Asset delivery reporting in a broadcast network

• US 7,730,509 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invidi Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Invidi Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Boulet, Daniel A., Wilson, Daniel C., Anderson, Bruce J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shang; Annan Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, RUEBEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/332,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20070261072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36, 725 9- 21, 725 45- 46, 725/4, 705/14.49, 705/14.53, 715/811
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• 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 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• 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 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method is provided for use in connection with delivering content that is targeted to users of a broadcast network. In order to select content that is targeted to users of the broadcast network, signals are received from a plurality of customer premise equipment devices (CPEs) of the network users via a broadcast network interface. Based on the received signals, broadcast assets (e.g., programming, advertisements etc.) are selected from a collection of available asset options. Accordingly, at least a portion of the selected assets are inserted into a content stream of the broadcast network. Once the content stream is broadcast over a broadcast network interface, at least a portion of the selected assets area available for receipt by at least a portion of the CPEs. The CPEs generate reports regarding assets delivered such that asset providers can be billed based on guaranteed targeted impressions.

Claims

1. A method of delivering targeted assets to users of a broadcast network, wherein each user has a user equipment device, the method comprising the steps of:

operating a processor, at a user equipment device, to obtain;

1) current user originated information limited to a single current programming selection by a user or a single current programming status of the user equipment device;

2) network originated information constituting the entirety of any targeting information transmitted to said user equipment device from said broadcast network related to matching one or more targeted assets to said user, said network originated information specifically including any information identifying a characteristic of a desired audience for any one of said targeted assets and any information identifying a characteristic or group association of said user; and

3) processor inferred information, inferred by said processor by analyzing a series of inputs or events over time by using a nonlinear adaptive filter or probabilistic modeling at said user equipment device, constituting information for enabling said processor to make a choice from among candidate assets, for playing at a given asset delivery opportunity;

receiving, at said user equipment device, broadcast information directed to network subscribers, the broadcast information including a plurality of assets, each one of said assets being available as an option for playing at said given asset delivery opportunity;

operating said processor at said user equipment device to make a choice without further user intervention, using said processor inferred information in combination with said user originated information and said network originated information, from among said plurality of assets available for playing at said given asset delivery opportunity wherein an aggregate audience size for an asset is dependent on choices by processors at user equipment devices of network users; and

transmitting report information from said user equipment device to a platform of said broadcast network, said report information constituting said choice by said processor at said equipment device using said processor inferred information such that said report information can be used to determine said aggregate audience size for said asset based on actual reported playing information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing the asset for a period of time at the subscriber equipment device between the receipt of the asset and the delivery of the asset.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said step of transmitting report information does not identify the user to which the asset was delivered.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said step of transmitting report information identifies a group of users and does not identify a different group of users.

5. The method of claim 1 in which said step of transmitting report information comprises the steps of:

forwarding an asset delivery notification from the user equipment device to a privacy manager, in which the asset delivery notification contains information specific to the user; and

forwarding information from the asset delivery notification to an information manager after removing the information specific to the user.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of compiling information on asset delivery from plural users.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of delivering compiled information on asset delivery to a user.

8. The method of claim 1 in which said processor is operative for determining user classification information, for a user, by monitoring the viewing habits of the user.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of storing an indication of a characteristic of the user that is derived from the viewing habits of the user.

10. The method of claim 1 in which the user classification information is based on stored and real-time information identifying a real-time user.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said processor inferred information comprises user classification information regarding a current user of said user equipment device and said step of operating comprises matching said user classification information to targeting information, said targeting information provided as part of said network originated information, for said asset.

12. An apparatus for use in delivering targeted assets to users of a broadcast network, wherein each user has a user equipment device, the method comprising the steps of:

a processor, at a user equipment device, operative to obtain;

1. current user originated information limited to a single current programming selection by a user or a single current programming status of the user equipment device;

2. network originated information constituting the entirety of any targeting information transmitted to said user equipment device from said broadcast network related to matching one or more targeted assets to said user, said network originated information specifically including any information identifying a characteristic of a desired audience for any one of said targeted assets and any information identifying a characteristic or group association of said user; and

3. processor inferred information, inferred by said processor by analyzing a series of inputs or events over time by using a nonlinear adaptive filter or probabilistic modeling at said user equipment device, constituting information for enabling said processor to make a choice from among candidate assets for playing at a given asset delivery opportunity;

said processor further being operative for;

1. receiving broadcast information directed to network subscribers, the broadcast information including a plurality of assets, each one of said assets being available as an option for playing at said given asset delivery opportunity;

2. making a choice without further user intervention, using said processor inferred information in combination with said user originated information and said network originated information from among said plurality of assets available for playing at said given asset delivery opportunity, wherein an aggregate audience size for an asset is dependent on choices by processors at user equipment devices of network users; and

3. transmitting report information from said user equipment device to a platform of said broadcast network, said report information constituting said choice by said processor at said equipment device using said processor inferred information such that said report information can be used to determine said aggregate audience size for said asset based on actual reported playing information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising storage at said user equipment device storing the asset for a period of time at the subscriber equipment device between the receipt of the asset and the delivery of the asset.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said processor is operative for transmitting said report information free from identifying the user to which the asset was delivered.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said processor is operative for transmitting said report information such that support information identifies a group of users and does not identify a different group of users.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 in which said processor is operative for transmitting said report information by:

forwarding an asset delivery notification from the user equipment device to a privacy manager, in which the asset delivery notification contains information specific to the user; and

forwarding information from the asset delivery notification to an information manager after removing the information specific to the user,

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a network platform operative for compiling information on asset delivery from plural users.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said network platform is operative for delivering compiled information on asset delivery to a user.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 in which said processor is operative for determining user classification information, for a user, by monitoring the viewing habits of the user.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising storage, at said subscriber equipment device, for storing an indication of a characteristic of the user that is derived from the viewing habits of the user.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said processor is operative for estimating user classification information based on stored and real-time information identifying a real-time user.

22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said processor inferred information comprises user classification information and said processor is operative for matching said user classification information to targeting information, said targeting information provided as part of said network originated information, for said asset.