Method and system for interacting with on-demand video content

• US 20060129458A1
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Media IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Media IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Maggio, Frank S.
• Application Number:
  US11/348,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129458A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0218 based on score
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

A network can provide a user with remotely accessible video content. Sending or transmitting a prompt, request, message, or demand from a user site can trigger the transmission or downloading of video content for viewing, such as on a home television system. The user can interact with the downloaded video content via sending and receiving communications or messages. The interaction can comprise presentation of a question or query to the user about the downloaded video content. Submitting a response to the question that is correct or that meets another criterion can qualify the user to receive a reward. The possibility of receiving the reward can provide the user an incentive to focus on the video content and to answer the question. The reward can comprise a tangible or intangible item having at least some economic value.

Claims

1. A method for interacting with a user of a television system, comprising the steps of:

in response to a prompt from the user, downloading video content, comprising prerecorded sales content and dynamic content, from a server system to the television system;

displaying the downloaded video content on the television system;

presenting a question to the user about the downloaded video content;

receiving a response to the question from the user;

determining whether the received response meets a criterion; and

if the received response meets the criterion, offering the user a reward.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the downloaded video content comprises on-demand video content,

wherein the step of presenting the question comprises presenting a series of questions to the user,

wherein presentation of each question in the series of questions precedes display of a selected portion of the downloaded video content and pertains to the selected portion,

wherein the server system comprises a first server for storing the prerecorded sales content and a second server for storing the dynamic content at least temporarily, and

wherein the step of downloading video content comprises:

transmitting the prerecorded sales content from the first server to the television system via a first network, segregated from a second network; and

transmitting the dynamic content from the second server to the television system via the second network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the video content comprises on-demand video content.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the server system comprises a first server for holding the prerecorded sales content and a second server for holding the dynamic content.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first server is geographically separated from the second server.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein a first network links the first server to the television system, and wherein a second network links the second server to the television system.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first network is segregated from the second network.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of presenting the question comprises presenting a series of questions to the user about the downloaded video content.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein each question in the series of questions is about a respective portion of the downloaded video content.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of presenting the question comprises presenting a plurality of questions to the user, wherein presentation of each question in the plurality of questions is timed relative to display of a selected portion of the downloaded video content and is about the selected portion.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of presenting the question comprises presenting a plurality of questions to the user, wherein presentation of each question in the plurality of questions precedes display of a selected portion of the downloaded video content and is about the selected portion.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the question is about a selected portion of the downloaded video content.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the question is about the dynamic content.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the question is about the prerecorded sales content.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the video content comprises an identifier that changes while the television system displays the downloaded video content and wherein the question references the identifier.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the downloaded video content is operable to increment a counter displayed on a monitor of the television system and wherein the question is about a selected value of the counter.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the prompt comprises a selection of a shopping video from a library of shopping videos organized according to product type or genre.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein downloading the video content comprises transmitting signals over a first network, and

wherein the method further comprises the step of transmitting the question over a second network for presentation to the user.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first network is segregated from the second network.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the server system comprises a first server on the first network and a second server on the second network.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the prerecorded sales content is on the first server, and wherein the dynamic content is on the second server for at least an instant of time.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the first network and the second network comprises the Internet.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein transmitting the signals over the first network comprises transmitting the signals using Internet protocol.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein transmitting the question comprises communicating over a packet-switched network.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of, if the received response fails to meet the criterion, offering the user an opportunity to answer a second question.

26. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting a series of questions about the downloaded video content to the user.

27. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenting step further comprises timing presentation of the question to the user relative to presentation of a selected portion of the downloaded video content.

28. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of presenting the question comprises presenting the question to the user about a selected portion of the downloaded video content, wherein presentation of the question is aligned to presentation of the selected portion of the downloaded video content.

29. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenting step comprises presenting the question to the user about a selected portion of the downloaded video content prior to presentation of the selected portion of the downloaded video content.

30. A method for providing interaction with on-demand video content that features a product, comprising the steps of:

in response to a viewer request, receiving the on-demand video content;

receiving a question about the on-demand video content;

presenting the received on-demand video content and the received question to a viewer;

receiving a response to the presented question from the viewer;

determining whether the received response meets a criterion; and

if the received answer meets the criterion, notifying the viewer that the received response meets the criterion.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein presenting the received question comprises offering the viewer a reward for correctly answering the received question.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein the determining step comprises determining whether the received response comprises a correct answer to the question.

33. The method according to claim 30, wherein the question is about a selected portion of the on-demand video content.

34. The method according to claim 30, wherein the question is about the featured product.

35. The method according to claim 30, wherein the question is about a selected portion of the on-demand video content, and

wherein the presenting step comprises presenting the received question prior to presenting the selected portion of the on-demand video content.

36. The method according to claim 30, wherein the question is about a selected portion of the on-demand video content, and

wherein the presenting step further comprises timing presentation of the received question to the viewer relative to presentation of the selected portion of the on-demand video to the viewer.

37. The method according to claim 30, wherein the step of receiving the on-demand video content comprises receiving from a first network first signals carrying the on-demand video content, and

wherein the step of receiving the question comprises receiving from a second network second signals carrying the question.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the first network and the second network are segregated from one another.

39. The method according to claim 37, wherein the first network comprises a video distribution network and the second network comprises the Internet.

40. The method according to claim 30, wherein the product is a service.

41. A method for interacting with a presentation of prerecorded video content, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request for the prerecorded video content;

in response to the transmitted request, receiving first signals conveying the prerecorded video content from a machine-readable medium and second signals conveying a query about the prerecorded content;

processing the received first signals and the received second signals;

in response to the processing step, presenting the query to a user of a video monitor while presenting the prerecorded content on the video monitor;

receiving a response to the presented query;

determining whether the received response comprises an acceptable response; and

if the received response is determined to comprise an acceptable response, presenting the user with a reward.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the query is about a selected portion of the prerecorded content.

43. The method according to claim 41, wherein the step of receiving the first signals and the second signals comprises receiving the first signals from a first network and receiving the second signals from a second network.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the first network and the second network are segregated from one another.

45. The method according to claim 41, wherein the step of presenting the query to the user further comprises aligning presentation of the query to the user with presentation of a selected portion of the prerecorded content.

46. The method according to claim 41, wherein the query is about a selected portion of the prerecorded content,

wherein presenting the query to the user comprises presenting the query to the user at a first time,

wherein presenting the prerecorded content on the video monitor comprises presenting the selected portion of the prerecorded content on the video monitor at a second time, and

wherein the first time is adjacent the second time.

47. The method according to claim 41, wherein the prerecorded content comprises a plurality of advertisements and wherein the query is about a selected advertisement in the plurality of advertisements.

48. The method according to claim 41, wherein the prerecorded content comprises a plurality of advertisements and wherein the query is about a selected portion of a selected one of the plurality of advertisements.

49. The method according to claim 41, wherein the presented reward comprises at least some financial value.