System and method for consumer-selected advertising and branding in interactive media

• US 8,417,535 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Slingshot Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Downing Place Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kusumoto, Laura Lee, Sacerdoti, Earl David, Sigler, Leila Janine, Sigler, Sonya Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/844,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20100293569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0213 Consumer transaction fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0219 based on funds or budget
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

Participants in an interactive environment implemented by computer networks and other media such as interactive television are recruited to advertise products and brands to the other participants and viewers that are users of the media. Each participant may select from a set of available advertisements, which can be displayed in association with the user'"'"'s avatar, virtual space and virtual objects within or embodying the virtual world. Participants are given incentives to do this by the availability of rewards, such as coupons, real or virtual money or other resources, which are provided by the advertising sponsors, based on adoption of the advertising by the participant, as well as on factors such as exposure of the selected advertisements to other users. Allowing the users to exercise advertising choice, as participant or viewer, the invention also facilitates collection of data regarding consumer preferences.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

prompting, by a processing device, a user input identifying a location within a display to present an advertisement;

associating, by the processing device, the advertisement with a first user identifier;

tracking, by the processing device, a user interaction associated with the advertisement; and

determining, by the processing device, a payment corresponding to the first user identifier based on the user interaction or the location, or any combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interaction is associated with a second user identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input includes an advertisement identifier corresponding to the advertisement and a location identifier corresponding to the location.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising presenting, by the processing device, the advertisement in the location within the display responsive to the user input.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising aggregating, by the processing device, consumer data corresponding to the first user identifier and the second user identifier, the consumer data associated with the advertisement.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is associated with at least one of:

a virtual environment, a wearable display, a video game, a web page, clothing, an electronic billboard, a vending machine, programmable paper, and an avatar in a virtual environment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the processing device, a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising an advertisement identifier corresponding to the advertisement and a location identifier corresponding to the location, wherein the user input includes the advertisement identifier and the location identifier; and

displaying, by the processing device, the advertisement in the location responsive to the user input.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input identifies at least one of:

a size of the advertisement, an orientation of the advertisement within the display, a length of time the advertisement is to be displayed, a presence of audio in the advertisement, and a presence of video in the advertisement.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the payment is based on at least one of:

the size of the advertisement, the orientation of the advertisement within the display, the length of time the advertisement is to be displayed, the presence of audio in the advertisement, and the presence of video in the advertisement.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising, generating, by the processing device, a user profile associated with the first user identifier or the second user identifier, or any combination thereof, comprising at least one of:

registration information, an online status, an advertisement identifier associated with the advertisement, location information, user interaction information, the user input, and information associated with the payment.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the processing device, a fee corresponding to the advertisement to associate with the first user identifier.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interaction is identified in the user input.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interaction comprises at least one of:

accessing the display, triggering a sensor associated with the advertisement, an action performed by an avatar associated with the first user identifier, and an action performed by a second avatar associated with a second user identifier.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interaction is associated with a length of time the advertisement is included in the display.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment comprises at least one of:

a good, a service, a coupon, real-world money, virtual money, a game point, a game privilege, a status change, and information.

16. A computer-readable memory device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a user input identifying a location within an interactive medium to present an advertisement associated with a first user identifier;

tracking a user interaction associated with the advertisement; and

determining a payment corresponding to the first user identifier based on the user interaction or the location, or any combination thereof.

17. The computer-readable memory device of claim 16, wherein the user interaction is associated with a second user identifier.

18. The computer-readable memory device of claim 16, wherein the user input identifies at least one of:

a size of the advertisement, an orientation of the advertisement within the interactive medium, a length of time the advertisement is to be displayed, a presence of audio in the advertisement, and a presence of video in the advertisement.

19. The computer-readable memory device of claim 18, wherein the payment is based on at least one of:

the size of the advertisement, the orientation of the advertisement within the interactive medium, the length of time the advertisement is to be displayed, the presence of audio in the advertisement, and the presence of video in the advertisement.

20. The computer-readable memory device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise aggregating, consumer data corresponding to the first user identifier and the second user identifier, the consumer data associated with the advertisement.

21. The computer-readable memory device of claim 16, wherein the interactive medium is associated with at least one of:

a virtual environment, a wearable display, a video game, a web page, clothing, an electronic billboard, a vending machine, programmable paper, and an avatar in a virtual environment.

22. The computer-readable memory device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) including an advertisement identifier corresponding to the advertisement and a location identifier corresponding to the location, wherein the user input comprises the advertisement identifier and the location identifier; and

presenting the advertisement in the location responsive to the user input.

23. The computer-readable memory device of claim 16, wherein the user input includes an advertisement identifier and a location identifier.

24. The computer-readable memory device of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise presenting the advertisement in the location within the interactive medium responsive to the user input.

25. The computer-readable memory device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise generating a user profile associated with the first user identifier or the second user identifier, or any combination thereof, comprising at least one of:

registration information, an online status, an advertisement identifier associated with the advertisement, location information, user interaction information, the user input, and information associated with the payment.

26. The computer-readable memory device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise determining a fee corresponding to the advertisement to associate with the first user identifier.

27. The computer-readable memory device of claim 16, wherein the user interaction is identified in the user input.

28. The computer-readable memory device of claim 16, wherein the user interaction comprises at least one of:

accessing the interactive medium, triggering a sensor associated with the advertisement, an action performed by an avatar associated with the first user identifier, and an action performed by a second avatar associated with a second user identifier.

29. The computer-readable memory device of claim 16, wherein the user interaction is associated with a length of time the advertisement is included in the interactive medium.

30. The computer-readable memory device of claim 16, wherein the payment comprises at least one of:

a good, a service, a coupon, real-world money, virtual money, a game point, a game privilege, a status change, and information.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory device configured to store instructions associated with an application program; and

a processing device that, in response to executing the instructions stored in the memory device, is configured to;

receive a user input identifying a location within a display to present an advertisement associated with a first user identifier;

track a user interaction associated with the advertisement; and

determine a payment corresponding to the first user identifier based on the user interaction or the location, or any combination thereof.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the user interaction is associated with a second user identifier.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the user input identifies at least one of:

a size of the advertisement, an orientation of the advertisement within the display, a length of time the advertisement is to be displayed, a presence of audio in the advertisement, and a presence of video in the advertisement.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the payment is based on at least one of:

the size of the advertisement, the orientation of the advertisement within the display, the length of time the advertisement is to be displayed, the presence of audio in the advertisement, and the presence of video in the advertisement.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processing device is further configured to aggregate consumer data corresponding to the first user identifier and the second user identifier, the consumer data associated with the advertisement.

36. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the display is associated with at least one of:

a virtual environment, a wearable display, a video game, a web page, clothing, an electronic billboard, a vending machine, programmable paper, and an avatar in a virtual environment.

37. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) including an advertisement identifier corresponding to the advertisement and a location identifier corresponding to the location, wherein the user input comprises the advertisement identifier and the location identifier; and

present the advertisement in the location responsive to the user input.

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the user input includes an advertisement identifier and a location identifier.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the processing device is further configured to present the advertisement in the location within the display responsive to the user input.

40. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processing device is further configured to generate a user profile associated with the first user identifier or the second user identifier, or any combination thereof, comprising at least one of:

registration information, an online status, an advertisement identifier associated with the advertisement, location information, user interaction information, the user input, and information associated with the payment.

41. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processing device is further configured to determine a fee corresponding to the advertisement to associate with the first user identifier.

42. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the user interaction is identified in the user input.

43. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the user interaction comprises at least one of:

accessing the display, triggering a sensor associated with the advertisement, an action performed by an avatar associated with the first user identifier, and an action performed by a second avatar associated with a second user identifier.

44. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the user interaction is associated with a length of time the advertisement is included in the display.

45. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the payment comprises at least one of:

a good, a service, a coupon, real-world money, virtual money, a game point, a game privilege, a status change, and information.

46. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a user input identifying a location within a display to present an advertisement associated with a first user identifier;

means for tracking a user interaction associated with the advertisement; and

means for determining a payment corresponding to the first user identifier based on the user interaction or the location, or any combination thereof.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the user interaction is associated with a second user identifier.

48. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the user input identifies at least one of:

a size of the advertisement, an orientation of the advertisement within the display, a length of time the advertisement is to be displayed, a presence of audio in the advertisement, and a presence of video in the advertisement.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the payment is based on at least one of:

the size of the advertisement, the orientation of the advertisement within the display, the length of time the advertisement is to be displayed, the presence of audio in the advertisement, and the presence of video in the advertisement.

50. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising means for aggregating consumer data corresponding to the first user identifier and the second user identifier, the consumer data associated with the advertisement.

51. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the display is associated with at least one of:

a virtual environment, a wearable display, a video game, a web page, clothing, an electronic billboard, a vending machine, programmable paper, and an avatar in a virtual environment.

52. The apparatus of claim 46, further comprising:

means for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) including an advertisement identifier corresponding to the advertisement and a location identifier corresponding to the location, wherein the user input comprises the advertisement identifier and the location identifier; and

means for presenting the advertisement in the location responsive to the user input.

53. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the user input includes an advertisement identifier and a location identifier.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, further comprising means for presenting the advertisement in the location within the display responsive to the user input.

55. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising means for generating a user profile associated with the first user identifier or the second user identifier, or any combination thereof, comprising at least one of:

registration information, an online status, an advertisement identifier associated with the advertisement, location information, user interaction information, the user input, and information associated with the payment.

56. The apparatus of claim 46, further comprising means for determining a fee corresponding to the advertisement to associate with the first user identifier.

57. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the user interaction is identified in the user input.

58. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the user interaction comprises at least one of:

accessing the display, triggering a sensor associated with the advertisement, an action performed by an avatar associated with the first user identifier, and an action performed by a second avatar associated with a second user identifier.

59. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the user interaction is associated with a length of time the advertisement is included in the display.

60. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the payment comprises at least one of:

a good, a service, a coupon, real-world money, virtual money, a game point, a game privilege, a status change, and information.