Targeted television advertisements associated with online users' preferred television programs or channels

• US 20090300675A1
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intent IQ, LLC (AlmondNet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intent IQ, LLC (AlmondNet, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shkedi, Roy
• Granted Patent: US 9,083,853 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: H04N 21/25858 involving client software characteristics, e.g. OS identifier
• 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 21/2668 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 21/458 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

In an automatic, computer-implemented method, a selected television advertisement is presented automatically in association with a television program or channel, which in turn is selected based at least in part on information from an online user profile that contains information indicating a user'"'"'s preference for that television program or channel. The television advertisement is selected based at least in part on additional information from the online user profile that is unrelated to the selected television program or channel. The selected television advertisement is presented on or during the selected television program or channel via a set-top box, which has a set-top box identifier associated with the online user profile.

Claims

1. An automatic, computer-implemented method comprising automatically arranging for presenting, in association with presentation of a first selected television program or channel, a first selected television advertisement, wherein:

(a) the first television program or channel is selected based at least in part on information from a first online user profile, which information indicates a first user'"'"'s preference for that television program or channel;

(b) the first television advertisement is selected based at least in part on additional information from the first online user profile that is unrelated to the first selected television program or channel; and

(c) the first selected television advertisement and the first selected television program or channel are presented via a first set-top box having a corresponding first set-top box identifier that is associated with the first online user profile.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically arranging for presenting, in association with presentation of a second selected television program or channel, a second selected television advertisement, wherein:

(d) the second television program or channel is selected based at least in part on information from a second online user profile, which information indicates a second user'"'"'s preference for that second television program or channel;

(e) the second television advertisement is selected based at least in part on additional information from the second online user profile that is unrelated to the second selected television program or channel;

(f) the second selected television advertisement and the second selected television program or channel are presented via a second set-top box having a corresponding second set-top box identifier that is associated with the second online user profile; and

(g) which television advertisement is selected for presentation via which set-top box depends on differences between the first online user profile and the second online user profile.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically arranging for presenting, in association with presentation of a second selected television program or channel, a second selected television advertisement, wherein:

(d) the second television program or channel is selected based at least in part on information from a second online user profile, which information indicates a second user'"'"'s preference for that second television program or channel;

(e) the second television advertisement is selected based at least in part on additional information from the second online user profile that is unrelated to the second selected television program or channel;

(f) the second selected television advertisement and the second selected television program or channel are presented via the first set-top box, the corresponding first set-top box identifier being associated with the second online user profile; and

(g) which television advertisement is selected for presentation in association with which selected television program or channel depends on differences between the first online user profile and the second online user profile.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first online user profile includes an explicit indication of a preference for the first selected program.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first online user profile includes an implicit indication of a preference for the first selected program.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information from the first online user profile that is used to select the first television advertisement includes demographic information concerning the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information from the first online user profile that is used to select the first television advertisement includes information concerning online activity of the user.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information from the first online user profile that is used to select the first television advertisement includes declared information concerning the user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first online user profile and the first set-top box identifier are associated by each being associated with a common online access identifier.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the online access identifier and the first set-top box identifier are associated by the online access identifier being referenced or included in the first online user profile.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the online access identifier and the first set-top box identifier are associated in a database.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the online access identifier and the first set-top box identifier are associated by an online access device that corresponds to the online access identifier and the first set-top box being connected to a common local area network.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first online user profile and the first set-top box identifier are associated without employing personally identifiable information concerning the user.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the first selected advertisement is presented in association with broadcast presentation of the first selected television program.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the first selected advertisement is presented in association with delayed presentation of the first selected television program.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the first selected television advertisement is spatially combined or temporally interleaved with the first selected television program.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the first selected television advertisement is presented immediately before or immediately after presentation of the first selected television program.

18. A system comprising at least one computer structured and connected to arrange automatically for presenting, in association with presentation of a first selected television program or channel, a first selected television advertisement, wherein:

(a) the first television program or channel is selected based at least in part on information from a first online user profile, which information indicates a first user'"'"'s preference for that television program or channel;

(b) the first television advertisement is selected based at least in part on additional information from the first online user profile that is unrelated to the first selected television program or channel; and

(c) the first selected television advertisement and the first selected television program or channel are presented via a first set-top box having a corresponding first set-top box identifier that is associated with the first online user profile.

19. An article comprising a tangible medium encoding computer-readable instructions that, when applied to at least one computer, instruct the at least one computer to arrange automatically for presenting, in association with presentation of a first selected television program or channel, a first selected television advertisement, wherein:

(a) the first television program or channel is selected based at least in part on information from a first online user profile, which information indicates a first user'"'"'s preference for that television program or channel;

(b) the first television advertisement is selected based at least in part on additional information from the first online user profile that is unrelated to the first selected television program or channel; and

(c) the first selected television advertisement and the first selected television program or channel are presented via a first set-top box having a corresponding first set-top box identifier that is associated with the first online user profile.

20. A computer-implemented method comprising automatically:

(a) selecting a first television program or channel based at least in part on information from a first online user profile, which information indicates a first user'"'"'s preference for that television program or channel;

(b) selecting a first television advertisement based at least in part on additional information from the first online user profile that is unrelated to the first selected television program or channel; and

(c) arranging for or transmitting instructions for presenting, in association with presentation of the first selected television program or channel via a first set-top box, the first selected television advertisement via the first set-top box, the first set-top box having a corresponding first set-top box identifier that is associated with the first online user profile.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising automatically:

(d) selecting a second television program or channel based at least in part on information from a second online user profile, which information indicates a second user'"'"'s preference for that second television program or channel;

(e) selecting a second television advertisement based at least in part on additional information from the second online user profile that is unrelated to the second selected television program or channel; and

(f) arranging for or transmitting instructions for presenting, in association with presentation of the second selected television program or channel, the second selected television advertisement via a second set-top box having a corresponding second set-top box identifier that is associated with the second online user profile,

(g) wherein which television advertisement is selected for presentation via which set-top box depends on differences between the first online user profile and the second online user profile.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising automatically:

(d) selecting a second television program or channel based at least in part on information from a second online user profile, which information indicates a second user'"'"'s preference for that second television program channel;

(e) selecting a second television advertisement based at least in part on additional information from the second online user profile that is unrelated to the second selected television program or channel; and

(f) arranging for or transmitting instructions for presenting, in association with presentation of the second selected television program or channel, the second selected television advertisement via the first set-top box, the corresponding first set-top box identifier being associated with the second online user profile,

(g) wherein which television advertisement is selected for presentation in association with which selected television program or channel depends on differences between the first online user profile and the second online user profile.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the first online user profile includes an explicit indication of a preference for the first selected program.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the first online user profile includes an implicit indication of a preference for the first selected program.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the additional information from the first online user profile that is used to select the first television advertisement includes demographic information concerning the user.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the additional information from the first online user profile that is used to select the first television advertisement includes information concerning online activity of the user.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein the additional information from the first online user profile that is used to select the first television advertisement includes declared information concerning the user.

28. The method of claim 20 wherein the first online user profile and the first set-top box identifier are associated by each being associated with a common online access identifier.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the online access identifier and the first set-top box identifier are associated by the online access identifier being referenced or included in the first online user profile.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the online access identifier and the first set-top box identifier are associated in a database.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the online access identifier and the first set-top box identifier are associated by an online access device that corresponds to the online access identifier and the first set-top box being connected to a common local area network.

32. The method of claim 20 wherein the first online user profile and the first set-top box identifier are associated without employing personally identifiable information concerning the user.

33. The method of claim 20 wherein the first selected advertisement is presented in association with broadcast presentation of the first selected television program.

34. The method of claim 20 wherein the first selected advertisement is presented in association with delayed presentation of the first selected television program.

35. The method of claim 20 wherein the first selected television advertisement is spatially combined or temporally interleaved with the first selected television program.

36. The method of claim 20 wherein the first selected television advertisement is presented immediately before or immediately after presentation of the first selected television program.

37. A system comprising at least one computer structured and connected to automatically:

(a) select a first television program or channel based at least in part on information from a first online user profile, which information indicates a first user'"'"'s preference for that television program or channel;

(b) select a first television advertisement based at least in part on additional information from the first online user profile that is unrelated to the first selected television program or channel; and

(c) arrange for or transmit instructions for presenting, in association with presentation of the first selected television program or channel via a first set-top box, the first selected television advertisement via the first set-top box, the first set-top box having a corresponding first set-top box identifier that is associated with the first online user profile.

38. An article comprising a tangible medium encoding computer-readable instructions that, when applied to at least one computer, instruct the at least one computer to automatically:

(a) select a first television program or channel based at least in part on information from a first online user profile, which information indicates a first user'"'"'s preference for that television program or channel;

(b) select a first television advertisement based at least in part on additional information from the first online user profile that is unrelated to the first selected television program or channel; and

(c) arrange for or transmit instructions for presenting, in association with presentation of the first selected television program or channel via a first set-top box, the first selected television advertisement via the first set-top box, the first set-top box having a corresponding first set-top box identifier that is associated with the first online user profile.

39. A computer-implemented method comprising automatically:

(a) receiving an indication of a selection of a first television advertisement, which selection is based at least in part on information from a first online user profile;

(b) selecting a first television program or channel, which selection is based at least in part on additional information from the first online user profile, which additional information indicates a first user'"'"'s preference for that television program or channel and is unrelated to the first selected television advertisement; and

(c) arranging for or transmitting instructions for presenting automatically, in association with presentation of the first selected television program or channel via a first set-top box, the first selected television advertisement via the first set-top box, the first set-top box having a corresponding first set-top box identifier that is associated with the first online user profile.

40. A computer-implemented method comprising automatically:

(a) receiving an indication of a selection of a first television program or channel, which selection is based at least in part on information from a first online user profile, which information indicates a first user'"'"'s preference for that television program or channel;

(b) selecting a first television advertisement, which selection is based at least in part on additional information from the first online user profile, which additional information is unrelated to the first selected television program or channel; and

(c) arranging for or transmitting instructions for presenting, in association with presentation of the first selected television program or channel via a first set-top box, the first selected television advertisement via the first set-top box, the first set-top box having a corresponding first set-top box identifier that is associated with the first online user profile.

41. A computer-implemented method comprising automatically:

(a) receiving an indication of a selection of a first television program or channel, which selection is based at least in part on information from a first online user profile, which information indicates a first user'"'"'s preference for that television program or channel;

(b) receiving an indication of a selection of a first television advertisement based at least in part on additional information from the first online user profile that is unrelated to the first selected television program or channel; and

(c) arranging for or transmitting instructions for presenting, in association with presentation of the first selected television program or channel via a first set-top box, the first selected television advertisement via the first set-top box, the first set-top box having a corresponding first set-top box identifier that is associated with the first online user profile.