Methods and apparatus for enhanced advertising and promotional delivery in a network
First Claim
1. For use in a content-based network having a plurality of users associated therewith, a method of providing advertising content to a selected one or more of said users, the method comprising:
- initiating a triggering event;
indicating available advertisements;
selecting one or more of said available advertisements by or for one of said users; and
providing said one or more selected advertisements to at least one of said users based on said selecting step.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for enhanced advertising selection and delivery in a communications network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a cable television network, and the methods and apparatus enable a viewer to individually select and view advertisements during real-time broadcast program settings, as well as during “trick mode” operation in recorded program settings. Guess-work associated with skipping commercials via manual fast-forwarding through recorded content is eliminated, and a viewer is presented with several options regarding which advertisements to view and when to view them. In one variant, decoupling of advertising or promotions from a previously recorded program is provided, thus affording the network operator flexibility to insert various advertising content options, or selectively replace dated or expired advertisements, or those having less correlation to a current program content stream. In another variant, advertising or commercial skipping is substantially frustrated by presenting a viewer with several viewing options.
441 Citations
76 Claims
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1. For use in a content-based network having a plurality of users associated therewith, a method of providing advertising content to a selected one or more of said users, the method comprising:
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initiating a triggering event; indicating available advertisements; selecting one or more of said available advertisements by or for one of said users; and providing said one or more selected advertisements to at least one of said users based on said selecting step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer-readable apparatus, said apparatus comprising a storage medium adapted to store a computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which, when executed:
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generate a list of advertisements available for display; display said list of advertisements to a user; enable selection of one or more of said advertisements; and cause delivery of said selected one or more advertisements to at least said user. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. For use in a content based network, an apparatus adapted for advertisement delivery, said apparatus comprising:
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a processor; a network interface; a storage device in data communication with said processor; and a software process operative to run on said processor, wherein said software process is adapted to; request and receive information from a network entity related to available advertisements; generate a list of available advertisements; receive a user selection of one or more of said available advertisements; and deliver said selected one or more available advertisements. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A system for the delivery of advertisements in a communications network, said system comprising:
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a processing apparatus, said processing apparatus being adapted to generate a list of available advertisements; a user interface enabling a viewer to select one or more available advertisements; a mechanism adapted to allocate a carrier to deliver advertisement content for said selected one or more advertisements; and a receiving apparatus, said receiving apparatus adapted to receive said advertisement content. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of operating a content delivery network, comprising:
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delivering program content to at least one user of said network, said user having a storage device in communication with said network; providing said at least one user with an option to process advertising content associated with said program content in at least two of a plurality of ways; receiving input from said at least one user as to their preference for said option; and providing said advertising content to said at least one user at least according to said preference. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. For use in a content based network, an apparatus adapted for advertisement delivery to a user of said network, said apparatus comprising:
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a processor; a network interface; a storage device in data communication with said processor; and a software process operative to run on said processor, wherein said software process is adapted to; receive information from a network entity related to available advertising content; receive input from said user regarding at least one preference; and transmit at least a portion of said input to said network entity; and receive at least one of (i) said advertising content, or (ii) links to said advertising content, over said network. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. For use in a content based network, an apparatus adapted for advertisement delivery to a user of said network, said apparatus comprising:
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a processor; a network interface; a storage device in data communication with said processor; and a software process operative to run on said processor, wherein said software process is adapted to; distribute information related to available advertising content to a user within said network; receive input from said user regarding at least one preference relating to said advertising content; store at least one of;
(i) said advertising content, or (ii) links to a first storage location where said advertising content is stored, to a second storage location, said second location being substantially specific to said user. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. A method of operating a content based network, comprising:
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receiving information relating to one or more preferences of a user of said network; evaluating a plurality of available advertisement content based at least in part on said one or more preferences; and providing said user with a user-specific list of available advertisement content, the content on said list being selected based at least in part on said evaluation. - View Dependent Claims (74)
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75. A method of operating a content-based network, comprising:
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showing at least one first user an advertisement; receiving input from said at least one first user as to said advertisement; providing at least one second user a plurality of advertising options from which they may choose via a user interface, said options comprising said advertisement; and providing said at least one second user said input via said user interface. - View Dependent Claims (76)
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Specification