Video distribution of advertisements to businesses
First Claim
1. A video media distribution network comprising:
- a central distribution center having means for transmitting a network-wide video program and market-specific segments to a plurality of receiving sites at places of business each having an associated address, said network-wide video program including regional-specific segments, said market-specific segments including a destination address and a set of control data encoded therein, wherein the receiving sites comprise;
a receiver to receive said network-wide video program and said market-specific segment;
a reader coupled to said receiver to read the destination addresses in said market-specific segments;
a storage unit coupled to said receiver to store desired segments from said regional-specific segments and said market-specific segments;
an insertion control unit coupled to said receiver to insert said market specific segments into said regional-specific segments according to commands contained in the control data to produce a customized program; and
a display coupled to said receiver to display the customized program at said places of business.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for distributing full motion video media, usually in the form of advertisements to a plurality of businesses, such as retail stores that are dispersed over a wide geographical area. The programs are transmitted from a distribution center to a multitude of receiving sites via satellite and are receivable via antennae at the receiving sites. Television monitors located at selected points in the receiving sites display the programs to an audience, which usually will include shoppers in the course of shopping. The invention provides for customizing video programs for particular target audiences or markets, such that the series of programs played in one receiving site could be quite different from that played in another.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A video media distribution network comprising:
a central distribution center having means for transmitting a network-wide video program and market-specific segments to a plurality of receiving sites at places of business each having an associated address, said network-wide video program including regional-specific segments, said market-specific segments including a destination address and a set of control data encoded therein, wherein the receiving sites comprise; a receiver to receive said network-wide video program and said market-specific segment; a reader coupled to said receiver to read the destination addresses in said market-specific segments; a storage unit coupled to said receiver to store desired segments from said regional-specific segments and said market-specific segments; an insertion control unit coupled to said receiver to insert said market specific segments into said regional-specific segments according to commands contained in the control data to produce a customized program; and a display coupled to said receiver to display the customized program at said places of business. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of broadcasting a plurality of customized video programs to a plurality of receiving sites each having an associated address, the method comprising:
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encoding each of a plurality of market-specific segments with a destination address; transmitting a network-wide program containing regional-specific segments, and the market-specific segments to the receiving sites; receiving the network-wide program containing the regional-specific segments, and market-specific segments at each site; reading the destination addresses in each market-specific segment; storing at each particular receiving site the desired segments of said regional-specific segments and market-specific segments to said particular receiving sites; and inserting the market-specific segments into the regional-specific segments to produce a customized program, wherein each receiving site is a place of business. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of broadcasting a plurality of customized video programs to a plurality of receiving sites each having an associated address, the method comprising:
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encoding each of a plurality of regional-specific segments with a destination address; encoding each of a plurality of market-specific segments with a destination address; transmitting a network-wide program containing said regional-specific segments, and said market-specific segments to said receiving sites; receiving said network-wide program containing said regional-specific segments and market-specific segments at each of said receiving sites; reading the destination addresses in each of said regional-specific segments and each of said market-specific segments; storing at each said receiving site only said regional-specific segments having destination addresses matching addresses associated with said receiving sites; and inserting said market-specific segments having destination addresses which match addresses associated with said receiving sites in said network-wide program to produce a customized program, wherein said receiving sites are places of business. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A video media distribution network comprising:
a distribution center having means for transmitting a network-wide video program and market-specific segments to a plurality of receiving sites each having an associated address, said network-wide video program including regional-specific segments, said market-specific segments including a destination address and a set of control data encoded therein, wherein the receiving sites comprise; a receiver to receive said network-wide video program and said market-specific segment; a reader coupled to said receiver to read the destination addresses in said market-specific segments; a storage unit coupled to said receiver to store desired segments from said regional-specific segments and said market-specific segments; an insertion control unit coupled to said receiver to insert said market specific segments into said regional-specific segments according to commands contained in the control data to produce a customized program; a display coupled to said receiver to display the customized program; and an interrupt feature coupled to said insertion control unit to interrupt said customized program. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A video media distribution network comprising:
a distribution center having means for transmitting a network-wide video program and market-specific segments to a plurality of receiving sites each having an associated address, said network-wide video program including regional-specific segments, said market-specific segments including a destination address and a set of control data encoded therein, wherein the receiving sites comprise; a receiver to receive said network-wide video program and said market-specific segment; a reader coupled to said receiver to read the destination addresses in said market-specific segments; a storage unit coupled to said receiver to store desired segments from said regional-specific segments and said market-specific segments; an insertion control unit coupled to said receiver to insert said market specific segments into said regional-specific segments according to commands contained in the control data to produce a customized program; a display coupled to said receiver to display the customized program; and a trafficking system coupled to said insertion control unit. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of broadcasting a plurality of customized video programs to a plurality of receiving sites each having an associated address, the method comprising:
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encoding each of a plurality of market-specific segments with a destination address; transmitting a network-wide program containing regional-specific segments, and the market-specific segments to the receiving sites; receiving the network-wide program containing the regional-specific segments, and market-specific segments at each site; reading the destination addresses in each market-specific segment; storing at each particular receiving site the desired segments of said regional-specific segments and market-specific segments to said particular receiving sites; inserting the market-specific segments into the regional-specific segments to produce a customized program; and interrupting said customized program said receiving sites when unanticipated segments having a destination address matching the address at said receiving sites are transmitted from said distribution center. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A method of broadcasting a plurality of customized video programs to a plurality of receiving sites each having an associated address, the method comprising:
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encoding each of a plurality of market-specific segments with a destination address; transmitting a network-wide program containing regional-specific segments, and the market-specific segments to the receiving sites; receiving the network-wide program containing the regional-specific segments, and market-specific segments at each site; reading the destination addresses in each market-specific segment; storing at each particular receiving site the desired segments of said regional-specific segments and market-specific segments to said particular receiving sites; inserting the market-specific segments into the regional-specific segments to produce a customized program, wherein said regional-specific segments and market-specific segments contain information; and trafficking said transmitting and said inserting of said information to produce a customized program, said trafficking manages said information and generates bills from gathering and consolidating said information, and said trafficking utilizes a wheel program sequence.
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42. A method of broadcasting a plurality of customized video programs to a plurality of receiving sites each having an associated address, the method comprising:
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encoding each of a plurality of market-specific segments with a destination address; transmitting a network-wide program containing regional-specific segments, and the market-specific segments to the receiving sites; receiving the network-wide program containing the regional-specific segments, and market-specific segments at each site; reading the destination addresses in each market-specific segment; storing at each particular receiving site the desired segments of said regional-specific segments and market-specific segments to said particular receiving sites; inserting the market-specific segments into the regional-specific segments to produce a customized program, wherein the receiving sites each have a plurality of sections having a section associated address; and encoding a section destination address in the market-specific segments, reading the section destination address at the receiving site, and displaying in each of said sections the network-wide program having inserted therein the market-specific segments with a section destination address matching the section associated address.
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Specification