Method And Apparatus For Advertisement Placement In A User Dialog On A Set-Top Box

• US 20120328263A1
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: David Sandford, James M. Barton, Margret Schmidt, Paul Stevens, Robin Hayes
• Inventors: Barton, James M., Stevens, Paul, Sandford, David, Hayes, Robin, Schmidt, Margret
• Granted Patent: US 9,036,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/432 Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for presenting targeted advertisements to DVR users are described. After a DVR has finished playing a recorded television program, or in response to other specified events, the DVR presents a screen which comprises a “save or delete” menu. In addition to the “save” and “delete” options, the menu additionally comprises one or more other options. Each of these other options may correspond to a separate promotional item. For example, a user'"'"'s selection of such an option may cause the DVR to display or play an advertisement on the user'"'"'s television set. Additionally or alternatively, these other options, when selected by a user, may cause the DVR to display a user interface through which the user can actually purchase a product or service. The product or service advertised or offered may be one that was featured or referenced in the television program that the user was just watching.

Claims

1. A method for presenting information through a multimedia device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the multimedia device, user input whose receipt causes the multimedia device to cease playing a content stream;

in response to receiving the user input, determining whether a point within a specified threshold of an end of the content stream has been reached;

in response to receiving the user input and determining that a point within a specified threshold of the end of the content stream has been reached, displaying particular information to a user of the multimedia device, the particular information comprising at least one advertisement and a menu that comprises a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to delete the content stream.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular information comprises a second user-selectable option, and further comprising:

receiving particular user input that indicates selection of the second user-selectable option; and

in response to receiving the particular user input, displaying, to the user, a subsequent menu, wherein the subsequent menu comprises at least one of;

(a) a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display, to the user, an interface through which the user can purchase a product or service;

(b) a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display, to the user, an interface through which the user can request information about a product or service to be sent to the user;

(c) an interface through which the user can submit an answer to a question via the multimedia device;

(d) a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to send a request to a request-receiving entity, wherein the request asks the request-receiving entity to send specified information to at least one of (i) a specified e-mail address and (ii) a specified postal address;

(e) a user-selectable option, user selection of which cause the multimedia device to provide the user with an ability to schedule an upcoming content stream for recording; and

(f) an interface through which the user can request downloading of a particular video for later viewing.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular information comprises a second user-selectable option, and further comprising:

receiving particular user input that indicates selection of the second user-selectable option; and

in response to receiving the particular user input, charging a selling entity a specified monetary amount.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular information comprises a second user-selectable option, and further comprising:

receiving particular user input that indicates selection of the second user-selectable option; and

in response to receiving the particular user input, recording data that indicates that the second user-selectable option was selected.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

displaying one or more additional user-selectable options that were selected for display based on the data;

wherein the one or more additional user-selectable options were selected for display due to the one or more additional user-selectable options being in a same category as the second user-selectable option.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein displaying the particular information to the user of the multimedia device further comprises displaying titles of one or more television programs that the user can select in order to cause the multimedia device to record corresponding television programs at a later time.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising selecting the particular information for display from among a plurality of particular information items based at least in part on electronic program guide information.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising selecting the particular information for display from among a plurality of particular information items based at least in part on one or more words in a closed caption stream.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising selecting the particular information for display from among a plurality of particular information items based at least in part on previous television viewing behaviors of the user.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising selecting the particular information for display from among a plurality of particular information items based at least in part on whether the multimedia device is currently configured to operate according to constraints associated with a specified mode of operation.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising selecting the particular information for display from among a plurality of particular information items based at least in part on geographical address information that is associated with an owner of the multimedia device.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising selecting the particular information for display from among a plurality of particular information items based at least in part on demographic information that is associated with an owner of the multimedia device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the particular information to the user of the multimedia device further comprises displaying one or more particular user-selectable menu options in an order that is based on a frequency with which each of the one or more particular user-selectable menu options was previously selected.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the multimedia device downloading the advertisement in response to receiving the user input.

15. An apparatus for presenting information through a multimedia device, the apparatus comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that receives user input whose receipt causes the multimedia device to cease playing a content stream;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that in response to receiving the user input, determines whether a point within a specified threshold of an end of the content stream has been reached;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware that in response to receiving the user input and determining that the end of the content stream has been reached, displays particular information to a user of the multimedia device, the particular information comprising at least one advertisement and a menu that comprises a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to delete the content stream.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the particular information comprises a second user-selectable option, and the apparatus further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that receives particular user input that indicates selection of the second user-selectable option;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that causes a subsequent menu to be displayed to the user in response to the particular user input being received, wherein the subsequent menu comprises at least one of;

(a) a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display, to the user, an interface through which the user can purchase a product or service;

(b) a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display, to the user, an interface through which the user can request information about a product or service to be sent to the user;

(c) an interface through which the user can submit an answer to a question via the multimedia device;

(d) a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to send a request to a request-receiving entity, wherein the request asks the request-receiving entity to send specified information to at least one of (i) a specified e-mail address and (ii) a specified postal address;

(e) a user-selectable option, user selection of which cause the multimedia device to provide the user with an ability to schedule an upcoming content stream for recording; and

(f) an interface through which the user can request downloading of a particular video for later viewing.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the particular information comprises a second user-selectable option and the apparatus further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that receives particular user input that indicates selection of the second user-selectable option; and

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that causes a selling entity to be charged a specified monetary amount in response to the particular user input being received.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the particular information comprises a second user-selectable option and the apparatus further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that receives particular user input that indicates selection of the second user-selectable option; and

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that records, in response to the particular user input being received, data that indicates that the second user-selectable option was selected.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that causes the one or more additional user-selectable options, which were selected for display based on the data, to be displayed;

wherein the one or more additional user-selectable options were selected for display due to the one or more additional user-selectable options being in a same category as the second user-selectable option.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the subsystem that causes the particular information to be displayed to the user of the multimedia device also causes titles of one or more television programs, which the user can select in order to cause the multimedia device to record corresponding television programs at a later time, to be displayed to the user.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for presenting particular information through a multimedia device, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out steps of:

receiving, at the multimedia device, user input whose receipt causes the multimedia device to cease playing a content stream;

in response to receiving the user input, determining whether a point within a specified threshold of an end of the content stream has been reached;

in response to receiving the user input and determining that the end of the content stream has been reached, displaying particular information to a user of the multimedia device, the particular information comprising at least one advertisement and a menu that comprises a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to delete the content stream.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein the particular information comprises a second user-selectable option, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out steps of:

receiving particular user input that indicates selection of the second user-selectable option; and

in response to receiving the particular user input, charging a selling entity a specified monetary amount.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein the particular information comprises a second user-selectable option, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out steps of:

receiving particular user input that indicates selection of the second user-selectable option; and

in response to receiving the particular user input, recording data that indicates that the second user-selectable option was selected.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out steps of:

displaying one or more additional user-selectable options that were selected for display based on the data;

wherein the one or more additional user-selectable options were selected for display due to the one or more additional user-selectable options being in a same category as the second user-selectable option.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein displaying the particular information to the user of the multimedia device further comprises displaying titles of one or more television programs that the user can select in order to cause the multimedia device to record corresponding television programs at a later time.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein the particular information comprises a second user-selectable option, and the instructions further comprising:

receiving particular user input that indicates selection of the second user-selectable option; and

in response to receiving the particular user input, displaying, to the user, a subsequent menu, wherein the subsequent menu comprises at least one of;

(a) a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display, to the user, an interface through which the user can purchase a product or service;

(b) a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display, to the user, an interface through which the user can request information about a product or service to be sent to the user;

(c) an interface through which the user can submit an answer to a question via the multimedia device;

(d) a user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to send a request to a request-receiving entity, wherein the request asks the request-receiving entity to send specified information to at least one of (i) a specified e-mail address and (ii) a specified postal address;

(e) a user-selectable option, user selection of which cause the multimedia device to provide the user with an ability to schedule an upcoming content stream for recording; and

(f) an interface through which the user can request downloading of a particular video for later viewing.