Method and system for managing an interactive video display system

• US 8,487,866 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 81 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 67 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Bell, Matthew, Belfer, Russell H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sharifi-Tafreshi, Koosha
• Application Number:
  US12/417,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20090235295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/204, 705/14.41, 705/14.43, 705/14.44, 705/45.45, 705/14.49, 705/14.5, 705/14.52, 705/14.53, 705/14.58, 705/14.66, 705/14.67, 725/9, 725/10
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A method for managing an interactive video display system. A plurality of video spots are displayed on the interactive video display system. Data based on interaction with the interactive video display system corresponding to video spots of the plurality of video spots is gathered. The data is stored, wherein the data is for use in managing presentation of the video spots. By analyzing data relating to different video spots, popularity and other metrics may be determined for the video spots, providing useful information for managing the presentation of the video spots.

Claims

1. An interactive video system, comprising:

a video display system comprising a projector configured to project an image on a portion of a display area, and a camera configured to capture an image of interactions with the projected image, the projected image comprising a first scheduled content selection;

a first computing device configured to analyze the captured image of interactions with the projected image, and to determine information about position and movement of people or objects interacting with the projected image; and

a second computing device configured to receive the determined information from the first computing device, to determine a popularity of the first scheduled content selection based at least in part on the information about the position and movement of people or objects interacting with the projected image, and to determine a schedule for subsequent display of the first scheduled content selection based at least in part on the determined popularity of the first scheduled content selection.

2. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is further configured to generate a report.

3. The interactive video system of claim 2, wherein the report indicates the popularity of the first scheduled content selection.

4. The interactive video system of claim 2, wherein the report indicates the popularity of the first scheduled content selection with respect to another scheduled content selection.

5. The interactive video system of claim 2, wherein the report is generated in response to a query.

6. The interactive video system of claim 5, wherein the query is automated.

7. The interactive video system of claim 5, wherein the query is human generated.

8. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein the projector is further configured to subsequently project the image comprising the first scheduled content selection according to the determined schedule.

9. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is further configured to determine information about the position and movement of people or objects on another portion of the display area, and wherein the information about the position and movement of people or objects on the another portion of the display area is also analyzed by the second computing device to determine the popularity of the first scheduled content selection.

10. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection includes comparing a number of interactions with the first scheduled content selection with a number of interactions with another scheduled content selection.

11. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection includes comparing an amount of interaction with the first scheduled content selection with an amount of interaction with another scheduled content selection.

12. The interactive video system of claim 11, wherein the another scheduled content selection is displayed immediately prior to the subsequent display of the first scheduled content selection.

13. The interactive video system of claim 11, wherein the another scheduled content selection is displayed immediately after the subsequent display of the first scheduled content selection.

14. The interactive video system of claim 10, wherein the number of interactions with the first scheduled content selection and the another scheduled content selection is limited to a particular time period.

15. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection includes comparing a number of interactions with a first portion of the first scheduled content selection with a second portion of the first scheduled content selection.

16. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection includes determining a length of time a person or object interacts with the first scheduled content selection.

17. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection includes identifying particular objects in the first scheduled content selection interacted with by a person or object.

18. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection includes determining a number of interactions with a particular segment of the projected image.

19. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection further includes the second computing device analyzing at least one external factor comprising time of day, day of week, season, and weather.

20. The interactive video system of claim 19, further comprising adjusting the display schedule based on one or more of the analyzed external factors.

21. The interactive video system of claim 19, further comprising adjusting the display scheduled based on one or more of the analyzed external factors and the popularity of the first scheduled content selection.

22. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection further includes the second computing device analyzing at least one demographic related to a location of physical installation of the video display system, the demographic including gender.

23. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection further includes the second computing device analyzing at least one demographic related to a location of physical installation of the video display system, the demographic including age.

24. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection further includes the second computing device analyzing at least one demographic related to a location of physical installation of the video display system, the demographic including income.

25. The interactive video system of claim 1, the system further comprising:

a second video display system comprising;

a second projector configured to project a second image on a second portion of a second display area; and

a second camera configured to capture a second image of interactions with the second projected image, the second projected image comprising the first scheduled content selection;

wherein the first computing device is further configured to analyze the second captured image of interactions with the second projected image, and to determine information about position and movement of people or objects interacting with the second projected image;

wherein the second computing device is further configured to determine the popularity of the first scheduled content selection based on information about interactions with the projected image at the video display system and based on interactions with the second projected image at the second display system.

26. The interactive video system of claim 25, wherein the second projector at the second video display system is further configured to subsequently project the second image comprising the first scheduled content selection according to the determined schedule.

27. The interactive video system of claim 1, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection includes determining an amount of movement by a person or object interaction with the first scheduled content selection.

28. A method of managing an interactive display system, the method comprising:

projecting an image onto a portion of a display area, the projected image corresponding to a first scheduled content selection;

capturing an image of an area on or near the display area;

determining, from the captured image, information about position and movement of people or objects interacting with the projected image;

determining a popularity of the first scheduled content selection based at least in part on the information about the position and movement of people or objects interacting with the projected image; and

determining a schedule for subsequent display of the first scheduled content selection based at least in part on the determined popularity of the first scheduled content selection.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection comprises determining a first user attraction level based at least in part on a number of occurrences where no person or object is interacting with the projected image at a beginning of the first scheduled content selection and at least one person or object is interacting with the projected image at an end of the first scheduled content selection.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein determining the schedule comprises scheduling a content selection with a high first user attraction level when no person or object is interacting with the projected image.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein determining the popularity of the first scheduled content selection comprises determining a group appeal level based at least in part on a number of occurrences where one person or object is interacting with the projected image at a beginning of a first scheduled content selection and a plurality of people or objects is interacting with the projected image at an end of the first scheduled content selection.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein determining a schedule comprises scheduling a content selection with a high group appeal level when one person or object is interacting with the projected image.

33. An article of manufacture including a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

project an image onto a portion of a display area, the projected image corresponds to a first scheduled content selection;

capture an image of an area on or near the display area;

determine, from the captured image, information about position and movement of people or objects interacting with the projected image;

determine a popularity of the first scheduled content selection based at least in part on the information about the position and movement of people or objects interacting with the projected image; and

determine a schedule for subsequent display of the first scheduled content selection based at least in part on the determined popularity of the first scheduled content selection.