Targeting advertising using web pages with video

• US 6,188,398 B1
• Filed: 06/02/1999
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digital Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digital Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Sabo, James, Fulton, Chris, Shakley, Chad, Collins-Rector, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Kieu-Oanh
• Application Number:
  US09/325,004
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 348/8, 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 348/906, 345/327, 345/120, 455/3.1, 380/20
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• 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 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for enabling an interactive video experience utilizing the Internet in which entertainment is combined with advertising to create an enhanced advertising experience. The invention utilizes techniques to deliver demographically targeted advertisements at predetermined times while watching a video. In addition, selectable buttons are maintained in a visible stack, which, when selected, cause a window to be opened containing further information. In this manner, a user is able to select an object, and obtain more information about the selected object, while the video stream is still playing, as well as make a purchase decision.

Claims

1. A method for advertising products and services using a network adapted to be connected to a plurality of interactive devices, each interactive device including a display device and an input device, the method comprising:

a) making video content available for display at a first location on the display device;

b) making a first advertising message which is synchronized to the displayed video content available for display at a second location on the display device;

c) making subsequent advertising messages which are synchronized to the displayed video content available for display at the second location, thereby replacing the first or prior subsequent advertising message with the subsequent advertising message at the second location; and

d) as each subsequent advertising message is made available for display, making a thumbnail version of the replaced advertising message available for display in a toolbar.

2. The method defined by claim 1 wherein making a thumbnail version of the replaced advertising message available for display in a toolbar includes making a thumbnail version of the replaced advertising message available for display in a toolbar at a third location on the display device.

3. The method defined by claim 1 wherein making a first advertising message which is synchronized to the displayed video content includes synchronizing based on content an ad banner with the displayed video content such that the banner ad relates to the video content being displayed at the time the banner ad is displayed.

4. The method defined by claim 1 wherein at least one advertising message is targeted using demographic information from at least one of observation and volunteered by a user.

5. The method defined by claim 1 wherein at least one of the subsequent advertising messages is updated as more information becomes available about a user.

7. The method defined by claim 2 wherein making a thumbnail version includes

a) sending instructions to a frame containing the toolbar to place an additional ad on the ad toolbar, and

b) moving each thumbnail already on the toolbar from its location to another location.

8. The method defined by claim 7, wherein the toolbar includes a number of thumbnails, the method further comprising:

if the number of thumbnails are more than fits on the toolbar visible to a user, allowing the user to scroll the frame containing the toolbar.

9. The method defined by claim 1 further comprising:

enabling a user to make a purchase of a product or service which is a subject of the advertising message.

6. A method for advertising products and services using a network adapted to be connected to a plurality of interactive devices, each interactive device including a display device and an input device, the method comprising:

a) making video content available for display at a first location on the display device,

wherein making a first advertising message which is synchronized to the displayed video content includes

i) editing the video content by creating a streaming interactive media for integration with a web site,

ii) viewing the video content to the desired launch point of the ad,

iii) inserting a marker on a timeline, and

iv) entering a URL to be launched in a window when the video content is displayed when the marker on the timeline is reached;

b) making a first advertising message which is synchronized to the displayed video content available for display at a second location on the display device; and

c) making subsequent advertising messages which are synchronized to the displayed video content available for display at the second location, thereby replacing the first or prior subsequent advertising message with the subsequent advertising message at the second location.

10. The method defined by claim 6 further comprising:

enabling a user to make a purchase of a product or service which is a subject of the advertising message.

11. The method defined by claim 6 further comprising:

as each subsequent advertising message is made available for display, making a thumbnail version of the replaced advertising message available for display in a toolbar at a third location on the display device.