Demographic based content delivery

• US 20080059282A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Rimar, Steven V., D'Avanzo, Robert Lewis, Wylie, Matthew J., Vallier, William E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0229 Multi-merchant loyalty card systems

Abstract

Disclosed herein are demographic based content delivery systems and associated methods that automatically and non-invasively detect information regarding one or more persons within a designated viewing area. In embodiments of the systems and methods, two different automatic viewer identification and demographic classification technologies may be utilized, either alone or on combination. The technologies include image recognition technologies that utilize computer driven image and pattern recognition analysis algorithms and radio frequency identification tagging and reading technologies. Data collected from either one of or both of the two technologies is used to feed a demographic classification algorithm which then delivers different multimedia content based upon the determination of the algorithm. The embodiments of the invention may therefore be advantageously utilized to market in real time to consumers at the point of sale.

Claims

1. An electronic system for selectively delivering multimedia content to persons based upon automatically detected demographic data relating to one or more of said persons, said electronic system comprising:

output delivery means for delivering multimedia content to said persons;

delivery control means adapted to send control signals to said output delivery means to vary multimedia content delivered, said delivery control means including a database containing digital content files and an application for selecting and delivering said digital content files to said output delivery means via said control signals; and

demographic classification means for detecting said persons and assigning demographic classifications thereto, said demographic classifications being assigned by a demographics classification algorithm according to predefined classification rules; and

wherein said demographic classification means sends demographic signals to said delivery control means representing said assigned demographic classifications, and said application selects certain appropriate content files based upon said received demographic signals and stored data correlating said content files to predefined demographic classifications.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said demographic classification means comprises an electronic image recognition system utilizing a computerized recognition algorithm to analyze captured photographs of said persons.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said demographic classification system utilizes one or more digital video cameras to capture facial images of said persons.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said facial images are compared by said demographic classification system to a database of demographically categorized photographs to determine probable demographic classifications for one or more of said persons.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said demographic classification means comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) detection system adapted to identify RFID-tagged customer loyalty cards associated with particular persons when ones of said cards enter a viewing area, and wherein said demographic classification means is adapted to lookup information concerning said ones of said cards in a customer information database.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said RFID detection system communicates with a central control system to retrieve demographic information specific to viewers identified by detected RFID-tagged customer loyalty cards.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said retrieved demographic information specific to viewers identified by said detected RFID-tagged customer loyalty cards comprise one of actual demographic classifications or inferred demographic classifications.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a remotely located central control system electronically connected to said demographic based content delivery system, and wherein said central control system is configured to be able to send a signal to said demographic based content delivery system that causes said delivery control means to select certain content files for display to certain individually identified persons.

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a remotely located central control system electronically connected to said demographic based content delivery system, and wherein said central control system is configured to be able to update said content files in said database of said delivery control means.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a remotely located central control system electronically connected to said demographic based content delivery system, and wherein said central control system is configured to be able to update said stored data correlating said content files to said predefined demographic classifications.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a remotely located central control system electronically connected to said demographic based content delivery system, and wherein said central control system is configured to be able to update said classification rules used by said algorithm.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said demographic classification means comprises:

an electronic image recognition system utilizing a computerized recognition algorithm to analyze captured photographs of said persons; and

a radio frequency identification (RFID) detection system adapted to identify RFID-tagged customer loyalty cards associated with particular persons when ones of said cards enter a viewing area;

wherein said demographic classification means is adapted to lookup information concerning said ones of said cards in a customer information database and compare identification information received from said image recognition system and said RFID detection system according to said algorithm.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said algorithm uses said predefined classification rules to balance said identification information.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said predefined classification rules stipulate that certain of said ones of said cards override identification information received from said image recognition system.

15. A demographic based content delivery process for selectively delivering multimedia content to persons based upon automatically detected demographic data relating to one or more of said persons, said process comprising:

storing digital multimedia content files in an electronic database;

associating one or more demographic assignments with each of said content files;

defining demographic classification rules for usage by a computer operated demographic classification algorithm, said rules controlling prioritization determinations made by said algorithm upon inputted demographic data;

detecting viewer identification data electronically and automatically concerning one or more of said persons within a defined viewing area;

determining with said demographic classification algorithm a priority demographic classification for said persons within said defined viewing area according to said rules and said detected viewer identification data;

identifying one or more content files associated with said priority demographic classification; and

delivering said identified one or more content files.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said detecting of said viewer identification data is performed by an electronic image recognition system utilizing a computerized recognition algorithm to analyze captured photographs of said persons.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said electronic image recognition system utilizes one or more digital video cameras to capture facial images of said persons.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said facial images are compared by said recognition algorithm to a database of demographically categorized photographs to determine probable demographic classifications for one or more of said persons.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein said detecting of said viewer identification data is performed by a radio frequency identification (RFID) detection system adapted to identify RFID-tagged customer loyalty cards associated with particular persons when ones of said cards enter a viewing area, and wherein said determining of said priority demographic classification comprises locating information concerning said ones of said cards in a customer information database.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said RFID detection system communicates with a central control system to retrieve demographic information specific to viewers identified by detected RFID-tagged customer loyalty cards.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said retrieved demographic information specific to viewers identified by said detected RFID-tagged customer loyalty cards comprise one of actual demographic classifications or inferred demographic classifications.

22. The method according to claim 15, further comprising sending an electronic signal from a remote location to cause said delivery control means to select certain content files for display to certain individually identified persons.

23. The method according to claim 15, further comprising sending an electronic update signal from a remote location to update said content files in said electronic database.

24. The method according to claim 15, further comprising sending an electronic update signal from a remote location to change said demographic assignments.

25. The method according to claim 15, further comprising sending an electronic update signal from a remote location to update said classification rules used by said computer operated demographic classification algorithm.

26. The method according to claim 15, wherein said wherein said detecting of said viewer identification data comprises:

utilizing a computerized recognition algorithm to analyze captured photographs of said persons;

utilizing a radio frequency identification (RFID) detection system adapted to identify RFID-tagged customer loyalty cards associated with particular persons when ones of said cards enter a viewing area; and

looking up information concerning said ones of said cards in a customer information database and comparing identification information received from said image recognition system and said RFID detection system according to said computer operated demographic classification algorithm.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein said algorithm uses said demographic classification rules to balance said identification information.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said demographic classification rules stipulate that certain of said ones of said cards override identification information received from said image recognition system.

29. A content delivery process for selectively delivering multimedia content to persons using an automated demographic detecting content delivery system, said process comprising:

establishing a demographic based content delivery system having output delivery means for delivering multimedia content to said persons, delivery control means adapted to send control signals to said output delivery means to vary multimedia content delivered, and demographic classification means for detecting said persons and assigning demographic classifications thereto;

storing digital multimedia content files in an electronic database of said delivery control means;

associating in said delivery control means one or more demographic assignments with each of said content files;

defining demographic classification rules for usage by a computer operated demographic classification algorithm of said demographic classification means, said rules controlling prioritization determinations made by said algorithm upon detected identification data;

said demographic classification means detecting viewer identification data electronically and automatically concerning one or more of said persons within a defined viewing area;

determining with said algorithm a priority demographic classification for said persons within said defined viewing area according to said rules and said detected viewer identification data;

said delivery control means receiving said priority demographic classification and identifying one or more content files associated with said priority demographic classification; and

controlling said output means to deliver said identified one or more content files.