Mining of advertisement viewer information using matrix code

• US 8,875,173 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2010
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Kilaru, Kranti, Gerhards, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruckart, Benjamin R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malangone, Carmine
• Application Number:
  US12/965,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20120151524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 725/19, 725/51, 725/80
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• 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

Abstract

A method for collecting advertisement viewer information includes receiving a signal carrying a television advertisement, reading viewing data associated with the advertisement from a computer readable storage medium, compiling a matrix code including the viewing data for inclusion in the advertisement and scanning by a viewer, and transmitting the advertisement with the matrix code to a presentation device for display. A system for including advertisement viewer information in a matrix code is also described.

Claims

1. A method for collecting advertisement viewer information comprising:

receiving a signal carrying an advertisement included in a broadcast television program, wherein the advertisement includes an initial QR code or bar code having advertisement data;

reading viewing data associated with the advertisement from a computer readable storage medium, wherein the viewing data comprises program information including the date and time the broadcast program was scheduled to air, wherein the viewing data includes location information regarding the timing of when the advertisement was played during the television program as well as whether the signal carrying the advertisement was being watched live or in a time-shifted manner, wherein the location information includes a percentage of the length of the program, and wherein when the program was time-shifted the viewing data further includes the date and time of the viewing;

transmitting the viewing data to a database;

compiling a QR code or bar code by modifying the initial QR code or bar code to generate a QR code or bar code including the viewing data and maintaining the advertisement data for inclusion in the advertisement and scanning by a viewer; and

transmitting the advertisement with the QR code or bar code to a presentation device for display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the QR code or bar code further includes advertisement data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the advertisement data includes additional information about an advertised product or service.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the additional information includes a video.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the additional information includes an internet link to a product website.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewing data includes account information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information includes whether the advertisement is positioned toward the beginning, middle, or end of the program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information includes a number of the commercial break in which the advertisement is positioned.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewing data includes an indication regarding whether the broadcast television program was viewed live or time-shifted.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission to the database includes a method of preparing a text message including the viewing data and sending the text message to the database.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission to the database includes a method of preparing an e-mail including the viewing data and sending the e-mail to the database.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission to the database includes a method of accessing an internet web interface and entering the viewing data into the interface.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewing data includes instructions for auto-generating an e-mail, text, telephone call to transmit the viewing data to a server having a database for storing the viewing information.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein when the viewing data includes information that the broadcast signal including the advertisement was being watched in a time-shifted manner, the viewing data further includes the actual time and date that the broadcast signal including the advertisement was watched.

15. A system for including advertisement viewer information in a QR code or bar code, comprising:

a receiver comprising;

an input that receives a broadcast television program including an advertisement;

a computer readable storage medium having viewing data associated with the advertisement stored therein and instructions for compiling QR codes or bar codes to include the viewing data and for transmitting the viewing data to a database;

a processor that receives the advertisement, reads the viewing data from the computer readable storage medium associated with the advertisement, and performs the instructions to compile a QR code or bar code to include the viewing data, wherein the advertisement includes an initial QR code or bar code having advertisement data and the processor compiles the QR code or bar code by modifying the initial QR code or bar code to include the viewing data and maintain the advertisement data, wherein the viewing data includes program information including the name of the program and the date and time it was scheduled to air, wherein the program information also includes location information including a percentage of the length of the program, wherein the viewing data includes whether the broadcast signal including the advertisement was being watched live or in a time-shifted manner, and wherein when the program was time-shifted, the viewing data further includes the date and time of the viewing; and

an output that transmits the television program to a presentation device.