Advertisement filtering and storage for targeted advertisement systems
First Claim
1. A method of selectively storing targeted advertisements at subscriber equipment in a television network environment, the method comprising:
- (a) forming a plurality of targeted groups based on characterization information associated with viewers associated with the subscriber equipment;
(b) receiving a grouping assignment relating the subscriber equipment to at least one of the targeted groups;
(c) receiving an advertisement transmission signal having at least one advertisement applicable to one or more of the targeted groups, wherein the at least one advertisement includes a grouping indicator that associates the at least one advertisement with at least one of the targeted groups;
(d) determining if the at least one advertisement is appropriate for at least one viewer of the subscriber equipment by comparing the grouping indicator of the at least one advertisement with the grouping assignment of the subscriber equipment; and
(e) retaining the at-least one advertisement at the subscriber equipment if the grouping indicator of the at least one advertisement matches the grouping assignment of the subscriber equipment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An advertisement storage and filtering system for selectively identifying targeted advertisements to be stored in the memory of the STB. This storing of the selected advertisements can be accomplished in a number of ways. In one embodiment, the advertisements, in real-time and as they are received at the STB, are processed by the STB and only those advertisements with the appropriate characteristics are stored on the hard drive (HD). This may require some buffering of the advertisements in the STB memory as the STB processes and determines whether or not to store the advertisement. The information required to determine whether or not to store the advertisement could also be sent in advance, e.g., as a data service in an advertisement channel. Alternatively, the STB may store incoming advertisements in a memory temporarily and subsequently determine whether or not to retain the stored advertisements.
223 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of selectively storing targeted advertisements at subscriber equipment in a television network environment, the method comprising:
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(a) forming a plurality of targeted groups based on characterization information associated with viewers associated with the subscriber equipment;
(b) receiving a grouping assignment relating the subscriber equipment to at least one of the targeted groups;
(c) receiving an advertisement transmission signal having at least one advertisement applicable to one or more of the targeted groups, wherein the at least one advertisement includes a grouping indicator that associates the at least one advertisement with at least one of the targeted groups;
(d) determining if the at least one advertisement is appropriate for at least one viewer of the subscriber equipment by comparing the grouping indicator of the at least one advertisement with the grouping assignment of the subscriber equipment; and
(e) retaining the at-least one advertisement at the subscriber equipment if the grouping indicator of the at least one advertisement matches the grouping assignment of the subscriber equipment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An advertisement management system in a television network environment, the system comprising:
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a targeted advertising generator configured to transmit at least one advertisement over a targeted advertising transmission signal path, wherein the at least one advertisement includes a grouping indicator that associates the at least one advertisement with at least one of a plurality of targeted groups;
subscriber equipment configured to receive the at least one advertisement, the subscriber equipment having a grouping assignment that relates the subscriber equipment to at least one of the plurality of targeted groups, wherein the plurality of targeted groups are formed based on characterization information associated with viewers of the subscriber equipment;
a processor configured to determine if the at least one advertisement is appropriate for at least one viewer of the subscriber equipment by comparing the grouping indicator of the at least one advertisement with the grouping assignment of the subscriber equipment; and
a storage device configured to store the at least one advertisement if the grouping indicator of the at least one advertisement matches the grouping assignment of the subscriber equipment. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification