Distribution of advertising content for an entertainment device

• US 20070101361A1
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ecast Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ecast Incorporated
• Inventors: Spielman, Howard, Clark, Darren
• Application Number:
  US11/262,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20070101361A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/16 on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

Systems and methods for distributing advertising content to a plurality of entertainment devices are provided. The method may include: transmitting advertising content to each of a plurality of entertainment devices, said advertising content comprising data for causing at least one advertisement to be displayed by the entertainment device; and causing the at least one advertisement to be displayed based on an attribute of each entertainment device. The entertainment system may include: a network interface for coupling the entertainment system with a host system over a network; a video display for displaying graphical content to a user; a user input device; and a control module configured to: receive advertising content from the host system, said advertising content comprising data for causing at least one advertisement to be displayed by the video display; and cause the at least one advertisement to be displayed upon satisfaction of a condition for display.

Claims

1. A method of distributing advertising content to a plurality of entertainment devices, comprising:

transmitting advertising content to each of a plurality of entertainment devices, said advertising content comprising data for causing at least one advertisement to be displayed by the entertainment device; and

causing the at least one advertisement to be displayed based on an attribute of each entertainment device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the attribute relates to a characteristic of the entertainment device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the attribute comprises a geographic location of the entertainment device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the attribute comprises an identity of the entertainment device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the attribute comprises a type of venue in which the entertainment device is located.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the attribute is defined by a setting in a configuration setting database stored on the entertainment device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the attribute relates to a network-wide criteria.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

said network-wide criteria comprises a performance ranking of the entertainment device within a network of entertainment devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the attribute relates to a device-specific criteria.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

said device-specific criteria comprises a performance history of the entertainment device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the attribute relates to a demographic profile of expected venue patrons.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said causing the at least one advertisement to be displayed based on the attribute of each entertainment device comprises:

causing the at least one advertisement to be displayed on a subset of entertainment devices, said subset being equal to or less than the plurality of entertainment devices.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said causing the at least one advertisement to be displayed by the subset of entertainment devices comprises:

transmitting an advertising configuration file to each of the plurality of entertainment devices, said advertising configuration file defining the required attribute controlling the display of the at least one advertisement.

14. An entertainment system, comprising:

a network interface for coupling the entertainment system with a host system over a network;

a video display for displaying graphical content to a user;

a user input device; and

a control module configured to;

receive advertising content from the host system, said advertising content comprising data for causing at least one advertisement to be displayed by the video display; and

cause the at least one advertisement to be displayed upon satisfaction of a condition for display.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

said control module is configured to perform an entertainment content item in response to a request from a user at a venue where the entertainment system is located.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

said control module is configured to perform the requested entertainment content in exchange for payment.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a payment interface for receiving payment from the user.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the control module is configured to receive an advertising configuration file, said advertising configuration file defining the condition for display of the at least one advertisement.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said causing the at least one advertisement to be displayed by the subset of entertainment devices comprises:

causing the at least one advertisement to be displayed by the subset of entertainment devices if a condition for display of the at least one advertisement is met.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

said condition for display of the at least one advertisement relates to a characteristic of the entertainment device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

said characteristic comprises a geographic location of the entertainment device.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein:

said characteristic comprises a type of venue in which the entertainment device is located.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein:

said condition for display of the at least one advertisement relates to a network-wide criteria.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein:

said network-wide criteria comprises a performance ranking of the entertainment device within a network of entertainment devices.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein:

said condition for display of the at least one advertisement relates to a device-specific criteria.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein:

said device-specific criteria comprises a performance history of the entertainment device.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein:

said condition for display of the at least one advertisement relates to a demographic profile of expected venue patrons.