Systems and methods for providing advertisements in a fantasy sports contest application

• US 8,239,891 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2010
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Hughes, Patrick J., Barber, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Newlin, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US12/770,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20100211465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 725/32, 725/35
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• 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 21/25891 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 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• 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

Systems and methods are presented for presenting advertisements to users of a fantasy sports contest application. Advertisements are displayed in conjunction with fantasy sports contest information and may be interactive in nature. The advertisements may be used to inform the user of prizes being awarded for performance in the fantasy sports contest, including prizes being awarded for performing in an instant scoring opportunity based on real-time action in a related sports broadcast. The advertisements may be intelligently scheduled around certain events in a related sports broadcast to take advantage of user purchasing habits. The advertisements may be selected according to a user profile. The user profile may include information on the user'"'"'s demonstrated interests, which may be determined using the user'"'"'s preferences in the fantasy contest, prior television viewing habits, and other suitable information. The advertisements may be targeted to the user'"'"'s specific geographic location. The advertisements may also be used to inform a user of an awarded prize, and to enable the user to claim the awarded prize.

Claims

1. A method for providing advertisements on a display screen to a user using a fantasy sports contest application, the method comprising:

maintaining a user profile associated with the user;

selecting an advertisement based on user data for a fantasy sports contest, wherein the user data is stored within the user profile;

scheduling the advertisement to be displayed at an appropriate time, wherein the appropriate time is determined based on timing information stored within the user profile; and

displaying simultaneously on the display screen the advertisement at the appropriate time and fantasy sports contest information associated with the user data for the fantasy sports contest.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the user profile comprises monitoring the user'"'"'s interaction with the fantasy sports contest application.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein monitoring the user'"'"'s interaction comprises collecting information on a history of the user'"'"'s player selections in the fantasy sports contest.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein monitoring the user'"'"'s interaction comprises collecting information on the user'"'"'s current fantasy sports contest team roster.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the user profile comprises monitoring the user'"'"'s television viewing selections.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the user profile comprises collecting information on merchandise the user has purchased through the fantasy sports contest application.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying, simultaneously with the fantasy sports contest information and the advertisement, a television broadcast related to the fantasy sports contest.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement is displayed in a first region of the display screen and the fantasy sports contest information is displayed in a second region of the display screen distinct from the first region.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable instructions for providing advertisements on a display screen to a user of a fantasy sports contest application, the machine-readable instructions comprising:

maintaining a user profile associated with the user;

selecting an advertisement based on user data for a fantasy sports contest, wherein the user data is stored within the user profile;

scheduling the advertisement to be displayed at an appropriate time, wherein the appropriate time is determined based on timing information stored within the user profile; and

displaying simultaneously on the display screen the advertisement at the appropriate time and fantasy sports contest information associated with the user data for the fantasy sports contest.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the machine-readable instructions for maintaining the user profile comprises machine-readable instructions for monitoring the user'"'"'s interaction with the fantasy sports contest application.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 wherein the machine-readable instructions for monitoring the user'"'"'s interaction comprises machine-readable instructions for collecting information on a history of the user'"'"'s player selections in the fantasy sports contest.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 wherein the machine-readable instructions for monitoring the user'"'"'s interaction comprises machine-readable instructions for collecting information on the user'"'"'s current fantasy sports contest team roster.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the machine-readable instructions for maintaining the user profile comprises machine-readable instructions for monitoring the user'"'"'s television viewing selections.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the machine-readable instructions for maintaining the user profile comprises machine-readable instructions for collecting information on merchandise the user has purchased through the fantasy sports contest application.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 further comprising machine-readable instructions for displaying, simultaneously with the fantasy sports contest information and the advertisement, a television broadcast related to the fantasy sports contest.

15. A system for providing advertisements on a display device to a user using a fantasy sports contest application, the system comprising:

a user input device;

a user output device comprising the display device; and

processing circuitry configured to;

maintain a user profile associated with the user;

select an advertisement based on user data for a fantasy sports contest, wherein the user data is stored within the user profile;

scheduling the advertisement to be displayed at an appropriate time, wherein the appropriate time is determined based on timing information stored within the user profile; and

display simultaneously on the display device the advertisement at the appropriate time and fantasy sports contest information associated with the user data for the fantasy sports contest.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry configured to maintain the user profile comprises processing circuitry configured to monitor the user'"'"'s interaction with the fantasy sports contest application.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the processing circuitry configured to monitor the user'"'"'s interaction comprises processing circuitry configured to collect information on a history of the user'"'"'s player selections in the fantasy sports contest.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the processing circuitry configured to monitor the user'"'"'s interaction comprises processing circuitry configured to collect information on the user'"'"'s current fantasy sports contest team roster.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry configured to maintain the user profile comprises processing circuitry configured to monitor the user'"'"'s television viewing selections.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry configured to maintain the user profile comprises processing circuitry configured to collect information on merchandise the user has purchased through the fantasy sports contest application.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to display, simultaneously with the fantasy sports contest information and the advertisement, a television broadcast related to the fantasy sports contest.