Methods, computer-readable media, and computer program product for intelligent selection of items encoded onto portable machine-playable entertainment media

• US 7,178,720 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: West Corporation
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Adornato, Rocco L., Strubbe, Todd B., Mussman, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Seung Ho
• Application Number:
  US10/954,688
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 725/4, 725/23, 725/25, 725/26, 235/376
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

Methods, computer-readable media, and computer program products for encoding data representing offered items that are selected for specific respective viewers onto machine-playable storage media, with the media storing data representing at least one entertainment feature. The method can include receiving one or more requests from given viewers related to obtaining instance of entertainment media for viewing, and identifying given ones of the viewers. One or more additional data elements relating to a given viewer are obtaining using, at least in part, the data identifying the given viewer. One or more items to be offered to the given viewer are selected based at least in part on analysis of the additional data element. Data representing the offered item is then encoding onto a given instance of the machine-readable entertainment medium and the medium is then presented to the viewer. Computer-readable media and computer program products for realizing the foregoing method are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of encoding data representing offered items that are selected for specific respective viewers onto machine-readable storage media, the media storing data representing at least one entertainment feature, the method comprising at least the following:

receiving at least one request from at least one given viewer related to obtaining at least one instance media for viewing;

identifying the given viewer based on the obtaining of the at least one instance media for viewing;

obtaining at least one additional data element relating to the given viewer using, at least in part, data identifying the given viewer;

selecting at least one item to be offered to the given viewer based at least in part on analysis of the additional data element; and

encoding data representing the at least one offered item onto a given instance of the machine-readable storage medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at least one request includes receiving a request from the viewer via an Internet website.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at least one request includes receiving at least one account log-in request from the viewer via an Internet website.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at least one request includes receiving at least one query from the viewer via an Internet website.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at least one request includes receiving at least one request from the viewer to select at least one particular medium via an Internet website.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at least one request includes receiving at least one request from the viewer to obtain for viewing at least one particular medium via an Internet website.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at least one request includes receiving the request from the viewer at a physical storefront location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the given user is performed in connection with the viewer accessing an Internet website that is related to obtaining the media.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the given viewer includes accessing cookie files that store data related to given viewers.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the given viewer is performed using at least one of a telephone number, an account number, an email address, and an IP address associated with the given viewer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining at least one additional data element includes obtaining data representing at least one of past transaction history of the given viewer, home location of the given viewer, and demographic data pertaining to the given viewer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining at least one additional data element includes analyzing a subject matter of the request received from the given viewer.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising profiling the given viewer based at least in part on the additional data element.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing one of a modeling and a segmentation analysis of the given viewer based at least in part on the additional data element.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one item is performed in real time with receiving the request from the given viewer.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one item is performed in real time with identifying the given viewer.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein encoding data is performed in real time with identifying the given viewer.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein encoding data is performed in real time with receiving the request from the given viewer.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein encoding data is performed in real time with selecting the at least one item for the given viewer.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting at least a further item specifically for the given viewer.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising encoding data representing at least the further upsell item onto the given instance of the storage media.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein encoding data includes, at least in part, writing the data onto a write-many field allocated within the given instance of the media.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein encoding data is performed at at least one retail kiosk located in a physical storefront.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein encoding data is performed at at least one non-retail location.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the given instance of the media to the given viewer.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein presenting the given instance of the media includes ejecting a medium from a kiosk.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein presenting the given instance of the media includes ejecting a medium from an automated kiosk.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein presenting the given instance of the media includes shipping a given instance of the media to the viewer.

29. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of encoding data representing offered items that are selected for specific respective viewers onto machine-readable storage media, the media storing data representing at least one entertainment feature, the method comprising at least the following:

receiving at least one request from at least one given viewer related to obtaining at least one instance media for viewing;

identifying the given viewer based on the obtaining of the at least one instance media for viewing;

obtaining at least one additional data element relating to the given viewer using, at least in part, data identifying the given viewer;

selecting at least one item to be offered to the given viewer based at least in part on analysis of the additional data element; and

encoding data representing the at least one offered item onto a given instance of the machine-readable storage medium.

30. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable code means embodied in said medium for encoding data representing offered items that are selected for specific respective viewers onto machine-readable storage media, the media storing data representing at least one entertainment feature, the computer readable program code in said computer program product comprising at least the following:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive at least one request from at least one given viewer related to obtaining at least one instance media for viewing;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to identify the given viewer based on the obtaining of the at least one instance media for viewing;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to obtain at least one additional data element relating to the given viewer using, at least in part, data identifying the given viewer;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to select at least one item to be offered to the given viewer based at least in part on analysis of the additional data element; and

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to encode data representing the at least one offered item onto a given instance of the machine-readable storage medium.