Targeted marketing overlays for digital video recorders

• US 9,438,952 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dolph, Blaine H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TEKLE, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US10/803,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20050210524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,555 Days
• Field of Search: 386/95, 386/249
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• 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 21/4532 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 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A method for storing a television program in a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) and modifying the marketing in the television program to the user'"'"'s location. The software embodiment of the present invention is a Rules Engine located in the DVR. The DVR records the television programming and the Rules Engine sends a program ID and a user ID to the service provider. A service provider program (SPP) receives the program ID and user ID and determines the user'"'"'s location from the user ID. The SPP acquires local marketing content specific to the user'"'"'s location based on the user ID and the marketing ID. The SPP sends the local marketing content back to the Rules Engine. The Rules Engine then modifies the marketing in the recorded television programming with the local marketing content and displays the television programming upon user request.

Claims

1. A method for sending second marketing content to a digital video recorder, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer broadcasting, from a service provider to the digital video recorder via a communications network, television programming comprising first marketing content;

after the step of the computer broadcasting the television programming, the computer receiving a user identification and a program identification from the digital video recorder;

the computer determining a location of the user by referencing a user profile associated with the user identification;

in response to the step of the computer determining the location of the user, the computer determining whether the second marketing content exists for the television programming based on the program identification and the user profile;

in response to the step of the computer determining that the second marketing content exists, the computer sending the second marketing content to the digital video recorder, wherein the second marketing content is associated with the location of the user and the program identification;

the computer determining whether a message indicating that no second marketing content exists for the television programming has been received; and

in response to the step of the computer determining that a message indicating that no second marketing content exists for the television programming has been received, the computer displaying the television programming with the first marketing content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second marketing content is add-on marketing content comprising instructions for inserting the add-on marketing content into the television programming.

9. A computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums and program instructions which are stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories and when executed by the one or more processors perform the method of claim 1.

3. A method for modifying first marketing content stored within a computer-readable memory of a digital video recorder, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer receiving, via a communications network, television programming comprising the first marketing content;

the computer storing the television programming in the computer-readable memory;

in response to the step of the computer storing the television programming, the computer sending a user identification and a program identification to a service provider;

in response to the step of the computer sending the user identification and the program identification to the service provider, wherein the service provider determines a location of a user by referencing a user profile associated with the user identification and determines whether a second marketing content exists for the television programming based on the program identification and the user profile, the computer determining whether a message indicating that no second marketing content exists for the television programming has been received;

in response to the step of the computer determining that the message indicating that no second marketing content exists for the television programming has been received, displaying the television programming with the first marketing content;

in response to the step of the computer determining that the message indicating that no second marketing content exists for the television programming has not been received the computer receiving, from the service provider, the second marketing content that is associated with the program identification and with one of an address of a user, a zip code of the user, and a telephone number of the user;

in response to the step of the computer receiving the second marketing content from the service provider, the computer determining whether the second marketing content is add-on marketing content;

in response to the step of determining that the second marketing content is add-on marketing content, the computer inserting the add-on marketing content into the television programming per instructions in the add-on marketing content; and

sending the television programming including the second marketing content to the computer-readable memory of the digital video recorder.

10. A computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums and program instructions which are stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories and when executed by the one or more processors perform the method of claim 3.

4. A computer system for modifying first marketing content stored within a computer-readable memory of a digital video recorder, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, to receive, via a communications network, television programming comprising the first marketing content;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, to store the television programming in the computer-readable memory of the digital video recorder;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, responsive to storing the television programming in the computer-readable memory of the digital video recorder to send a user identification and a program identification to a service provider, wherein the service provider determines whether a second marketing content exists for the television programming based on the program identification and a user profile associated with the user identification;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, to determine whether a message indicating that no second marketing content exists for the television programming has been received;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, responsive to a determination that the message indicating that no second marketing content exists for the television programming has been received, to display the television programming with the first marketing content;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, responsive to sending the user identification and the program identification to the service provider, and the service provider determining the second marketing content exists and sending the second marketing content to the digital video recorder, to receive, from the service provider, the second marketing content associated with a location of a user and the program identification;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, to modify the television programming with the second marketing content; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, responsive to a user request and after modifying the television programming with the second marketing content, to display the television programming.

5. The computer system of claim 4 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, responsive to receiving the second marketing content, to determine whether the second marketing content is add-on marketing content;

wherein the program instructions to modify the television programming with the second marketing content, responsive to determining that the second marketing content is the add-on marketing content, add the add-on marketing content into the television programming per instructions in the add-on marketing content.

6. The computer system of claim 4 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, responsive to receiving the second marketing content, to determine whether the second marketing content is replacement marketing content;

wherein the program instructions to modify the television programming with the second marketing content, responsive to determining that the second marketing content is the replacement marketing content, replace the first marketing content with the replacement marketing content.

7. The computer system of claim 4 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, responsive to receiving the second marketing content, to determine whether the second marketing content is overlay marketing content;

wherein the program instructions to modify the television programming with the second marketing content, responsive to determining that the second marketing content is the overlay marketing content, place the overlay marketing content over the first marketing content.

8. A computer system for sending second marketing content to a digital video recorder, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, to broadcast, from a service provider to the digital video recorder via a communications network, television programming comprising first marketing content;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, to, after broadcasting the television programming, receive a user identification and a program identification from the digital video recorder;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, to determine a location of a user by referencing a user profile associated with the user identification;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, to determine whether the second marketing content exists for the television programming based on the program identification and the user profile;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, responsive to determining that the second marketing content exists to send the second marketing content to the digital video recorder;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, responsive to determining that the second marketing content does not exist, to send a message to the digital video recorder indicating that there is no second marketing content;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, to determine whether a message indicating that no second marketing content exists for the television programming has been received; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, responsive to a determination that the message indicating that no second marketing content exists for the television programming has been received, to display the television programming with the first marketing content.

11. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the second marketing content is add-on marketing content comprising instructions for inserting the add-on marketing content into the television programming.