Methods and apparatus for providing alternate media for video decoders

• US 9,357,240 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Pradeep, Anantha, Knight, Robert T., Gurumoorthy, Ramachandran
• Primary Examiner(s): MENGESHA, MULUGETA A
• Application Number:
  US12/357,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20100186032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,687 Days
• Field of Search: 725/32, 725/34, 725/36, 725/88, 725/102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26233 involving content or additional data duration or size, e.g. length of a movie, size of an executable file
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate

Abstract

A system provides programming and advertising to a video decoder such as a digital video recorder, computer system, software or hardware player, etc. When a user makes a request to skip a commercial by issuing a command such as 30 second skip forward, alternate media is provided. In some examples, an image advertisement is provided for a predetermined period of time either during the commercial break or when regular programming resumes. In other examples, a substitute commercial is shown. The substitute commercial may be shortened or compressed. The alternate media may be perceptually encoded in a video stream, hidden in a video stream, or provided in a separate stream. In some examples, survey based and neuro-response based data is used to evaluate and select alternate media for particular programming.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, with a processor, a skip request from a viewer during presentation of a commercial at a display device in communication with the processor;

selecting, by executing a first instruction with the processor, an alternate commercial for presentation to the viewer;

presenting the alternate commercial via the display device; and

selecting and presenting at the display device, by executing second instructions with the processor, additional alternate commercials in response to detecting subsequent skip requests until a threshold number of the commercials have been presented in their entireties, the threshold number being more than one.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternate commercial is received on a same channel as a video stream containing media.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the alternate commercial is to be presented to the viewer in place of the commercial in the video stream.

4. The method of claim 2, further including using neuro-response data to determine an appropriateness of the additional alternate commercials.

5. The method of claim 1, further including presenting the viewer with the additional alternate commercials from which the viewer may select for presentation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the additional alternate commercials includes a first image.

7. The method of claim 6 further including presenting the first image to the viewer for a period of time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the additional alternate commercials is based on neuro-response data including at least one of central nervous system data, autonomic nervous system data and effector data.

9. The method of claim 1 further including gathering additional neuro-response data to determine an effectiveness of the additional alternate commercials.

10. The method of claim 1 further including determining a presentation form of the additional alternate commercials based on neuro-response data.

11. The method of claim 1, further including presenting a menu of alternate media including a plurality of alternate commercials for presentation to the viewer in response to the subsequent skip requests, one or more of the plurality of alternate commercials being selectable by the viewer for viewing.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the additional alternate commercials are stored in a media library.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the skip request includes detecting a command to skip ahead a period of time.

14. A device, comprising:

an interface to receive a video stream including a program and a plurality of commercials; and

a processor to;

detect a skip request from a viewer during presentation of at least one of the plurality of commercials at a display device;

select an alternate commercial for presentation to the viewer;

present the alternate commercial via the display device; and

select and present at the display device additional alternate commercials in response to detecting subsequent skip requests until a threshold number of commercials have been presented in their entireties, the threshold number being more than one.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein at least one of the additional alternate commercials includes a first image.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the processor is to present the first image to the viewer for a period of time.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the processor is to present a menu of the additional alternate commercials in response to the subsequent skip requests, the additional alternate commercials being selectable by the viewer for viewing.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the processor is to select the additional alternate commercials based on neuro-response data including at least one of central nervous system data, autonomic nervous system data and effector data.

19. A system, comprising:

a video decoder to receive a video stream including a program and a plurality of commercials;

a display to provide the video stream to a viewer; and

a processor to;

detect a skip request from the viewer during presentation of at least one of the plurality of commercials at the display;

select an alternate commercial for presentation to the viewer;

present the alternate commercial via the display; and

select and present via the display additional alternate commercials in response to detecting subsequent skip requests until a threshold number of commercials have been presented in their entireties, the threshold number being more than one.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is to present a menu of additional alternate commercials in response to the subsequent skip requests, the additional alternate commercials being selectable by the viewer for viewing.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is to select the additional alternate commercials based on neuro-response data including at least one of central nervous system data, autonomic nervous system data and effector data.

22. A tangible machine readable memory or storage disc comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

detect a skip request from a viewer during presentation of a commercial associated with a media presentation at a display device;

select an alternate commercial for presentation to the viewer;

present the alternate commercial via the display device; and

select and present via the display device additional alternate commercials in response to detecting subsequent skip requests until a threshold number of commercials have been presented in their entireties, the threshold number being more than one.

23. The machine readable memory or storage disc of claim 22, wherein the instructions are to cause the machine to present a menu of the additional alternate commercials in response to the subsequent skip requests, the additional alternate commercials being selectable by the viewer for viewing.

24. The machine readable memory or storage disc of claim 22, wherein the instructions are to cause the machine to select the additional alternate commercials based on neuro-response data including at least one of central nervous system data, autonomic nervous system data and effector data.