Progress bar is advertisement

• US 8,666,818 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2011
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logobar Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Logobar Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: DeVree, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US13/210,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20130046641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.68, 705/14.69, 705/14.72, 705/14.73
• US Class Current: 705/14.68
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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

Abstract

A progress bar for a multi media device, such as a television or a computer, can depict digital media streaming or otherwise where a progress bar operates during the media playback function. One embodiment of the present invention includes the progress bar as an advertisement including company logos. The progress bar is the advertisement and is operable to morph into various positions allowing the advertisement to develop during the playing of the video. Marketers promote their logo as the progress bar to increase brand exposure.

Claims

1. A method of generating advertising revenue by using a progress bar that is an advertisement and is displayed on a streaming media device, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a progress bar and showing the play status of user activated streaming media that can be experienced on a streaming media device, the progress bar is an advertising indicia that shows the status of played and unplayed portions of streaming media, the progress bar further has an indicator member that advances to show current location of a play status of the streaming media; and

morphing the progress bar from a logo to at least a first portion so that the logo becomes at least one component of the progress bar.

2. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing an exterior signal source for providing the streaming media to the streaming media device.

3. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of skipping advertisements that may be embedded in the streaming media.

4. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing messages to a consumer about consumer goods or services that pertain to the logo in a morphed progress bar.

5. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing promotional indicia that invites a consumer to buy goods or services.

6. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 5, wherein the consumer interacts with the streaming media device to buy goods or services.

7. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of moving the progress bar to alternative locations on the streaming media device.

8. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of the progress bar reconfiguring or morphing into an original configuration upon determination of an event.

9. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of operating a play, fast forward, rewind, or pause function, and thereafter the progress bar morphs back into the logo.

10. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a media source that provides signals to the streaming media device.

11. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of the logo reconfiguring from the at least first portion and a second portion, said portions are apart from one another, said first and second portions are operable to become one upon a predetermined event.

12. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, wherein the streaming media device is a television, a media device, a computer, or a cable box.

13. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indication of the current location in playback of the streaming media includes the step of providing an indicator member that has a visual representation that is associated with the logo.

14. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, wherein the logo is one of a brand, symbol, indicia, icon, or name.

15. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, further comprising morphing the logo to at least a second portion of the logo so that it is positioned at another end of the progress bar, and morphing the first portion of the logo and the second portion of the logo back to an original configuration of the logo after a step of operating a play, fast forward, rewind, or pause function is complete.

16. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, wherein the streaming media includes one of a live streaming content, a video on demand, or a previously recorded content from a media source that is streamed over the internet.

17. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, wherein the streaming media includes one of a live streaming content, a video on demand, and a previously recorded content from the media source that is streamed from one of a website and a cable box.

18. The method of generating advertising revenue as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicator member is an advertisement.

19. An advertising system for increasing brand exposure that can be used with an electronic media device, comprising:

an electronic media device having a display;

a progress bar depicted on the display, the progress bar includes a logo, the progress bar depicts a first portion that indicates what has loaded of a streaming media, the progress bar further depicts a second portion of streaming media that has not yet loaded; and

a media source providing an input signal to the electronic media device, the media source providing the logo that transitions to or from separate components of the progress bar while the streaming media is played.

20. The advertising system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the progress bar further includes an indicator for showing the play status of an event, said indicator appears as the logo.

21. The advertising system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the progress bar changes appearance while continuously depicting the logo.

22. The advertising system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the progress bar is a moving company advertisement.

23. The advertising system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the electronic media device is a television, computer screen, computer tablet, PDA or phone.

24. The advertising system as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a progress indicator that indicates a level of a loaded portion of the streaming media, wherein the progress indicator is associated with the logo.

25. The advertising system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the logo is a company logo that includes one of a brand, symbol, indicia, icon, or name.

26. The advertising system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the streaming media includes one of a live streaming content, a video on demand, or a previously recorded content from the media source.