METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING INFORMATION AND COLLECTING VIEWER INFORMATION

• US 20080276285A1
• Filed: 07/14/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digital Network Shopping, LLC
• Original Assignee: Digital Network Shopping, LLC
• Inventors: Robinson, Maryse, Thomas, John G.
• Application Number:
  US12/172,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20080276285A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV

Abstract

Disclosed herein, in various embodiments, are methods and apparatus incorporating, among other things, the concept of using, in particular but without limitation, traditionally non-commercial programming as a medium for selling products or services on-line, and again in particular over the Internet. Using this concept, for example, an element identified in motion picture programming can be made identifiable by a viewer of the motion picture programming, and thereby enabling a viewer to determine the source, location, or other information referred to by the element. Using this concept, for example, a viewer viewing a soap opera is able to use a device to electronically select a element identified in the broadcast. In turn, information referred to by the content element can be displayed to the viewer, including purchase information. Using this particular concept of the invention, traditionally non-commercial programming can be efficiently used to indirectly advertise goods or services and offer them for sale on-line.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying an element in motion picture programming;

storing digital information referred to by the element;

displaying the element to a viewer;

in response to viewing the element, the viewer selecting the element;

in response to the viewer selecting the element, displaying the stored digital information to the viewer; and

collecting viewer selection information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital information includes purchase information referred to by the element.

3. The method of claim 2, including, in response to viewing the stored digital information, the viewer purchasing a product or service referred to by the element.

4. The method of claim 3, including collecting viewer purchase information.

5. The method of claim 1, including collecting personal information about the viewer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the personal information about the viewer includes at least one of a geographic location, an age, a race, or a gender.

7. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a viewing device, the processor configured to;

(a) store digital information referred to by an element identified in motion picture programming;

(b) deliver to the viewing device at least some of the stored digital information; and

(c) deliver the element to the viewing device;

a computer program operating on the viewing device to display the element to a viewer and to deliver at least a portion of the received digital information to the viewer in response to the viewer selecting the element from the viewing device; and

wherein the processor is configured to receive viewer selection information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the digital information includes purchase information referred to by the element.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer program is configured to, in response to the viewer viewing the stored digital information, direct the viewer to a location to purchase a product or service referred to by the element.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to receive viewer purchase information.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to receive personal information about the viewer.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the personal information about the viewer includes at least one of a geographic location, an age, or a gender.

13. A method comprising:

identifying an element in motion picture programming;

obtaining, from the motion picture programming, a still image having the element;

storing the still image;

storing digital information referred to by the element;

displaying the still image to a viewer;

in response to viewing the still image, the viewer selecting the element in the still image;

in response to the viewer selecting the element in the still image, displaying the stored digital information to the viewer; and

collecting viewer selection information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the digital information includes purchase information referred to by the element.

15. The method of claim 14, including, in response to viewing the stored digital information, the viewer purchasing a product or service referred to by the element.

16. The method of claim 15, including collecting viewer purchase information.

17. The method of claim 13, including collecting personal information about the viewer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the personal information about the viewer includes at least one of a geographic location, an age, a race, or a gender.

19. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a viewing device, the viewing device including an input device, the processor configured to;

(a) store a still image obtained from motion picture programming, wherein the still image contains an element identified in the motion picture programming;

(a) store digital information referred to by the element;

(b) deliver to the viewing device the still image; and

(c) deliver to the viewing device at least some of the stored digital information;

a computer program operating on the viewing device to deliver at least a portion of the stored digital information to a viewer in response to the viewer selecting the element in the still image using the input device; and

wherein the processor is configured to receive viewer selection information.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the digital information includes purchase information referred to by the element.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the computer program is configured to, in response to the viewer viewing the stored digital information, direct the viewer to a location to purchase a product or service referred to by the element.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to receive viewer purchase information.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to receive personal information about the viewer.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the personal information about the viewer includes at least one of a geographic location, an age, or a gender.