METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING ROW ADVERTISING IN A PROGRAM GUIDE

• US 20090031359A1
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kidd, Deanna R., Sharkey, Jeffrey L., Sue, Ranny Q.
• Granted Patent: US 9,357,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A system includes a content processing system receiving row ad metadata for a row ad, communicating the row ad to a user device and communicating program guide information to a user device. The program guide information defines a plurality of rows. The user device populates a row from the plurality of rows in response to the metadata and displays the row ad and the program guide on a display associated with the user device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving row ad metadata for a row ad;

communicating the row ad to a user device;

communicating program guide information to a user device, said program guide information defining a plurality of rows;

populating a row from the plurality of rows in response to the metadata;

displaying the row ad and the program guide on a display associated with the user device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the row ad metadata comprises receiving the row ad metadata from a content provider.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising communicating homepage metadata to a user device.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising linking the row ad to the content provider homepage stored within the user device.

5. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising linking the row ad to content.

6. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising linking the row ad to broadband channel.

7. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising linking the row ad to a linear channel.

8. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising linking the row ad to instructional text or on-screen help.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the row ad metadata comprises a material identification.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising selecting a row ad using a user interface;

communicating the material identification to the content processing system, in response to communicating the material identification, communicating content corresponding to the material identification to the user device.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising selecting a row ad using a user interface and changing the display in response to selecting.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein changing the display comprises displaying help menu.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein changing the display comprises displaying an order menu.

14. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein changing the display comprises displaying text and graphics associated with the row ad.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to a user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a satellite.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to a user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a terrestrial system.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to a user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a broadband system.

18. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving row ad graphics for a row ad.

19. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein populating a row comprises populating a row in response to the row ad graphics.

20. A system comprising:

a content processing system receiving row ad metadata for a row ad, communicating the row ad to a user device, communicating program guide information to a user device, said program guide information defining a plurality of rows;

said user device populating a row from the plurality of rows in response to the metadata and displaying the row ad and the program guide on a display associated with the user device.

21. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising a content provider generating communicating the row ad metadata to a content processing system.

22. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein the content processing system communicates homepage metadata to the user device.

23. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the user device links the row ad to the content provider homepage.

24. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the user device links the row ad to content.

25. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the user device links the row ad to a broadband channel.

26. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the user device links the row ad to instructional text or on-screen help

27. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the user device links the row ad to a linear channel.

28. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the row ad metadata comprises a material identification.

29. A system as recited in claim 28 wherein the user device forms a row ad selection, communicates the material identification to the content processing system and in response to communicating the material identification, the content processing system communicates content corresponding to the material identification to the user device.

30. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising user interface associated with the user device selecting a row ad, and the user device changing a display in response thereto.

31. A system as recited in claim 30 wherein the display displays a help menu.

32. A system as recited in claim 30 wherein the display displays an order menu.

33. A system as recited in claim 30 wherein the display displays a text and graphics associated with the row ad.

34. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising a satellite communicating the row ad metadata to a user device.

35. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising a terrestrial system communicating the row ad metadata to a user device.

36. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising a broadband system communicating the row ad metadata to a user device.