Asset delivery reporting in a broadcast network

• US 20070261072A1
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invidi Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Invidi Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Wilson, Daniel, Anderson, Bruce, Boulet, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• 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 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/6582 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method is provided for use in connection with delivering content that is targeted to users of a broadcast network. In order to select content that is targeted to users of the broadcast network, signals are received from a plurality of customer premise equipment devices (CPEs) of the network users via a broadcast network interface. Based on the received signals, broadcast assets (e.g., programming, advertisements etc.) are selected from a collection of available asset options. Accordingly, at least a portion of the selected assets are inserted into a content stream of the broadcast network. Once the content stream is broadcast over a broadcast network interface, at least a portion of the selected assets area available for receipt by at least a portion of the CPEs. The CPEs generate reports regarding assets delivered such that asset providers can be billed based on guaranteed targeted impressions.

Claims

1. A method for use in monitoring a broadcast network, said broadcast network primarily involving synchronized distribution of broadcast content to multiple users, said method comprising the steps of:

providing customer premises equipment operative to communicate with said broadcast network;

first operating said customer premises equipment to select, from a number of asset options, a selected asset option for delivery to a network user; and

second operating said customer premises equipment to report said selected option.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of first operating comprises determining, after the beginning of a time period, information regarding content delivered using said customer premises equipment in relation to said time period, and said step of second operating comprises reporting said information.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said information identifies a transmission band of said network selected by said network user.

4. A method for use in connection with delivering selected assets to users of a broadcast network, said broadcast network primarily involving synchronized distribution of broadcast content to multiple users, said method comprising the steps of:

providing, at customer premises equipment devices of users of said broadcast network, a plurality of options for asset to be delivered to said users;

first operating at least one of said customer premises equipment devices to select at least one of said assets for delivery to a user in connection with a given delivery opportunity associated with said broadcast content; and

second operating at least said one of said customer premises equipment devices to report, to a monitoring system associated with said network, delivery of at least a selected one of said assets.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said step of providing comprises transmitting said assets from a platform of said broadcast network to said customer premises equipment devices.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said assets are transmitted prior to said given delivery opportunity.

7. A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said plurality of assets are associated with a plurality of specified transmission bands of said broadcast network.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said step of first selecting comprises selectively switching from a first band of said broadcast network associated with first broadcast content to a second band corresponding to said selected one of said assets.

9. A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said broadcast network is a television network, and said step of selecting comprises selectively switching from a programming channel to an asset channel at a commercial break of said programming channel.

10. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said step of first operating comprises selecting at least one of said assets for delivery during a break of said broadcast content.

11. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said step of first operating comprises selecting one of said assets based on information regarding a user of said customer premises equipment.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said information is provided to said customer premises equipment at least in part from an external source.

13. A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said information is determined by said customer premises equipment device based on at least in part on monitoring inputs by said user.

14. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said step of second operating comprises transmitting a report via a transmission pathway of said network.

15. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said customer premises equipment devices include multiple equipment terminals associated with multiple users, and said step of first operating comprises operating each said terminal to make a selection as between said assets.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said step of second operating comprises operating less than all of said terminals to report to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

17. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said step of second operating comprises causing a statistical sampling of said terminals to report to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

18. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said step of second operating comprises operating a first terminal and a second terminal of said terminals to report at different times to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

19. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said step of second operating comprises operating at least one of said terminals to execute logic for selecting a time within a time window for reporting to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

20. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said step of second operating comprises operating a first terminal of said terminals to provide a first set of information to said monitoring system and operating a second terminal of said terminals to provide a second set of information to said monitoring system, said second set including at least one datum more than said first set, wherein said datum relates to a type of data independent of a content of said data.

21. A method as set forth in claim 20, wherein said second set includes sensitive information relating to a user that may implicate privacy concerns.

22. A method as set forth in claim 4, further comprising the step of operating said monitoring system to determine information regarding a delivery value for at least one of said assets.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said monitoring system is operative to determine an audience size for said one of said options.

24. A system for use in connection with monitoring a broadcast network, said broadcast network primarily involving synchronized distribution of broadcast content to multiple users, said system comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting broadcast content to multiple user equipment devices of multiple network users via said broadcast network; and

a platform in the broadcast network, including;

a receiver for receiving reports from a number of said user equipment devices regarding broadcast network content selected by users of said number of user equipment devices; and

a processor to process said received reports to determine information regarding use of said broadcast network.

25. A system as set forth in claim 24, wherein said transmitter and said platform are located at separate locations in said broadcast network.

26. A system as set forth in claim 24, wherein:

said transmitter is operative to transmit said broadcast content via a first transmission pathway of said broadcast network; and

said receiver is operative to receive said reports, via a second pathway, wherein said first pathway and said second pathway include a common pathway element.

27. A system as set forth in claim 26, wherein said broadcast network is a cable television network and at least a portion of said common pathway element comprises a cable television cable.

28. A system as set forth in claim 24, further comprising:

a data storage structure for storing said reports.

29. A system as set forth in claim 28, wherein said data storage structure is located at said platform.

30. A system as set forth in claim 28, wherein said data storage structure comprises information associated with individual user equipment devices that elect to provide said information entries.

31. A system as set forth in claim 30, wherein said processor is further operative to utilize said information to select broadcast network content for delivery to individual user equipment devices.

32. A system as set forth in claim 24, wherein said processor is operative to generate an output indicative of said use of said broadcast network.

33. A device for use in connection with monitoring a broadcast network, said broadcast network primarily involving synchronized distribution of broadcast content to multiple users, said device comprising:

a receiver for receiving a plurality of content options via a network interface;

a selector operative to select one of said content options for delivery to a network user in connection with a given delivery opportunity associated with said broadcast content; and

a transmitter for reporting delivery of said selected one of said options, wherein said transmitter is operative to report via said network interface to a monitoring system associated with said broadcast network.

34. A system as set forth in claim 33, wherein said receiver is operative to receive said plurality of options as transmitted in synchronization with said given delivery opportunity.

35. A system as set forth in claim 34, wherein said selector is operative to select between a plurality of specified transmission bands of said broadcast network that correspond with said plurality of options.

36. A system as set forth in claim 35, wherein said selector is operative to selectively switch from a first band of said broadcast network associated with first broadcast content to a second band corresponding to said selected one of said options.

37. A system as set forth in claim 36, wherein said broadcast network is a television network, and said selector is operative to selectively switch from a regular broadcast channel to a dedicated advertising channel at a commercial break of said regular broadcast channel.

38. A system as set forth in claim 33, further comprising:

a memory structure, said memory structure including information associated with a network user.

39. A system as set forth in claim 38, wherein said selector is operatively connected to said memory structure and is operative to use said information to select one of said options.

40. A system as set forth in claim 38, further comprising;

an input device for receiving said information.

41. A system as set forth in claim 38, further comprising:

logic for generating said information based on use of passive signals received from a user.

42. A method for use in connection with delivering selected content to users of a broadcast network, said broadcast network primarily involving synchronized distribution of broadcast content to multiple users, said method comprising the steps of:

providing, at first and second user terminals of said broadcast network, a plurality of options for content to be delivered to a corresponding user;

first operating each of said first and second terminals to select one of said options for delivery to said corresponding user in connection with a given delivery opportunity associated with said broadcast content;

operating said first terminal to report, to a monitoring system associated with said network, a first set of information relating to delivery of said selected one of said options by said first terminal; and

operating said second terminal to provide a second set of information, to said monitoring system, regarding delivery of a selected one of said options by said second terminal, said second set including at least one datum more than said first set, wherein said datum relates to a type of data independent of a content of said data.

43. A method as set forth in claim 42, wherein said second set includes sensitive information relating to a user.

44. A method as set forth in claim 42, further comprising operating said first terminal and said second terminal to report at different times to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.