DEDICATED BUTTON OF REMOTE CONTROL FOR ADVERTISEMENT DELIVERY USING INTERACTIVE TELEVISION

• US 20100085483A1
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yang Pan
• Original Assignee: Yang Pan
• Inventors: Pan, Yang
• Application Number:
  US12/244,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20100085483A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/563
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Method and system is disclosed for delivering targeted advertisements to a user by employing an interactive television system. A dedicated button of a remote control is used to control the operation of rendering the advertisement to the user with the great simplicity. An icon for advertisement is displayed on the screen when a channel programming is being broadcasted. The advertisement is displayed in full screen after the first actuation of the button is received. The advertisement is removed from the screen after the second actuation of the button is received. The user can be identified by using of the dedicated button in combination of the channel selection buttons, which are switched into numeric buttons after a specific actuation of the dedicated button is received. A displayed window on the screen invites the user to key in the user'"'"'s password represented by a series of numbers.

Claims

1. A method of controlling operation of rendering an advertisement message to a user of an interactive television system by using a dedicated input component of a remote control, the method comprising:

broadcasting a television programming;

displaying an icon representing an advertisement message, which overlays said television programming;

receiving said user'"'"'s first actuation of said dedicated input component;

pausing said television programming;

displaying said advertisement message represented by said icon on an enlarged display window;

receiving said user'"'"'s second actuation of said dedicated input component;

removing said advertisement message; and

resuming said television programming.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprising an operation of receiving an actuation of said dedicated input component in exceeding of a predetermined period of time by said user;

and removing said icon.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said predetermined period time is in between one second and ten seconds.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said enlarged display window includes the full display screen of the television.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said interactive television system comprising:

a television terminal for broadcasting a video/audio content;

a remote control for receiving the user'"'"'s input; and

a computing device for controlling operation of said interactive television system.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said interactive television system is connected to an advertising server through a communication network by the use of the computing device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said dedicated input component can be implemented in various forms, including:

a button;

a touch-pad;

or

a trackball.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said dedicated input component is installed on selected locations of the remote control, including:

the front surface;

or

the right sidewall.

9. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said communication network is the Internet and said computing device is a set top box.

10. A method of identifying a user of an interactive television system including a display terminal and a remote control, which comprises a dedicated input component and a plurality of input components associated with a single digit for the channel selection, the method comprising:

actuating said dedicated input component by said user;

reassigning the input components for the channel selection to numeric inputs;

displaying a screen for receiving user'"'"'s password in a numeric array;

receiving the user'"'"'s password by the user'"'"'s actuation of numeric input components sequentially;

identifying said user'"'"'s identity by comparing the received password with all pre-stored user passwords in the system; and

resuming the function of said input components for the channel selection.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said action of actuation of said dedicated input component includes an action of double pressing the input component.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said pre-stored password is determined by said user'"'"'s programming operation comprising:

requesting the user to reenter the password if the received password dose not match anyone of pre-stored passwords; and

associating the user with the password if the reentered password matches the first entered password.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said programming further comprising methods including:

utilizing another dedicated input component, when actuated, displaying an input window for the user to establish a new user account and the password;

or

utilizing a predetermined manner to actuate the dedicated input component and to display an input window for the user to establish a new user account and the password, wherein the predetermined manner includes pressing the input components repeatedly in a combination of long and short actuation.

14. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said input component can be implemented in various forms, including:

a button;

a touch-pad;

or

a trackball.

15. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said remote control includes a display screen and the user'"'"'s input and system instructions can be displayed on the screen.

16. A remote control of an interactive television system, the device comprising:

a processor which controls operation of the device;

a plurality of input components which receive the user'"'"'s input actions;

a file storage system which stores data;

a power supply which provides power for the device operation; and

a dedicated input component which controls the operation of rendering the advertisement message.

17. The remote control as recited in claim 16 wherein said device further comprising a display screen which displays user'"'"'s input and system instructions for determining said user'"'"'s identity.

18. The device as recited in claim 16, wherein said dedicated input component can be implemented in various forms, including:

a button;

a touch-pad;

or

a trackball.

19. The device as recited in claim 16, wherein said dedicated input component can be installed on selected locations of the remote control, including:

the front surface;

or

the right sidewall.

20. The device as recited in claim 16, wherein said remote control with said dedicated input component provides means to control the operation of rendering advertisement messages by the television system to the user, the operation further comprising

the first actuation of the dedicated input component leading to the display of an advertisement represented by an icon in the full screen;

and

the second actuation leading to the removal of the advertisement from the screen.