TARGETING CONTENT BASED ON LOCATION

• US 20090044246A1
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invidi Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Invidi Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Sheehan, Patrick, Anderson, Bruce J., Wilson, Daniel C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,850,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/146
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• 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 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

Assets of broadcast network content are targeted to network users of interest based on location information regarding user equipment devices. Asset providers can specify location targeting criteria via a graphical user interface displaying mapping information. This location targeting criteria can then be compared to location information regarding user equipment devices so that assets are delivered to appropriate devices. The comparison of the location targeting criteria to the device location information can be performed at the user equipment devices or at another location. In the latter case the assets can be addressed to appropriate user equipment devices or appropriate user equipment devices can be directed to select the asset, which is broadcast via the network. In this manner, assets can be targeted to individual network users on a basis independent of network topology.

Claims

1. A method for use in targeting assets of broadcast network content, comprising the steps of:

receiving asset delivery information regarding an asset;

determining a location criterion from said asset delivery information; and

making a determination regarding delivery of said asset using said location criterion and location information relating to said user equipment device.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said asset is received at said user equipment device separately from said asset delivery information.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said determination is used in transmitting, to a platform of said broadcast network, an indication of suitability of an asset to be delivered.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising receiving at said user equipment device said location information relating to said user equipment device.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising communicating, based on said determination, an indication regarding transmission of said asset to the broadcast network, and receiving said asset after said step of communicating.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, further including reporting, via said network, an indication of delivery of said asset by said user equipment device.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of making a determination is executed at said user equipment device.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of directing said user equipment device to deliver said asset.

9. A method for use in targeting assets of broadcast network content, comprising the steps of:

inserting an asset in a broadcast network; and

inserting a location criterion related to said asset in said broadcast network, wherein said location criterion is capable of being interpreted by a user equipment device.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said step of inserting said asset is executed in response to receiving an indication from at least one user equipment device regarding a fit between said location criterion and information stored at said user equipment device.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising the step of transmitting an indication of the location of said user equipment device.

12. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said location criterion contains geographical coordinate information.

13. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said asset includes said location criterion.

14. A method of targeting assets of broadcast network content, comprising the steps of:

creating an asset delivery location criterion relating to an asset wherein said asset delivery location criterion is independent of the broadcast network topology;

transmitting, via said broadcast network, device location information to a number of user equipment devices, said device location information relating to one or more of said user equipment devices;

storing at least a portion of said device location information at each said user equipment device;

broadcasting, to one or more of said user equipment devices, an asset delivery request containing said asset delivery location criterion;

making a determination, at one or more of said user equipment devices, regarding a suitability of said asset using said device location information and said asset delivery location criterion;

based on said determination, transmitting selection information from one or more of said user equipment devices to a platform of said determination on said broadcast network;

using said received selection information in making a decision regarding insertion of said asset in said broadcast network; and

selectively delivering said asset based on said delivery determination.

15. A method as set forth in claim 14, further including transmitting, from one or more of said user equipment devices to said broadcast network, an indication regarding asset delivery.

16. A method as set forth in claim 14, further including determining location information for a given user equipment device based on a user equipment device identifier.

17-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A method for use in targeting assets of broadcast network content, comprising the steps of:

providing a network having a network topology defined by a number of subdivisions, wherein different content can be transmitted to user equipment devices in different subdivisions; and

targeting an asset to user equipment devices independent of said network topology.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said step of targeting comprises implementing a delivery decision regarding said asset at a user equipment device.

25. A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said step of targeting comprises implementing a delivery decision regarding said asset at a network platform separate from said user equipment device.

26. A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said step of targeting comprises comparing targeting criteria for said asset with location information regarding a user equipment device.

27. A method as set forth in claim 26, wherein said step of comparing is executed at a location separate from said user equipment device.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27, wherein said step of targeting comprises addressing said asset to said user equipment device.

29. A method as set forth in claim 27, wherein said step of targeting comprises directing said user equipment device to deliver said asset.

30-44. -44. (canceled)