Providing a Viewer Incentive With Video Content

• US 20140130078A1
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amanda C. Mallare, David B. Kinder, Scott P. Casey
• Original Assignee: Scott P. Casey
• Inventors: Kinder, David B., Mallare, Amanda C., Casey, Scott P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,071,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• 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 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Video content may be transmitted with enhanced content or ancillary information that includes viewer loyalty incentives. The viewer loyalty incentives may be in the form of incentives, certificates or other information which may accumulate depending on viewing time. The more the viewer watches, the more incentives the viewer may receive.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a plurality of television segments available for viewing by a user;

associating with each of said plurality of television segments a distinct viewing incentive that may be earned by viewing each of said segments automatically;

using a computer processor to visually indicate an award that may be earned by viewing each of said segments and earning said distinct incentives for viewing each of said segments;

determining whether the user has viewed one of said segments;

if said user has viewed one of said segments, displaying an indication that an incentive associated with said segment was earned and displaying additional incentives that must be earned to obtain an award;

determining whether the user qualifies for the award by viewing each of said segments and earning each incentive; and

if said user qualifies for said award, providing for a download that signifies that the award is available to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying said segments includes displaying commercials.

3. The method of claim 1 including transmitting video programming together with ancillary information and transmitting said visual indication of an award as part of said ancillary information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying an indication that an incentive was earned includes progressively providing a portion of the award.

5. The method of claim 4 including showing the portion of the award which has not yet been earned.

6. The method of claim 1 further including progressively providing incentives which may be collected in a graphical user interface for display.

7. The method of claim 6 including progressively adding incentives to a graphical user interface which may be viewed in a virtual book of pages of incentives.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable on a processor-based system to:

display a plurality of television segments available for viewing by a user;

associate with each of said plurality of television segments a distinct viewing incentive that may be earned by viewing each of said segments automatically;

visually indicate an award that may be earned by viewing each of said segments and earning said distinct incentives for viewing each of said segments;

determine whether the user has viewed one of said segments;

if said user has viewed one of said segments, display an indication that an incentive associated with said segment was earned and displaying additional incentives that must be earned to obtain an award;

determine whether the user qualifies for the award by viewing each of said segments and earning each incentive; and

if said user qualifies for said award, provide for a download that signifies that the award is available to the user.

9. The medium of claim 8 further storing instructions to display commercials.

10. The medium of claim 8 further storing instructions to transmit video programming together with ancillary information and transmitting said visual indication of an award as part of said ancillary information.

11. The medium of claim 8 further storing instructions to progressively provide a portion of the award.

12. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to show the portion of the award which has not yet been earned.

13. The medium of claim 8 further storing instructions to progressively provide incentives which may be collected in a graphical user interface for display.

14. The medium of claim 13 further storing instructions to progressively add incentives to a graphical user interface which may be viewed in a virtual book of pages of incentives.

15. An apparatus comprising a processor to:

display a plurality of television segments available for viewing by a user;

associate with each of said plurality of television segments a distinct viewing incentive that may be earned by viewing each of said segments automatically;

visually indicate an award that may be earned by viewing each of said segments and earning said distinct incentives for viewing each of said segments;

determine whether the user has viewed one of said segments;

if said user has viewed one of said segments, display an indication that an incentive associated with said segment was earned and displaying additional incentives that must be earned to obtain an award;

determine whether the user qualifies for the award by viewing each of said segments and earning each incentive; and

if said user qualifies for said award, provide for a download that signifies that the award is available to the user; and

a memory coupled to said processor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, said processor to display commercials.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, said processor to transmit video programming together with ancillary information and transmitting said visual indication of an award as part of said ancillary information.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, said processor further storing instructions to progressively provide a portion of the award.