METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- detecting, by a set top box, a coupon tag in a television program stream;
transmitting, by the set top box to a remote server, a request for coupon information, wherein the transmitting of the request selectively causes the remote server to select a 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 transmitting of the request selectively causes the remote server to select a 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, wherein the first or second coupon is selected by the remote server based in part on coupon consumption behavior associated with a user of the set top box;
receiving, by the set top box, the coupon information associated with a selected one of the first and second coupons without receiving the first and second coupons responsive to a determination that a coupon offer was available when the request was transmitted;
presenting, by the set top box, the coupon information; and
transmitting, by the set top box 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 the transmitting of the coupon request causes the remote server to store the selected one of the first and second coupons at a remote database associated with the 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 method comprising:
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detecting, by a set top box, a coupon tag in a television program stream; transmitting, by the set top box to a remote server, a request for coupon information, wherein the transmitting of the request selectively causes the remote server to select a 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 transmitting of the request selectively causes the remote server to select a 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, wherein the first or second coupon is selected by the remote server based in part on coupon consumption behavior associated with a user of the set top box; receiving, by the set top box, the coupon information associated with a selected one of the first and second coupons without receiving the first and second coupons responsive to a determination that a coupon offer was available when the request was transmitted; presenting, by the set top box, the coupon information; and transmitting, by the set top box 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 the transmitting of the coupon request causes the remote server to store the selected one of the first and second coupons at a remote database associated with the user of the set top box. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer readable storage device 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; obtaining coupon consumption behavior associated with the media processor; selecting a first coupon based on the coupon consumption behavior and responsive to determining from a scheduled presentation date for the media program that the presentation of the media program is consistent with the scheduled presentation date; selecting a second coupon based on the coupon consumption behavior and responsive to determining from the scheduled presentation date that the media program is being presented from a recording of the media program; transmitting, to the media processor, coupon information associated with a selected one of the first and second coupons without transmitting the first and second coupons; receiving, from the media processor, a second request to acquire the selected one of the first and second coupons; and storing the selected one of the first and second coupons in a database responsive to the receiving of the second request. - 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; obtaining coupon consumption behavior associated with the media processor; selecting the first coupon based on the coupon consumption behavior and 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 based on the coupon consumption behavior and 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