System for distributing customized commercials to television viewers

• US 5,319,455 A
• Filed: 12/23/1992
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ActiveVideo Networks, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ICTV, Inc.
• Inventors: Hoarty, W. Leo, Lauder, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Charouel, Lisa
• Application Number:
  US07/996,007
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/3.1, 455/3.2, 455/6.2, 358/84, 358/86, 358/142
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/48 using compressed domain processing techniques other than decoding, e.g. modification of transform coefficients, variable length coding [VLC] data or run-length data motion estimation in a transform domain H04N19/547; processing of decoded motion vectors H04N19/513
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/90 using coding techniques not provided for in groups H04N19/10-H04N19/85, e.g. fractals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/17372 the upstream transmission being initiated or timed by a signal from upstream of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/4117 for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/654 Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17345 : Control of the passage of the selected programme

Abstract

An interactive multimedia system with distributed processing and storage of video picture information and associated data and sound in nodes disposed throughout a cable television distribution system. The nodes are coupled to the feeder cable of the cable distribution system. Each node in the system receives a substantially identical copy of the interactive video picture information and related data from a regional processing center. The users at home televisions associated with a particular node interact directly with the video picture information in that node, rather than with the information stored in the regional processing center or some other remote location, which enables the system to quickly display photographic quality images and complex graphics, as well as sound, at the users'"'"' televisions in response to commands received by the users. The nodes can also be used for decompressing compressed television programming and distributing the decompressed programming to home televisions connected to the system. The nodes can also be used to distribute customized commercials to television viewers.

Claims

1. A system for distributing customized commercials to television viewers viewing home televisions coupled to a cable television distribution system, comprising:

a node coupled to said cable television distribution system and being associated with a portion of said home televisions coupled to said cable television distribution system, said node distributing video picture information, upon demand, to said television viewers viewing said home televisions associated with said node, said video picture information including full-motion video information;

wherein a television viewer viewing one of said home televisions can communicate, to the node associated therewith, a request for selected video picture information from the associated node, the associated node including;

(i) means for dynamically assigning one of a plurality of channels to the television viewer requesting the selected video picture information; and

(ii) means for transmitting the selected video picture information to said one home television of the requesting television viewer over the assigned channel;

wherein the associated node further comprises means for automatically switching a television channel received by the television viewer to a secondary channel containing a particular commercial interval, said particular customized commercial being transmitted to the television viewer from the associated node.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said secondary channel is selected from an available channel of one of said plurality of channels dynamically assigned by the associated node.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated node is disposed at the start of individual cable TV feeder lines adjacent a bridge amplifier of said cable television distribution system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated node receives said particular customized commercial from a source through means external to the cable television distribution system.