Systems and methods for awarding affinity points based upon remote control usage
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for selecting advertising content associated with television programming, said method comprising steps of:
- using a remote control unit and a direct tuning method to select a channel for viewing on an associated television set;
storing an indication of said channel selection within said remote control unit; and
using said stored channel indication to select an advertisement for depiction on a display provided on said remote control unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for providing and promoting television programming, advertisements, and other content to selected viewers. A display is provided on a remote control device, prompts are provided on the display, and viewer responses to those prompts are monitored, stored in memory, and thereafter processed to reward viewers for responding properly to the prompts. Various methods for promoting such programs are also described.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for selecting advertising content associated with television programming, said method comprising steps of:
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using a remote control unit and a direct tuning method to select a channel for viewing on an associated television set; storing an indication of said channel selection within said remote control unit; and using said stored channel indication to select an advertisement for depiction on a display provided on said remote control unit.
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2. A method for promoting television content, said method comprising the steps of:
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depicting on a display provided on a remote control unit advertising content including an offer for an award of affinity points based upon a predetermined user input sequence to said remote control unit; monitoring user inputs to said remote control unit; and in response to detecting said predetermined user input sequence, awarding said affinity points to an account of said user.
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3. A method for promoting television content, said method comprising the steps of:
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prompting a user of a remote control device to make a television channel selection by displaying predetermined content on a display of said remote control device; and monitoring channel selections of said user to determine whether said user selects a particular channel in response to said prompting.
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4. A method for promoting television content, said method comprising the steps of:
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selecting for viewing on a television set predetermined content; displaying on a viewing screen of a remote control device a question relating to said predetermined content; allowing a user to respond to said question using said remote control device; and recording a response of said user to said question. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A method for promoting television content, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing on a display of a remote control device promotional content designed to encourage a television viewer to view selected media content on an associated television set; providing on said display of said remote control device one or more questions relating to said selected media content; allowing a user of said remote control device to respond to said one or more questions using said remote control device; and storing in a memory data indicative of a response of said user to said one or more questions. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method for promoting television content, said method comprising the steps of:
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depicting at a preselected time on a display of a remote control device content designed to encourage a user of said remote control device to select a particular channel on an associated television set a later time; monitoring said channel selections of said user using said remote control device; and awarding affinity points to an account of said user if said user selects said particular channel at said later time.
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11. A method for promoting television content, said method comprising the steps of:
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using a display provided on a remote control unit, prompting a user of the remote control unit to take a predetermined action; monitoring inputs to said remote control device over a predetermined time to verify whether or not said user has taken said predetermined action; and upon verifying that said user has taken said action, providing said user with an award. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for providing advertising or other content to a television viewer, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing on a display of a remote control device an advertisement and instructions for receiving additional information based upon a predetermined user input to the remote control device; monitoring over a selected period of time user inputs to said remote control device to determine whether said user has entered into said remote control device said predetermined user input; and upon detecting said predetermined user input, providing on said display said additional information.
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15. A method for providing advertising or other content to a television viewer, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing on a display of a remote control device an advertisement and instructions for receiving a plurality of sets of additional information based upon predetermined sets of user inputs to the remote control device; monitoring over a selected period of time user inputs to said remote control device to determine whether said user has entered into said remote control device any one of said predetermined user inputs; and upon detecting one of said predetermined user inputs, providing on said display additional information corresponding to said detected one of said predetermined user inputs.
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16. A method for promoting a television viewership affinity awards program, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a program guide on a display device; and providing one or more visual indicators within said program guide, said visual indicators identifying one or more television programs that are affiliated with an affinity points award program. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method for promoting a television viewership affinity awards program, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a program guide on a display device, said program guide including a program listing and an affinity points award listing; and allowing a user of said display device to select for depiction on said display device either said program listing or said affinity points award listing. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method for promoting a television viewership affinity awards program, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing on a viewing screen a pop-up marquee associated with a television program, and including within said marquee an indication that said television program is associated with an affinity awards program. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A method for promoting a television viewership affinity awards program, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing on a viewing screen a pop-up marquee associated with a television program, including within said marquee an indication that said television program is associated with an affinity awards program, and associating with said marquee a tone to be provided by a tone generator of one of a remote control device or a television set associated with said remote control device, upon a depiction of said marquee on said viewing screen. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method for enabling a television user to obtain additional information related to selected content provided on a television set, said method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining within a memory of a remote control device a channel selection log, said channel selection log comprising a listing of channels selected by a user, times upon which said channels were selected, and one or more bookmark indicators; allowing a user of said remote control device to select one or more channels for viewing on an associated television set using said remote control device and a direct tuning methodology; allowing said user of said remote control device to enter into said channel selection log one or more of said bookmark indicators, said bookmark indicators denoting that said user of said remote control device would like to receive additional information with respect to selected content provided on said television set at a predetermined time; and downloading said channel selection log to a database and thereafter identifying any stored bookmark indicators present within said database, such that said additional information may be provided to said user.
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29. A method for enabling a television user to obtain additional information related to selected content provided on a television set, said method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining within a memory a channel selection log, said channel selection log comprising a listing of channels selected by a user of a remote control device, times upon which said channels were selected, and one or more bookmark indicators; allowing a user of said remote control device to select one or more channels for viewing on said television set using said remote control device and a direct tuning methodology; allowing said user of said remote control device to enter into said channel selection log one or more of said bookmark indicators, said bookmark indicators denoting that said user of said remote control device would like to receive additional information with respect to selected content provided on said television set at a predetermined time; and downloading said channel selection log to a database and thereafter identifying any stored bookmark indicators present within said database, such that said additional information may be provided to said user.
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30. An apparatus comprising:
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a remote control unit comprising a display, transmitter and receiver circuitry for transmitting signals to an associated television monitor and receiving signals from a program guide data transmission source, a microprocessor, and memory, said microprocessor controlling said display and said transmitter and receiver circuitry, and said memory having stored therein a program that, when executed by said microprocessor, allows for advertising and promotional content to be selected for depiction on said display based upon a predetermined relationship between said advertising and promotional content and a channel indicator stored within said memory. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for promoting television programming, said method comprising the steps of:
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using a remote control device tracking channel selections made by a television viewer; storing within a memory provided in said remote control device a channel selection log comprising a listing of channels selected by said user and times upon which said channels were selected; allowing a user of said remote control device to enter into said remote control device one of a plurality of indicators corresponding to a degree of satisfaction with programming content depicted on an associated television set; and storing said one of said plurality of indicators within a predetermined area of said channel selection log.
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36. A method for promoting television programming, said method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining within a memory of a remote control device a channel selection log, said channel selection log comprising a listing of channel selections, times upon which said channel selections were made, and selected indicators representative of viewer satisfaction with selected programming content provided on an associated television set; allowing a person to enter into said remote control device one or more of said selected indicators while said selected programming content is provided on said associated television set; and downloading said channel selection log from said remote control device to a remote database in a predetermined manner.
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Specification