System and Method for Advertising

• US 20130276020A1
• Filed: 04/12/2012
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Khan, Sohel
• Granted Patent: US 8,843,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• 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 21/2668 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63 Control signaling related to video distribution between client, server and network components; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients or between remote clients, e.g. transmitting basic layer and enhancement layers over different transmission paths, setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet between remote STB's; Communication protocols; Addressing real-time session protocols H04L65/1101; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/633 Control signals issued by server directed to the network components or client management of faults, events, alarms in data networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

A system and method for advertising are disclosed. In an aspect, a method comprises rendering a content to a plurality of users, the content having a time duration, rendering a first selectable element associated with the content to a first one of the plurality of users at a first time during the time duration of the rendered content, and rendering a second selectable element associated with the content to a second one of the plurality of users at a second time during the time duration of the rendered content, wherein the second time is different from the first time and the first selectable element is not rendered to the first one of the plurality of users while the second selectable element is rendered to the second one of the plurality of users.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting content to a plurality of users, wherein the content is configured to be rendered for a time duration;

transmitting a first selectable element associated with the content to a first one of the plurality of users at a first time during the time duration of the rendered content;

transmitting a second selectable element associated with the content to a second one of the plurality of users at a second time during the time duration of the rendered content, wherein the second time is different from the first time and the first selectable element is not rendered to the first one of the plurality of users while the second selectable element is rendered to the second one of the plurality of users;

receiving a selection of the first selectable element at a third time;

initiating a first communication session in response to the selection of the first selectable element;

receiving a selection of the second selectable element at a fourth time; and

initiating a second communication session in response to the selection of the second selectable element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is an advertisement having a pre-determined time duration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first selectable element and the second selectable element is an advertisement that is contextually related to the content rendered.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first selectable element and the second selectable element are associated with a particular merchant.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first selectable element is associated with a first merchant and the second selectable element is associated with a second merchant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first selectable element and the second selectable element is one of a content banner, a pop-up, and an overlay.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first communication session and the second communication session is a two-way communication session and is initiated over an internet protocol communication path.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time and the second time for transmitting the first selectable element and the second selectable element respectively, is determined by stochastic random sampling.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication session is initiated between the first one of the plurality of users and an agent and the second communication session is initiated between the second one of the plurality of users and the agent, and wherein the second communication session is exclusive of the first communication session.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication session is initiated as a dialogue between the first one of the plurality of users and a first agent and the second communication session is initiated as a dialogue between the second one of the plurality of users and a second agent.

11. A method comprising:

transmitting content to a plurality of users, wherein the content is configured to be rendered for a time duration;

transmitting a first selectable element associated with the content to a first one of the plurality of users at a first time during the time duration of the rendered content; and

transmitting a second selectable element associated with the content to a second one of the plurality of users at a second time during the time duration of the rendered content, wherein the second time is different from the first time and the first selectable element is not rendered to the first one of the plurality of users while the second selectable element is rendered to the second one of the plurality of users.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the content is an advertisement having a pre-determined time duration.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of the first selectable element and the second selectable element is an advertisement that is contextually related to the content rendered.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first selectable element and the second selectable element are associated with a particular merchant.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first selectable element is associated with a first merchant and the second selectable element is associated with a second merchant.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of the first selectable element and the second selectable element is one of a content banner, a pop-up, and an overlay.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a selection of one or more of the first selectable element and the second selectable element and initiating a communication session in response to the selection.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication session is a two-way communication session initiated over an internet protocol communication path.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first time and the second time for transmitting the first selectable element and the second selectable element respectively, is determined by stochastic random sampling.

20. A method comprising:

transmitting content to a plurality of devices, wherein the content is configured to be rendered for a time duration;

transmitting a first selectable element associated with the content to a first one of the plurality of devices at a first time during the time duration of the rendered content; and

transmitting a second selectable element associated with the content to a second one of the plurality of devices at a second time during the time duration of the rendered content, wherein the second time is different from the first time and the first selectable element is not rendered to the first one of the plurality of devices while the second selectable element is rendered to the second one of the plurality of devices.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the content is an advertisement having a pre-determined time duration.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein one or more of the first selectable element and the second selectable element is an advertisement that is contextually related to the content rendered.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the first selectable element and the second selectable element are associated with a particular merchant.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the first selectable element is associated with a first merchant and the second selectable element is associated with a second merchant.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein one or more of the first selectable element and the second selectable element is one of a content banner, a pop-up, and an overlay.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving a selection of one or more of the first selectable element and the second selectable element and initiating a communication session in response to the selection.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the communication session is a two-way communication session over an internet protocol communication path.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the first time and the second time for transmitting the first selectable element and the second selectable element respectively, is determined by stochastic random sampling.

29. A method comprising:

rendering a same content to a plurality of users, the content having a pre-determined time duration;

rendering a first selectable element associated with the content to a first one of the plurality of users during the time duration of the rendered content, wherein the first one of the plurality of users is located in a first location and the first selectable element is associated with a first entity servicing the first location; and

rendering a second selectable element associated with the content to a second one of the plurality of users during the time duration of the rendered content, wherein the second one of the plurality of users is located at a second location and the second selectable element is associated with a second entity servicing the second location.