Method and system for displaying targeted advertisements in an electronic program guide

• US 20030208756A1
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Index Systems Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Index Systems Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Macrae, Douglas, Yuen, Henry
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention is an improvement over previous Electronic Programming Guides (“EPG”) in that it provides, among other things: Improved viewer interaction capabilities with the EPG; improved viewer control of video recording of future-scheduled programming; improved features to the EPG display and navigation; parental control of the EPG display; improved television program information access by the viewer; improved opportunities for the commercial advertiser to reach the viewer; improved product information access by the viewer; creation of a viewer'"'"'s profile; utilization of viewer profile information to customize various aspects of the EPG; and utilization of viewer profile information to provide customized presentation of advertising to the viewer.

Claims

1. A method for presenting a targeted advertisement to a user in an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

monitoring television programs that the user tunes to and gathering information on user'"'"'s interests responsive to the television programs that the user tunes to;

displaying a plurality of television schedule information items including time and channel; and

simultaneously displaying the targeted advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information, wherein the advertisement is targeted to the user responsive to the user'"'"'s interests.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating the displayed targeted advertisement to invoke a function.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the function is scheduling an autotuning to a television broadcast about the one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of a television broadcast about the one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the function is tuning to a television broadcast about the one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the advertisement is about a television program.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the function is autotuning to the television program.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of the television program.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the advertisement is about a pay program.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the function is scheduling viewing of the pay program.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring television programs that a plurality of users tune to and gathering information on each of the plurality of user'"'"'s interests responsive to the television programs that the plurality of users tune to.

14. A method for presenting a targeted advertisement to a user in an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

monitoring television channels that the user tunes to and gathering information on user'"'"'s interests responsive to the television channels that the user tunes to;

displaying a plurality of television schedule information items including time and channel; and

simultaneously displaying the targeted advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information, wherein the advertisement is targeted to the user responsive to the user'"'"'s interests.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising activating the displayed targeted advertisement to invoke a function.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the function is scheduling an autotuning to a television broadcast about the one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of a television broadcast about the one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the function is tuning to a television broadcast about the one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the advertisement is about a television program.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the function is autotuning to the television program.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of the television program.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the advertisement is about a pay program.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the function is scheduling viewing of the pay program.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video.

26. The method of claim 14, further comprising monitoring television channels that a plurality of users tune to and gathering information on each of the plurality of users'"'"' interests responsive to the television channels that the plurality of users tune to.

27. A method for presenting a targeted advertisement to a user in an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

monitoring user'"'"'s interactions with the EPG and gathering information on user'"'"'s interests responsive to the user'"'"'s interactions with the EPG;

displaying a plurality of television schedule information including time, channel, and date; and

simultaneously displaying the targeted advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information, wherein the advertisement is targeted to the user responsive to the user'"'"'s interests.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising activating the displayed targeted advertisement to invoke a function.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the function is scheduling an autotuning to a television broadcast about the one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of a television broadcast about the one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the function is tuning to a television broadcast about the one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the advertisement is about a television program.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the function is autotuning to the television program.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of the television program.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the advertisement is about a pay program.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the function is scheduling viewing of the pay program.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein the advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video.

39. The method of claim 27, further comprising monitoring a plurality of users'"'"' interactions with the EPG and gathering information on each of the plurality of users'"'"' interests responsive to the plurality of users'"'"' interactions with the EPG.

40. A system for presenting a targeted advertisement to a user in an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

means for monitoring television programs that the user tunes to and gathering information on user'"'"'s interests responsive to the television programs that the user tunes to;

means for displaying a plurality of television schedule information items including time and channel; and

means for simultaneously displaying the targeted advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information, wherein the advertisement is targeted to the user responsive to the user'"'"'s interests.

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising means for activating the displayed targeted advertisement to invoke a function.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

43. A system for presenting a targeted advertisement to a user in an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

means for monitoring television channels that the user tunes to and gathering information on user'"'"'s interests responsive to the television channels that the user tunes to;

means for displaying a plurality of television schedule information items including time and channel; and

means for simultaneously displaying the targeted advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information, wherein the advertisement is targeted to the user responsive to the user'"'"'s interests.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising means for activating the displayed targeted advertisement to invoke a function.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

46. A system for presenting a targeted advertisement to a user in an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

means for monitoring user'"'"'s interactions with the EPG and gathering information on user'"'"'s interests responsive to the user'"'"'s interactions with the EPG;

means for displaying a plurality of television schedule information including time, channel, and date; and

means for simultaneously displaying the targeted advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information, wherein the advertisement is targeted to the user responsive to the user'"'"'s interests.

47. The system of claim 46, further comprising means for activating the displayed targeted advertisement to invoke a function.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.