METHOD TO ENCOURAGE DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDING USERS TO VIEW ADVERTISEMENTS BY PROVIDING COMPENSATION OFFERS

• US 20080244635A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ravi, Kumar, Pollard, Edward E., Wilson, Troy C.
• Application Number:
  US11/693,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20080244635A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and system are provided for encouraging users to view advertisements. A television device receives an incoming signal. The incoming signal includes an advertisement from an advertiser. The television device determines if the advertisement includes a compensation offer descriptor. Responsive to a presence of the compensation offer descriptor, the television device determines if a user views the advertisement on a display in its entirety. Responsive to the user viewing the advertisement in its entirety, the television device issues a compensation offer to the user.

Claims

1. A method, in a data processing system, for encouraging users to view advertisements, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming signal, wherein the incoming signal includes an advertisement;

determining if the advertisement includes a compensation offer descriptor;

responsive to a presence of the compensation offer descriptor, determining if a user views the advertisement on a display in its entirety; and

responsive to the user viewing the advertisement in its entirety, issuing a compensation offer to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the user advancing through the advertisement, denying the issuance of the compensation offer to the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the presence of the compensation offer descriptor, displaying a compensation offer identifier with the advertisement on the display.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a promotion code associated with the compensation offer descriptor;

determining if the compensation offer descriptor has been previously received based on the promotion code;

responsive to the compensation offer descriptor being previously received, determining if a restriction exists that restricts issuing the compensation offer; and

responsive to the absence of the restriction, issuing the compensation offer to the user.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

responsive to the existence of the restriction, denying the issuance of the compensation offer to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the user to determine if the user desires the compensation offer to be issued; and

responsive to the user desiring the compensation offer, issuing the compensation offer to the user.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

responsive to the user failing to indicate the desire for the compensation offer, denying the issuance of the compensation offer to the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein issuing the compensation offer to the user comprises:

storing an electronic version of the compensation offer in a storage device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the incoming signal is received by at least one of a digital video recorder, a personal video recorder, a cable television receiver, or a satellite television receiver.

10. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed in a data processing system, causes the data processing system to:

receive an incoming signal, wherein the incoming signal includes an advertisement;

determine if the advertisement includes a compensation offer descriptor;

responsive to a presence of the compensation offer descriptor, determine if a user views the advertisement on a display in its entirety; and

responsive to the user viewing the advertisement in its entirety, issue a compensation offer to the user.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to:

responsive to the user advancing through the advertisement, deny the issuance of the compensation offer to the user.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to:

responsive to the presence of the compensation offer descriptor, display a compensation offer identifier with the advertisement on the display.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to:

identify a promotion code associated with the compensation offer descriptor;

determine if the compensation offer descriptor has been previously received based on the promotion code;

responsive to the compensation offer descriptor being previously received, determine if a restriction exists that restricts issuing the compensation offer; and

responsive to the absence of the restriction, issue the compensation offer to the user.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to:

responsive to the existence of the restriction, deny the issuance of the compensation offer to the user.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to:

prompt the user to determine if the user desires the compensation offer to be issued; and

responsive to the user desiring the compensation offer, issue the compensation offer to the user.

16. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive an incoming signal, wherein the incoming signal includes an advertisement;

determine if the advertisement includes a compensation offer descriptor;

responsive to a presence of the compensation offer descriptor, determine if a user views the advertisement on a display in its entirety; and

responsive to the user viewing the advertisement in its entirety, issue a compensation offer to the user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

responsive to the user advancing through the advertisement, deny the issuance of the compensation offer to the user.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

responsive to the presence of the compensation offer descriptor, display a compensation offer identifier with the advertisement on the display.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

identify a promotion code associated with the compensation offer descriptor;

determine if the compensation offer descriptor has been previously received based on the promotion code;

responsive to the compensation offer descriptor being previously received, determine if a restriction exists that restricts issuing the compensation offer; and

responsive to the absence of the restriction, issue the compensation offer to the user.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

prompt the user to determine if the user desires the compensation offer to be issued; and

responsive to the user desiring the compensation offer, issue the compensation offer to the user.