Systems and methods for selecting television advertisements for a set-top box requesting an advertisement without knowing what program or channel is being watched
First Claim
1. A method implemented (i) in connection with television programs or television channels received at a first set-top box from a television service provider and (ii) using a programmed hardware computer system controlled by an entity independent of the television service provider, the method comprising:
- (a) with the computer system, in response to receipt of first electronic data indicating selected advertisements are desired for the first set-top box, automaticallyselecting a first set containing a plurality of television advertisements;
(i) wherein the computer system selects the first set of television advertisements using second electronic data identifying certain television programs or television channels for which prearrangements exist for the computer system to present selected advertisements and that are available for viewing in a time slot during which the first electronic data was received; and
(ii) wherein each selected television advertisement corresponds to one of the identified television programs or television channels; and
(b) with the computer system, automatically making available to a device the first set of television advertisements;
(i) wherein the device has access to third electronic data, originating from the television service provider or from the first set-top box, indicating which of the television programs or television channels is currently being presented via the first set-top box, so that at least one of the selected television advertisements can be presented via the first set-top box while the corresponding television program or television channel is being presented via the first set-top box; and
(ii) wherein the computer system lacks access to the third electronic data that indicates which of the television programs or television channels is presented via the first set-top box.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system automatically identifies, in response to receipt of first electronic data indicating selected advertisements are desired for a set-top box, certain television programs/channels that permit or desire selected advertisements, and automatically makes available to a device a set of selected television advertisements. The programs/channels are identified using second electronic data. The programs/channels are available for viewing in a time slot during which the first electronic data was received. Each selected advertisement corresponds to an identified television program/channel. The device has access to third electronic data indicating which program/channel is currently being presented via the set-top box, so that a selected television advertisement can be presented via the set-top box while the corresponding program/channel is being presented. The computer system selects and makes available the first set of television advertisements without access to the third electronic data.
200 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method implemented (i) in connection with television programs or television channels received at a first set-top box from a television service provider and (ii) using a programmed hardware computer system controlled by an entity independent of the television service provider, the method comprising:
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(a) with the computer system, in response to receipt of first electronic data indicating selected advertisements are desired for the first set-top box, automatically selecting a first set containing a plurality of television advertisements; (i) wherein the computer system selects the first set of television advertisements using second electronic data identifying certain television programs or television channels for which prearrangements exist for the computer system to present selected advertisements and that are available for viewing in a time slot during which the first electronic data was received; and (ii) wherein each selected television advertisement corresponds to one of the identified television programs or television channels; and (b) with the computer system, automatically making available to a device the first set of television advertisements; (i) wherein the device has access to third electronic data, originating from the television service provider or from the first set-top box, indicating which of the television programs or television channels is currently being presented via the first set-top box, so that at least one of the selected television advertisements can be presented via the first set-top box while the corresponding television program or television channel is being presented via the first set-top box; and (ii) wherein the computer system lacks access to the third electronic data that indicates which of the television programs or television channels is presented via the first set-top box. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A machine comprising a hardware computer system, controlled by an entity independent of a television service provider, that is structured and programmed to perform a method implemented (i) in connection with television programs or television channels received at a first set-top box from the television service provider and (ii) in response to receipt of first electronic data indicating selected advertisements are desired for the first set-top box, wherein the method comprises:
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(a) automatically selecting a first set containing a plurality of television advertisements (i) wherein the computer system selects the first set of television advertisements using second electronic data identifying certain television programs or television channels for which prearrangements exist for the computer system to present selected advertisements and that are available for viewing in a time slot during which the first electronic data was received; (ii) wherein each selected television advertisement corresponds to one of the identified television programs or television channels; and (b) automatically making available to a device the first set of television advertisements; (i) wherein the device has access to third electronic data, originating from the television service provider or from the first set-top box, indicating which of the television programs or television channels is currently being presented via the first set-top box, so that at least one of the selected television advertisements can be presented via the first set-top box while the corresponding television program or television channel is being presented via the first set-top box; and (ii) wherein the computer system lacks access to the third electronic data that indicates which of the television programs or television channels is presented via the first set-top box. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An article comprising a tangible data storage medium that is not a transitory propagating signal encoding computer-readable instructions that, when applied to a programmed hardware computer system that is controlled by an entity independent of a television service provider, instruct the computer system to perform a method implemented (i) in connection with television programs or television channels received at a first set-top box from the television service provider and (ii) in response to receipt of first electronic data indicating selected advertisements are desired for the first set-top box, wherein the method comprises:
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(a) automatically selecting a first set containing a plurality of television advertisements; (i) wherein the computer system selects the first set of television advertisements using second electronic data identifying certain television programs or television channels for which prearrangements exist for the computer system to present selected advertisements and that are available for viewing in a time slot during which the first electronic data was received; and (ii) wherein each selected television advertisement corresponds to one of the identified television programs or television channels; and (b) automatically making available to a device the first set of television advertisements; (i) wherein the device has access to third electronic data, originating from the television service provider or from the first set-top box, indicating which of the television programs or television channels is currently being presented via the first set-top box, so that at least one of the selected television advertisements can be presented via the first set-top box while the corresponding television program or television channel is being presented via the first set-top box; and (ii) wherein the computer system lacks access to the third electronic data that indicates which of the television programs or television channels is presented via the first set-top box. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification