METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ALTERNATE MEDIA FOR VIDEO DECODERS

• US 20100186032A1
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: NeuroFocus Inc. (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Inventors: Pradeep, Anantha, Knight, Robert T., Gurumoorthy, Ramachandran
• Granted Patent: US 9,357,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• 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 21/26233 involving content or additional data duration or size, e.g. length of a movie, size of an executable file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate

Abstract

A system provides programming and advertising to a video decoder such as a digital video recorder, computer system, software or hardware player, etc. When a user makes a request to skip a commercial by issuing a command such as 30 second skip forward, alternate media is provided. In some examples, an image advertisement is provided for a predetermined period of time either during the commercial break or when regular programming resumes. In other examples, a substitute commercial is shown. The substitute commercial may be shortened or compressed. The alternate media may be perceptually encoded in a video stream, hidden in a video stream, or provided in a separate stream. In some examples, survey based and neuro-response based data is used to evaluate and select alternate media for particular programming.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving video including programming and a plurality of commercials at a video decoder;

receiving alternate media at the video decoder;

providing the video to a viewer using a display associated with the video decoder;

receiving a skip request from the viewer during a commercial break associated with the video, wherein the skip request corresponds to a first commercial in the plurality of commercials;

skipping the first commercial; and

presenting alternate media to the viewer in response to the skip request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the video is received at a video decoder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the video and the alternate media are received on the same channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the video and the alternate media are received over different channels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the video and the alternate media are received over different transmission media.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein alternate media comprises a first alternate commercial.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein alternate media is selected using neuro-response data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first alternate commercial is presented to the viewer in place of the first commercial.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein alternate media comprises a first image.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first image is presented to the viewer for a predetermined period of time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first image is presented during programming after the commercial break.

12. A device, comprising:

an interface operable to receive video including programming and a plurality of commercials at a video decoder, the interface further operable to receive alternate media at the video decoder;

a processor operable to providing the video to a viewer using a display associated with the video decoder and receive a skip request from the viewer during a commercial break associated with the video, wherein the skip request corresponds to a first commercial in the plurality of commercials, wherein the processor presents alternate media to the viewer in response to the skip request.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the video and the alternate media are received on the same channel at different times.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the video and the alternate media are received over different channels.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the video and the alternate media are received over different transmission media.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein alternate media comprises a first alternate commercial.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein alternate media is selected using neuro-response data.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the first alternate commercial is presented to the viewer in place of the first commercial.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein alternate media comprises a first image.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the first image is presented to the viewer for a predetermined period of time.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the first image is presented during programming after the commercial break.

22. A system, comprising:

means for receiving video including programming and a plurality of commercials at a video decoder;

means for receiving alternate media at the video decoder;

means for providing the video to a viewer using a display associated with the video decoder;

means for receiving a skip request from the viewer during a commercial break associated with the video, wherein the skip request corresponds to a first commercial in the plurality of commercials;

means for skipping the first commercial; and

means for presenting alternate media to the viewer in response to the skip request.