Method and apparatus for advertisement placement in a user dialog on a set-top box

• US 9,326,031 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, James, Stevens, Paul, Sandford, David, Hayes, Robin, Schmidt, Margret, Klein, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruckart, Benjamin R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tien M
• Application Number:
  US14/275,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20140250463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/432 Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for presenting targeted advertisements to DVR users are described. After a DVR has finished playing a recorded television program, or in response to other specified events, the DVR presents a screen which comprises a “save or delete” menu. In addition to the “save” and “delete” options, the menu additionally comprises one or more other options. Each of these other options may correspond to a separate promotional item. For example, a user'"'"'s selection of such an option may cause the DVR to display or play an advertisement on the user'"'"'s television set. Additionally or alternatively, these other options, when selected by a user, may cause the DVR to display a user interface through which the user can actually purchase a product or service. The product or service advertised or offered may be one that was featured or referenced in the television program that the user was just watching.

Claims

1. A method for presenting information through a multimedia device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the multimedia device, user input whose receipt causes the multimedia device to cease playing a content stream;

in response to receiving the user input, ceasing playing of the content stream, the playing of the content stream being ceased at a chronological point within the content stream that is earlier than an end of a program within the content stream;

determining whether the chronological point is within a specified threshold of the end of the program in the content stream;

in response to receiving the user input and determining that the chronological point at which playing of the content stream ceased is within the specified threshold of the end of the program, displaying a menu to a user of the multimedia device, the menu comprising at least a link which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to display one or more interactive items and a user-selectable option which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to delete the program;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more interactive items include one or more of:

an advertisement,

a menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display an advertisement to the user,

a menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display, to the user, an interface through which the user can purchase a product or service,

an interface through which the user can submit an answer to a question via the multimedia device,

a menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to send a request to a request-receiving entity, wherein the request asks the request-receiving entity to send specified information to at least one of a specified e-mail address or a specified postal address,

a menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to provide the user with an ability to schedule an upcoming content stream for recording, or

an interface through which the user can request downloading of a particular video for later viewing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu further comprises a second user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to save the program instead of deleting the program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more interactive items include at least one advertisement selected based on one or more advertisements that the user had previously viewed without skipping.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more interactive items include at least one interactive item selected based on the multimedia device being in a particular operational mode of a plurality of operational modes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more interactive items include at least an interface through which the user can purchase a product or service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more interactive items are based, at least in part, on previous television viewing behaviors of the user.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out one or more steps for presenting information through a multimedia device comprising:

receiving, at the multimedia device, user input whose receipt causes the multimedia device to cease playing a content stream;

in response to receiving the user input, ceasing playing of the content stream, the playing of the content stream being ceased at a chronological point within the content stream that is earlier than an end of a program within the content stream;

determining whether the chronological point is within a specified threshold of the end of the program in the content stream;

in response to receiving the user input and determining that the chronological point at which playing of the content stream ceased is within the specified threshold of the end of the program, displaying a menu to a user of the multimedia device, the menu comprising at least a link which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to display one or more interactive items and a user-selectable option which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to delete the program.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable method of claim 8, wherein the one or more interactive items include one or more of:

an advertisement,

menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display an advertisement to the user,

a menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display, to the user, an interface through which the user can purchase a product or service,

an interface through which the user can submit an answer to a question via the multimedia device,

a menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to send a request to a request-receiving entity, wherein the request asks the request-receiving entity to send specified information to at least one of a specified e-mail address or a specified postal address,

a menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to provide the user with an ability to schedule an upcoming content stream for recording, or

an interface through which the user can request downloading of a particular video for later viewing.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the menu further comprises a second user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to save the program instead of deleting the program.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more interactive items include at least one advertisement selected based on advertisements that the user had previously viewed without skipping.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more interactive items include at least one interactive item selected based on the multimedia device being in a particular operational mode of a plurality of operational modes.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more interactive items include at least an interface through which the user can purchase a product or service.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more interactive items are based, at least in part, on previous television viewing behaviors of the user.

15. An apparatus for presenting information through a multimedia device comprising:

a receiving subsystem that receives, at the multimedia device, user input whose receipt causes the multimedia device to cease playing a content stream;

a playback subsystem that, in response to receiving the user input, ceases playing of the content stream, the playing of the content stream being ceased at a chronological point within the content stream that is earlier than an end of a program within the content stream;

a determining subsystem that determines whether the chronological point is within a specified threshold of the end of the program in the content stream;

a displaying subsystem that, in response to receiving the user input and determining that the chronological point at which playing of the content stream ceased is within the specified threshold of the end of the program, displays a menu to a user of the multimedia device, the menu comprising at least a link which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to display one or more interactive items and a user-selectable option which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to delete the program.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more interactive items include one or more of:

an advertisement,

a menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display an advertisement to the user,

a menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to display, to the user, an interface through which the user can purchase a product or service,

an interface through which the user can submit an answer to a question via the multimedia device,

a menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to send a request to a request-receiving entity, wherein the request asks the request-receiving entity to send specified information to at least one of a specified e-mail address or a specified postal address,

a menu that comprises at least one user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to provide the user with an ability to schedule an upcoming content stream for recording, or

an interface through which the user can request downloading of a particular video for later viewing.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the menu further comprises a second user-selectable option, user selection of which causes the multimedia device to save the program instead of deleting the program.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more interactive items include at least one advertisement selected based on one or more advertisements that the user had previously viewed without skipping.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more interactive items include at least one interactive item selected based on the multimedia device being in a particular operational mode of a plurality of operational modes.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more interactive items include at least an interface through which the user can purchase a product or service.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more interactive items are based, at least in part, on previous television viewing behaviors of the user.

22. A method for presenting information through a multimedia device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the multimedia device, user input whose receipt causes the multimedia device to cease playing a content stream;

in response to receiving the user input, ceasing playing of the content stream, the playing of the content stream being ceased at a chronological point within the content stream that is earlier than an end of a program within the content stream;

determining whether the chronological point is within a specified threshold of the end of the program in the content stream;

in response to receiving the user input and determining that the chronological point at which playing of the content stream ceased is within the specified threshold of the end of the program, displaying a menu to a user of the multimedia device, the menu comprising at least a first user-selectable option which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to determine one or more categories to which the content stream belongs and automatically schedule recording of one or more other content streams belonging to the one or more categories, and a second user-selectable option which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to delete the program,

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out one or more steps for presenting information through a multimedia device comprising:

receiving, at the multimedia device, user input whose receipt causes the multimedia device to cease playing a content stream;

in response to receiving the user input, ceasing playing of the content stream, the playing of the content stream being ceased at a chronological point within the content stream that is earlier than an end of a program within the content stream;

determining whether the chronological point is within a specified threshold of the end of the program in the content stream;

in response to receiving the user input and determining that the chronological point at which playing of the content stream ceased is within the specified threshold of the end of the program, displaying a menu to a user of the multimedia device, the menu comprising at least a first user-selectable option which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to determine one or more categories to which the content stream belongs and automatically schedule recording of one or more other content streams belonging to the one or more categories, and a second user-selectable option which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to delete the program.

24. An apparatus for presenting information through a multimedia device comprising:

a receiving subsystem that receives, at the multimedia device, user input whose receipt causes the multimedia device to cease playing a content stream;

a playback subsystem that, in response to receiving the user input, ceases playing of the content stream, the playing of the content stream being ceased at a chronological point within the content stream that is earlier than an end of a program within the content stream;

a determining subsystem that determines whether the chronological point is within a specified threshold of the end of the program in the content stream;

a displaying subsystem that, in response to receiving the user input and determining that the chronological point at which playing of the content stream ceased is within the specified threshold of the end of the program, displays a menu to a user of the multimedia device, the menu comprising at least a first user-selectable option which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to determine one or more categories to which the content stream belongs and automatically schedule recording of one or more other content streams belonging to the one or more categories, and a second user-selectable option which, when selected, causes the multimedia device to delete the program.