Preparation and utilization of customer profile data in a cable services network
First Claim
1. A method of preparing and utilizing a customer profile for providing targeted advertisement and information content to a customer in a cable television services system, comprising:
- calling an application server at a headend by a content control device for the application server to obtain a customer profile;
passing a query from the application server to a web services system for the web services system to obtain customer data for a customer profile;
collecting by the web services system customer data from one or more data services;
assembling any customer data received from the one or more data services at the web services system;
returning assembled customer data to the application server;
preparing, by the application server, a customer profile from the assembled customer data;
forwarding, by the application server, the customer profile to the content control device;
reviewing the customer profile, at the content control device, for data associated with services subscribed to by the customer to identify a service not subscribed to by the customer;
in response to the identifying by the content control device, retrieving by the content control device a targeted advertisement associated with a service not subscribed to by the customer to offer the customer the service not subscribed to by the customer; and
displaying the retrieved targeted advertisement associated with a service not subscribed to by the customer to the customer in an advertisement pane of a displayed menu.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for preparing, updating and maintaining customer profile data that may be utilized in an interactive television system for providing tailored customer-specific interactive services, and product offerings and helpful information content. The customer'"'"'s set-top box queries an application server for profile data corresponding to the customer. A web services system queries each of a number of data services associated with the interactive television services provider to obtain profile data for the customer. Available customer data is passed to the application server. The application server prepares a customer profile from the customer data and formats the customer profile for use by the client-side set-top box. After the customer profile is stored at the set-top box, customer-specific services and product offerings may be presented to the customer in the form of targeted advertising, and customer-specific information content may be presented to the customer.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of preparing and utilizing a customer profile for providing targeted advertisement and information content to a customer in a cable television services system, comprising:
-
calling an application server at a headend by a content control device for the application server to obtain a customer profile; passing a query from the application server to a web services system for the web services system to obtain customer data for a customer profile; collecting by the web services system customer data from one or more data services; assembling any customer data received from the one or more data services at the web services system; returning assembled customer data to the application server; preparing, by the application server, a customer profile from the assembled customer data; forwarding, by the application server, the customer profile to the content control device; reviewing the customer profile, at the content control device, for data associated with services subscribed to by the customer to identify a service not subscribed to by the customer; in response to the identifying by the content control device, retrieving by the content control device a targeted advertisement associated with a service not subscribed to by the customer to offer the customer the service not subscribed to by the customer; and displaying the retrieved targeted advertisement associated with a service not subscribed to by the customer to the customer in an advertisement pane of a displayed menu. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. A method of preparing a customer profile for targeting content to a customer in a cable television services system, comprising:
-
requesting by a set-top box associated with a customer television set a customer profile from an application server of a cable television services system; in response to receiving the request by the application server, calling a web services system for customer data associated with a set-top box upon identification; in response to receiving the call for customer data at the web services system, calling one or more data services, and requesting customer data associated with the customer from the one or more data services; at the web services system, assembling any customer data received from the one or more data services and providing the assembled customer data to the application server; at the application server, preparing a customer profile from the assembled customer data and providing the prepared customer profile to the set-top-box; and storing the customer profile at the set-top box; analyzing the customer profile by the set-top box to identify a service not subscribed to by the customer; and displaying a targeted advertisement associated with a service not subscribed to by the customer to the customer in an advertisement pane of a displayed menu. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. In a cable television services network, a system for preparing a customer profile for targeting content to a customer, comprising:
-
a television set-top box operative to request a customer profile from an application server of a cable television services system for determining content to provide the customer; the application server operative to call a web services system, in response to receiving the request by the cable television services system application server, for customer data associated with a set-top box upon identification; and the web services system operative, in response to receiving the call for customer data at the web services system, to call one or more data services, and to request customer data associated with the customer from the one or more data services, to assemble any customer data received from the one or more data services, and to pass the assembled customer data to the application server; and the application server further operative wherein the application server prepares the customer profile from the assembled customer data and provides the prepared customer profile to the set-top-box, and wherein the set-top box analyzes the customer profile to identify a service not subscribed to by the customer and displays a targeted advertisement associated with a service not subscribed to by the customer to the customer in an advertisement pane of a displayed menu. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification