Methods and apparatus for providing alternate media for video decoders

• US 9,826,284 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2016
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• 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: Knight, Robert T., Gurumoorthy, Ramachandran, Pradeep, Anantha
• Primary Examiner(s): MENGESHA, MULUGETA A
• Application Number:
  US15/087,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20160219345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32, 725 36, 725 88, 725102
• 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, by executing an instruction with a processor, a skip request, provided via a user input, to skip a first default commercial presented on a display device;

presenting, by executing an instruction with the processor, a first alternate commercial on the display device in response to the skip request, the first alternate commercial being different than the first default commercial;

identifying, by executing an instruction with the processor, a number of skip requests during a commercial break segment; and

presenting, by executing an instruction with the processor, at least one of a second default commercial or a second alternate commercial without allowing additional skip requests when the identified number of skip requests exceeds a threshold number of skip requests allowable during the commercial break segment.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

in response to the identified number of skip requests exceeding the threshold number of skip requests, presenting at least one of a third default commercial or a third alternate commercial on the display device until at least one of a threshold number of commercials or a threshold time period associated with the commercial break segment is met.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting of the first alternate commercial includes presenting the first alternate commercial as a partially opaque overlay on video frames presented on the display device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting of the first alternate commercial includes presenting the first alternate commercial as a banner advertisement on the display device.

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

presenting on the display device a menu of a plurality of alternate commercials including the first alternate commercial; and

receiving an input selecting the first alternate commercial.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first alternate commercial is a shortened version of the first default commercial.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first alternate commercial is a logo associated with the first default commercial.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a display device to receive a video stream including a program and at least one of a plurality of default commercials or a plurality of alternate commercials to be presented when the program is interrupted during a commercial break segment; and

a processor to;

present a first default commercial from the plurality of default commercials;

detect a skip request to skip the first default commercial presented on the display device;

present a first alternate commercial on the display device in response to the skip request, the first alternate commercial being different than the first default commercial;

identify a number of skip requests during the commercial break segment; and

present at least one of a second default commercial or a second alternate commercial without allowing additional skip requests when the identified number of skip requests exceeds a threshold number of skip requests allowable during the commercial break segment.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is to present at least one of a third default commercial or a third alternate commercial on the display device without allowing additional skip requests until at least one of a threshold number of commercials or a threshold time period associated with the commercial break segment is met.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is to present the first alternate commercial as a partially opaque overlay on video frames presented on the display device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is to present the first alternate commercial as a banner advertisement on the display device.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is to select the first alternate commercial by:

presenting a menu of a plurality of alternate commercials including the first alternate commercial; and

receiving an input selecting the first alternate commercial.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first alternate commercial is a logo associated with the first default commercial.

14. A machine readable memory or storage disc comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

detect a skip request to skip a first default commercial from a plurality of default commercials presented on a display device during a commercial break segment associated with programming to be presented on the display device;

present a first alternate commercial from a plurality of alternate commercials on the display device in response to the skip request, the first alternate commercial being different than the first default commercial;

identify a number of skip requests during the commercial break segment; and

present at least one of a second default commercial or a second alternate commercial without allowing additional skip requests when the identified number of skip requests exceeds a threshold number of allowable skip requests allowable during the commercial break segment.

15. The machine readable memory or storage disc of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to present at least one of a third default commercial or a third alternate commercial on the display device without allowing skip requests until at least one of a threshold number of commercials or a threshold time period associated with the commercial break segment is met.

16. The machine readable memory or storage disc of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to present the first alternate commercial as a partially opaque overlay on video frames presented on the display device.

17. The machine readable memory or storage disc of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to present the first alternate commercial as a banner advertisement on the display device.

18. The machine readable memory or storage disc of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

present on the display device a menu of a plurality of alternate commercials including the first alternate commercial; and

receive an input selecting the first alternate commercial.

19. The machine readable memory or storage disc of claim 14, wherein the first alternate commercial is a logo associated with the first default commercial.

20. The machine readable memory or storage disc of claim 14, wherein the first alternate commercial is a shortened version of the first default commercial.