Inserting Advertisement Content in Video Stream

• US 20130024888A1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AmZetta Technologies, LLC (American Megatrends International, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Sivertsen, Clas
• Granted Patent: US 8,966,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• 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 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A system and method for inserting advertising content in a video stream are provided. A screen layout includes a plurality of sections is determined with reference to user-designated parameters or with reference to pre-set rules. An output video stream is generated, in which an input video stream received through an input port is shown in one of the sections of the screen layout and supplemental content comprising advertising received through a content port is shown one or more other sections of the screen layout. The output video signal is then output to a display device through a video output port.

Claims

1. A method for controlling presentation of advertising content in a video stream provided to a television, comprising:

determining a screen layout comprising a first section and a second with reference to user-designated parameters;

generating an output video stream comprising commercially available television video signals received at an input port and supplemental content received at a content port that is distinct from the input port, wherein output video stream is configured so that the television video signals are displayed in a first section of the screen layout and the supplemental content is displayed in a second section of the screen layout; and

transmitting the output video signal to the television through a video output port.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental content is received from a web advertising portal and the content port comprises either an Ethernet port connected to the Internet or a wireless transceiver wirelessly connected to the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating demographic information in response to receiving an image signal from a camera directed to viewers of the television, wherein the output video stream is generated by selecting advertisements in the supplemental content based on the demographic information; and

configuring the output video signal to display the selected advertisements in the second section of the screen layout.

4. A method for controlling presentation of advertising content in a video stream provided to a television, comprising:

receiving at an input port an input video stream comprising commercially available television video signals, the television video signals comprising a commercial;

analyzing the input video stream to detect a start of the commercial in the input video stream;

receiving at a content port supplemental content comprising an advertisement;

replacing the commercial with the advertisement from the supplemental content; and

transmitting the output video signal to the television through a video output port.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

analyzing the input video stream to detect an end of the commercial; and

transmitting the output video stream comprising the input video stream wherein the output video stream does not comprise the supplemental content.

6. A method for controlling presentation of advertising content in a video stream provided to a television, comprising:

receiving at an input port an input video stream comprising commercially available television video signals, the available television video signals comprising a commercial;

analyzing the input video stream to detect a start of the commercial; and

changing channels until a channel is found that is not presently showing another commercial.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein changing channels comprises changing from a first channel that is showing the commercial to a second channel with similar programming content that is not showing the another commercial.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating demographic information in response to receiving an image signal from a camera pointed towards viewers of the television, wherein changing channels comprises changing channels from a first channel that is showing the commercial to a second channel that is not showing the another commercial, and

wherein a selection of the second channel is based on the demographic information.

9. A system for inserting advertising content in a video stream, comprising:

an input port configured to receive an input video stream comprising television signals from a commercial television signal service provider;

a video output port for connection to a television, the video output port providing the video stream;

a content port for receiving supplemental content; and

a processor configured to

determine a screen layout including a plurality of sections based on user-designated parameters or using pre-set rules,

generate the output video stream wherein the output video stream is configured so that the input video stream is shown in a first section of the screen layout and the supplemental content is shown in a second section of the screen layout, and

transmit the output video signal to the display device through the video output port.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the content port comprises an Ethernet port or a wireless transceiver for connection to the Internet, and the supplemental content is received from a web advertising portal through the content port.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to

generate demographic information in response to receiving an image signal from a camera directed towards viewers of the television;

and

generate the output video stream comprising selected advertisements from the supplemental content based on the demographic information, wherein the selected advertisements is presented in the second section of the screen layout.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein a web page is provided using a web server, and the processor determines the screen layout using parameters designated by the user through the web page.

13. A system for controlling presentation of advertising content in a video stream, comprising:

an input port configured to receive an input video stream comprising television signals from a commercial television signal service provider;

a video output port for connection to a television, the video output port providing the video stream; and

a processor configured to

analyze the input video stream to detect a start and an end of a commercial in the input video stream, and

change channels to a channel that is not presently showing commercials.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein changing channels comprises changing from a first channel that is showing the commercial to a second channel with similar programming that is not showing another commercial.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein

the processor is further configured to

generate demographic information in response to receiving an image signal from a camera directed to viewers of the television, and

wherein changing channels comprises changing channels from a first channel that is showing the commercial to a second channel that is not showing the another commercial based on using the demographic information.

16. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

determine a screen layout associated with an output video signal using user-designated parameters, wherein the screen layout comprises a first section and a second section;

generate the output video signal,

wherein the output video signal comprise an input video stream,

wherein the input video stream comprises commercially available television signals received at an input port, and

wherein at least a portion of the content of the input video stream is shown in the first section of the screen layout and supplemental content received through a content port is shown the second section of screen layout; and

transmit the output video signal to a television through a video output port.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising computer-readable instructions that when executed by the computer cause the computer to

generate demographic information in response to receiving an image signal from a camera pointed towards viewers of the television, wherein the output video stream comprises a selected advertisement from the supplemental content with reference to the demographic information;

and

generate the output video signal such that the selected advertisement is shown in the second section of the screen layout.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

transmit the demographic information to an advertising server.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16,

wherein the supplemental content comprises text information, and

further comprising computer-readable instructions that when executed by the computer cause the computer to generate the output video signal such that the text information appears as scrolling in the second section of the screen layout.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the computer-readable instructions that when executed by the computer cause the computer to read the supplemental content from a memory card connected to a USB port.