Systems and methods for awarding affinity points based upon remote control usage

• US 8,266,667 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: O'Donnell, Frank, Thompson, Brandt, Darbee, Paul V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beliveau, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): CORBO, NICHOLAS T
• Application Number:
  US12/387,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20100033638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 725/9, 725 13- 14, 725/32, 725/34, 725/42, 725 46- 47, 348/734
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72
• 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 21/25891 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 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• 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 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing and promoting television programming, advertisements, and other content to selected viewers. A display is provided on a remote control device, prompts are provided on the display, and viewer responses to those prompts are monitored, stored in memory, and thereafter processed to reward viewers for responding properly to the prompts. Various methods for promoting such programs are also described.

Claims

1. A method for selecting advertising content associated with television programming, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving by a portable device a user input for a channel up or channel down command for viewing on an associated television set;

determining a new channel selection based on the user input for the channel up or channel down command, a channel map stored on the portable device, and an indication of a currently selected channel stored on the portable device;

storing the new channel selection within said portable device;

sending a command to the television set including a channel indicator for the new channel selection;

using said stored new channel selection to select an advertisement for depiction on a display provided on said portable device; and

displaying the selected ad on the display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored channel indication is associated with a program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored channel indication is associated with a program played at a specific time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the program is a television program.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable device is a remote control device.

2. A portable device comprising:

a display;

a transmitter and receiver circuitry for transmitting signals to an associated television monitor and receiving signals from a program guide data transmission source;

a microprocessor;

an interface for receiving a user input for a channel up or channel down command for the television monitor; and

a memory,

said microprocessor controlling said display and said transmitter and receiver circuitry, and

said memory having stored therein a program that, when executed by said microprocessor, allows for determining a new channel selection based on the user input for the channel up or channel down command, a channel map stored on the portable device, and an indication of a currently selected channel stored on the portable device;

sending a command for the television monitor including a channel indicator for the new channel selection; and

advertising and promotional content to be selected for depiction on said display based upon a predetermined relationship between said advertising and promotional content and the new channel selection.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said advertising and promotional content comprises an advertisement promoting television content on a channel other than a channel corresponding to said channel indicator.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said advertising and promotional content comprises one or more questions corresponding to television content on a channel corresponding to said channel indicator.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said advertising and promotional content comprises an offer of an award for selecting at a predetermined time a channel other than a channel corresponding to said channel indicator.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said advertising and promotional content comprises an offer of an award for selecting at a predetermined time a channel corresponding to said channel indicator.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the channel indicator is associated with a select program at a select time.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the portable device is a remote control device.