Preparation and utilization of customer profile data in a cable services network

• US 7,856,646 B1
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Groff, Vincent, Calzone, Steve, Beeco, Bruce, King, John Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARRY, CHRISTOPHER L
• Application Number:
  US10/885,292
• Time in Patent Office: 2,363 Days
• Field of Search: 725/34, 725/42, 725/46
• US Class Current: 725/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

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.

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.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether information content is associated with the data contained in the customer profile;

retrieving the information content associated with the data contained in the customer profile; and

displaying the information content to the customer in a content pane of a displayed menu.

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.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

requesting the customer profile by the set-top box in response to initializing the set-top box.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

requesting the customer profile by the set-top box in response to selecting a customer profile for data refresh.

6. The method of claim 3, whereby requesting the customer profile from an application server includes requesting the customer profile from an application server located at a head end of the cable television services system.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

requesting the customer profile from the application server via a hybrid fiber coax network.

8. The method of claim 3, whereby requesting the customer profile by the set-top box includes querying the application server for a customer profile.

9. The method of claim 3, whereby requesting the customer profile from an application server includes passing the application server a set-top box identification associated with the customer.

10. The method of claim 3, whereby calling a web services system for customer data associated with the set-top box identification includes calling the web services system from the application server.

11. The method of claim 3, prior to assembling the customer data received from the one or more data services, further comprising:

receiving customer data associated with the customer from the one or more data services at the web services system.

12. The method of claim 3, prior to preparing the customer profile from the assembled customer data, passing the assembled customer data from the web services system to the application server.

13. The method of claim 12, prior to storing the customer profile at the set-top box, further comprising:

passing the customer profile to the set-top box via a hybrid fiber coax network.

14. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in response to the customer profile, providing targeted advertising data to the customer based on the data contained in the customer profile.

15. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

at the set-top box, determining information content associated with the data contained in the customer profile;

retrieving the information content associated with the data contained in the customer profile; and

displaying the information content to the customer in a content pane of a displayed menu.

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.

17. The system of claim 16, whereby the television set-top box is further operative

to review the customer profile for data associated with services subscribed to by the customer;

and

to retrieve the targeted advertisement to offer the customer a service not subscribed to by the customer.

18. The system of claim 17, whereby the television set-top box is further operative

to determine information content associated with the data contained in the customer profile;

to retrieve the information content associated with the data contained in the customer profile; and

to display the information content to the customer in a content pane of a displayed menu.

19. The system of claim 16, whereby the television set-top box is further operative

to request the customer profile in response to initializing the set-top box.

20. The system of claim 16, whereby the television set-top box is further operative

to request the customer profile if a set amount of time has elapsed since the customer profile has been updated.