribers, either already developed or generated on-the-fly based on program selection, and ad characterizations/profiles, the system generates a schedule of advertisements to be inserted into the avails (advertising opportunities) of the programming as it is recorded. The schedule generated can depend on correlations or matching between the ad profiles and the subscribers'"'"' profile, scheduling requirements (i.e., contracts and sales with advertisers) and timing. This system allows for targeted advertising to be delivered to subscribers during recorded programming and thus provides for additional opportunities for advertisers to reach subscribers in a highly addressable fashion.

Claims

1. A method of delivering targeted advertisements to a plurality of video recording devices associated with a plurality of subscribers, the method comprising:

(a) receiving recording schedules from one or more of the subscribers, wherein the recording schedules identify programs to be recorded by the one or more subscribers on the associated video recording devices;

(b) retrieving demographic data for the one or more subscribers;

(c) assigning the one or more subscribers to at least one market segment based on the demographic data and the received recording schedules;

(d) associating one or more targeted advertisements to the each of the at least one market segments;

(e) delivering the targeted advertisements to the video recording devices associated with the market segments.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) includes characterizing the programs to be recorded.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the assigning of step (c) is based on the characterization of step (a).

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the characterization in step (a) is performed using data from an electronic program guide.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) includes generating the recording schedules based on programming the video recording devices to record programming.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said programming the video recording devices is performed via an electronic program guide.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the assigning in step (c) is based on the content of the programs identified in the received recording schedules.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the assigning in step (c) is based on analyzing data regarding subscriber interactions with an electronic program guide.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the targeted advertisements are delivered prior to recording the identified programs.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the associating of step (d) is based on a comparison of a profile of the targeted advertisements with each of the at least one market segments.