Method and apparatus for enticing a passive television viewer by automatically playing promotional presentations of selectable options in response to the viewer's inactivity
First Claim
1. A method for enticing a passive television viewer viewing a television display controlled by a computer, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
- presenting said viewer with a promotional presentations having a first set of selectable options, each option identifying an additional promotional presentation;
allowing said viewer to select an option from said first set of selectable options;
determining whether or not said viewer has selected an option from said first set of selectable options;
playing computer selected promotional presentations identified by the options from said first set of selectable options, if said viewer does not select an option from said first set of selectable options; and
playing a viewer selected promotional presentation identified by an option selected by said viewer from said first set of selectable options, if said viewer does select an option from said first set of selectable options.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for enticing a passive television viewer by automatically playing promotional presentations of selectable options in response to the viewer'"'"'s inactivity. One embodiment of the invention presents the passive viewer with a set of selectable options. If the viewer does not select an option from the set of selectable options within a predetermined amount of time, the invention then displays a promotional presentation of a first option from the set of selectable options. A more specific embodiment of the invention displays the promotional presentation of the first option by (1) requesting promotional data concerning the first option from a service source through a communication network, and (2) receiving the promotional data from the service source through the communication network.
114 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for enticing a passive television viewer viewing a television display controlled by a computer, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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presenting said viewer with a promotional presentations having a first set of selectable options, each option identifying an additional promotional presentation; allowing said viewer to select an option from said first set of selectable options; determining whether or not said viewer has selected an option from said first set of selectable options; playing computer selected promotional presentations identified by the options from said first set of selectable options, if said viewer does not select an option from said first set of selectable options; and playing a viewer selected promotional presentation identified by an option selected by said viewer from said first set of selectable options, if said viewer does select an option from said first set of selectable options. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer program for executing a computer process, said computer program being storage medium readable by a computing system controlling a television and encoding a program of instructions for enticing a passive television viewer, said computer process comprising the steps of:
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presenting said viewer with a first set of selectable options, said options representing calls to Promotional presentation modules; determining whether or not said viewer makes a selection of an option from said first set of selectable options; if said viewer does not select an option from said first set of selectable options within a first predetermined amount of time, selecting a first option with the computing system and playing a first promotional presentation called by the first option from said first set of selectable options; and if said viewer does select an option from said first set of selectable options within the first predetermined amount of time, playing a promotional presentation called by the option selected by the viewer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for enticing a passive television viewer, said apparatus comprising:
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means for presenting said viewer with a first set of selectable options each option representing a promotional presentation to be called when a option is selected; means for determining whether or not said viewer selects an option from said first set of selectable options; and means responsive to said determining means for causing said presenting means to play promotional presentations of options from said first set of selectable options, if said viewer does not select an option from said first set of selectable options. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for enticing an inactive television viewer that is viewing an interactive television display controlled by a computer to participate in interactive television activity by automatically playing one or more additional promotional presentations in response to viewer inactivity, and by playing a selected additional promotional presentation in response to viewer activity, the method comprising:
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providing a television viewer a promotional television presentation with a plurality of options to be selected by the television viewer; determining whether the television viewer is an active viewer or a passive viewer; if the television viewer is an active viewer, displaying the one of the plurality of options selected by the television viewer; and if the television viewer is a passive viewer, automatically displaying a promotional presentation featuring one of the plurality of options that can be selected by the television viewer to attempt to entice the passive viewer to become an active viewer. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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Specification