METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
First Claim
1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer instructions which, responsive to being executed by a set-top box, cause the set-top box to perform operations comprising:
- receiving a television program stream;
presenting the television program stream;
detecting a coupon tag in the television program stream;
retrieving the coupon tag from the television program stream;
transmitting to a remote server a request for coupon information, the request comprising at least a portion of the coupon tag, an identifier of the set-top box, and descriptive information about the television program stream, wherein the coupon information received from the remote server comprises one of a first coupon or a second coupon, wherein the remote server selects the first coupon responsive to determining from a scheduled presentation date of the television program stream and an approximate time when the request was received by the remote server that the television program stream is consistent with the scheduled presentation date, and wherein the remote server selects the second coupon responsive to determining from the scheduled presentation date of the television program stream and the approximate time when the request was received by the remote server that the television program stream is being presented from a recording thereof;
receiving coupon information associated with a coupon without receiving the coupon itself responsive to a determination that a coupon offer is available at approximately a time when the request was transmitted;
presenting the coupon information; and
transmitting to the remote server a coupon request initiated by a remote controller of the set-top box, wherein the coupon request is transmitted responsive to the remote controller initiating the coupon request within a predetermined time, and wherein transmitting the coupon request causes the remote server to store the coupon at a remote database associated with a user of the set-top box.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a memory coupled to a processor. The processor can be operable to receive a request for promotional information responsive to a media processor detecting a promotional tag in a media program stream and transmit to the media processor promotional information associated with a promotion responsive to a determination that a promotional offer is available. The processor can also be operable to receive from the media processor a request for redeemable material associated with the promotion and store the redeemable material in a portion of a database associated with a user of the media processor. Other embodiments are disclosed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer instructions which, responsive to being executed by a set-top box, cause the set-top box to perform operations comprising:
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receiving a television program stream; presenting the television program stream; detecting a coupon tag in the television program stream; retrieving the coupon tag from the television program stream; transmitting to a remote server a request for coupon information, the request comprising at least a portion of the coupon tag, an identifier of the set-top box, and descriptive information about the television program stream, wherein the coupon information received from the remote server comprises one of a first coupon or a second coupon, wherein the remote server selects the first coupon responsive to determining from a scheduled presentation date of the television program stream and an approximate time when the request was received by the remote server that the television program stream is consistent with the scheduled presentation date, and wherein the remote server selects the second coupon responsive to determining from the scheduled presentation date of the television program stream and the approximate time when the request was received by the remote server that the television program stream is being presented from a recording thereof; receiving coupon information associated with a coupon without receiving the coupon itself responsive to a determination that a coupon offer is available at approximately a time when the request was transmitted; presenting the coupon information; and transmitting to the remote server a coupon request initiated by a remote controller of the set-top box, wherein the coupon request is transmitted responsive to the remote controller initiating the coupon request within a predetermined time, and wherein transmitting the coupon request causes the remote server to store the coupon at a remote database associated with a user of the set-top box. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
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receiving a first request for coupon information responsive to a media processor detecting a coupon tag received with a media program stream for a media program; transmitting, to the media processor, coupon information associated with a coupon without transmitting the coupon, wherein the transmitting of the coupon information is responsive to a determination that a coupon offer is available; receiving, from the media processor, a second request to acquire the coupon responsive to an action generated by an input device of the media processor; storing the coupon in a database associated with the media processor responsive to the receiving of the second request, wherein the coupon is one of a first coupon or a second coupon; selecting the first coupon responsive to determining from a scheduled presentation date for the media program and a time when the second request was received that the presentation of the media program is consistent with the scheduled presentation date; and selecting the second coupon responsive to determining from the scheduled presentation date and the time when the second request was received that the media program is being presented from a recording of the media program. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A server, comprising:
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a memory to store instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the processor performs operations comprising; receiving, from a media processor, a request for redeemable material associated with a media program stream of a media program; storing the redeemable material in a database in association with the media processor, wherein the redeemable material is associated with first and second coupons; selecting the first coupon responsive to a determination that the media program is being presented by the media processor during a program presentation schedule; and selecting the second coupon responsive to a determination that the media program is being presented by the media processor from a recording. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification