SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VIEWER DECISION-BASED TARGETED COMMERCIALS

• US 20150358687A1
• Filed: 06/05/2014
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Kummer, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,769,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/25891 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 21/26233 involving content or additional data duration or size, e.g. length of a movie, size of an executable file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Various arrangements for targeting advertising to a television viewer are presented. A user interface may be output for presentation that permits the television viewer to select from among a plurality of advertising options. One or more selections may be received from the television viewer from among the plurality of advertising options. A television program may be output for presentation to the television viewer. One or more commercials may be selected that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options. The one or more commercials that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options may be output for presentation during a first commercial break in the television program.

Claims

1. A method for targeting advertising to a television viewer, the method comprising:

outputting, by a television receiver, for presentation a user interface that permits the television viewer to select from among a plurality of advertising options;

receiving, by the television receiver, one or more selections from the television viewer from among the plurality of advertising options;

outputting, by the television receiver, a television program for presentation to the television viewer;

selecting one or more commercials that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options; and

outputting, by the television receiver, one or more commercials that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options during a first commercial break in the television program.

2. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 1, further comprising:

if the one or more selections from the television viewer have not been received when the television program begins, recording the television program while waiting for the one or more selections from the television viewer.

3. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 1, wherein each advertising option of the plurality of advertising options corresponds to a category of commercial.

4. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 1, wherein each advertising option of the plurality of advertising options corresponds to specific advertisers.

5. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 1, wherein the user interface is output for presentation prior to the television program beginning to be output for presentation to the television viewer.

6. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving and storing, by the television receiver, the one or more commercials to a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium, wherein outputting the one or more commercials comprises accessing the non-transitory processor-readable storage medium for the one or more commercials.

7. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 5, further comprising:

outputting the one or more commercials that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options during the first commercial break in the television program comprises;

receiving, by the television receiver, from a remote server, the one or more commercials via a streaming connection.

8. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the television receiver, a broadcast of the television program, wherein outputting of the television program for presentation to the television viewer occurs as the broadcast of the television program is received.

9. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving and storing, by the television receiver, the one or more commercials to a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium, wherein outputting the one or more commercials comprises accessing the non-transitory processor-readable storage medium for the one or more commercials.

10. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 8, wherein

outputting the one or more commercials that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options during the first commercial break in the television program comprises:

receiving, by the television receiver, from a remote server, the one or more commercials via a streaming connection.

11. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 1, wherein the user interface that permits the television viewer to select from among the plurality of advertising options is presented for a predefined amount of time, after which a default advertising option is selected.

12. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 1, wherein the user interface is output for presentation at a beginning of the first commercial break occurring during the television program.

13. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 1, further comprising:

for the one or more commercials, receiving, by the television receiver, from a viewer, a rating;

calculating, by the television receiver, an incentive value awarded based on at least the rating of each of the one or more commercials;

determining, by the television receiver, that a threshold incentive value has been met by the incentive value awarded based on the received ratings; and

outputting a second commercial break that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options, wherein the second commercial break is shorter in duration than the first commercial break based on the threshold incentive value being met by the incentive awarded based on the received ratings.

14. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 1, wherein the one or more commercials that match the one or more selections are each shorter in duration as compared to one or more alternate commercials that would have been presented if the one or more selections were not received.

15. The method for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 1, wherein the one or more commercials that match the one or more selections are fewer in number duration as compared to multiple alternate commercials that would have been presented if the one or more selections were not received.

16. A system for targeting advertising to a television viewer, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

output for presentation a user interface that permits the television viewer to select from among a plurality of advertising options;

receive one or more selections from the television viewer from among the plurality of advertising options;

output a television program for presentation to the television viewer;

select one or more commercials that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options; and

output one or more commercials that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options during a first commercial break in the television program.

17. The system for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 16, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

if the one or more selections from the television viewer have not been received when the television program begins, record the television program while waiting for the one or more selections from the television viewer.

18. The system for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 16, wherein each advertising option of the plurality of advertising options corresponds to a category of commercial.

19. The system for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 16, wherein each advertising option of the plurality of advertising options corresponds to specific advertisers.

20. The system for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 16, wherein the processor-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to output the user interface for presentation further causes the user interface to be output for presentation prior to the television program beginning to be output for presentation to the television viewer.

21. The system for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 20, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

receive and store the one or more commercials to a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium, wherein outputting the one or more commercials comprises accessing the non-transitory processor-readable storage medium for the one or more commercials.

22. The system for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 20, wherein the processor-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to output the one or more commercials that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options during the first commercial break in the television program comprise processor-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

receive, from a remote server, the one or more commercials via a streaming connection.

23. The system for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 16, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

receive a broadcast of the television program, wherein outputting of the television program for presentation to the television viewer occurs as the broadcast of the television program is received.

24. The system for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 23, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

receive and store the one or more commercials to a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium, wherein outputting the one or more commercials comprises accessing the non-transitory processor-readable storage medium for the one or more commercials.

25. The system for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 23, wherein the processor-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to output the one or more commercials that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options during the first commercial break in the television program comprise processor-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

receive, from a remote server, the one or more commercials via a streaming connection.

26. The system for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 16, wherein the one or more commercials that match the one or more selections are each shorter in duration as compared to one or more alternate commercials that would have been presented if the one or more selections were not received.

27. The system for targeting advertising to the television viewer of claim 16, wherein the one or more commercials that match the one or more selections are fewer in number duration as compared to multiple alternate commercials that would have been presented if the one or more selections were not received.

28. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for targeting advertising to a television viewer, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

output for presentation a user interface that permits the television viewer to select from among a plurality of advertising options;

receive one or more selections from the television viewer from among the plurality of advertising options;

output a television program for presentation to the television viewer;

select one or more commercials that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options; and

output one or more commercials that match the one or more selections from among the plurality of advertising options during a first commercial break in the television program.