Method for using banner advertisements during commercial breaks

• US 7,779,436 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1999
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JLB Ventures, LLC
• Original Assignee: JLB Ventures, LLC
• Inventors: Kamen, Yakov, Shirman, Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig; Andrew Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Featherstone; Mark D
• Application Number:
  US09/449,016
• Time in Patent Office: 3,919 Days
• Field of Search: 725/32, 725/34, 725/36, 725/22, 705/14, 714/14
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• 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 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4425 Monitoring of client processing errors or hardware failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/908 Pause control, i.e. "commercial killers"

Abstract

Apparatus is provided by which a television viewer can view other images e.g. during commercials or main program. For example, during a commercial, a viewer may channel surf or surf the internet. A banner is provided on a viewing screen while the viewer watches these other images. In this way the advertiser providing those commercials can still reach those viewers who are channel or internet surfing. Also, the banner will indicate to the viewer when the commercial is over and the normal programming has resumed. In another embodiment, during the main program user can activate one or more small commercial windows and position them on the screen based on his preference, e.g. using a remote device. Information is communicated to a broadcaster by the viewer'"'"'s video system indicating the above-mentioned commercial windows are open on the viewer'"'"'s screen. When each commercial window is positioned on the screen the viewer receives compensation based on the amount of time the commercial windows are displaying commercials to the viewer. All or part of commercial windows automatically close when a main commercial block starts. The commercial windows automatically open when the main commercial block finishes. In one embodiment, the viewer can turn the commercial windows ON/OFF on his discretion.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a first television program on substantially all of a display, said first television program comprising a commercial of a predetermined time length;

in response to a user selection, changing the first television program to a second television program different from the first television program, whereupon the second television program is displayed on substantially all of the video screen along with a window region on the video screen that simultaneously displays an advertisement relating to an item advertised in the commercial, wherein content of the advertisement relating to the advertised item is different from the commercial of the first television program; and

modifying the information displayed in the window region when the predetermined time length of the commercial is complete, to alert a user that the commercial has ended.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication displayed in said window region is a banner advertisement related to the commercial.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said window region displays a thumbnail advertisement related to the commercial.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said window region displays a banner indicative of a product being advertised during said commercial.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second television program comprises access to the interne.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said second television program comprises viewing another regularly received television channel on said video screen.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a link is associated with said window region, said method further comprising invoking said link.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said link is to a web page.