Method and apparatus for targeting of interactive virtual objects

• US 7,721,307 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: McCoskey, John S., Bonner, Alfred E., Hendricks, John S., Asmussen, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saltarelli; Dominic D
• Application Number:
  US09/975,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20020112249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,140 Days
• Field of Search: 725/34, 725/36
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/10 Arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or the distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• 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 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• 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 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 : for processing graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 : Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/4314 : for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 : Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 : Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 : Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 : Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/458 : 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 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 : using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• 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 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 : e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 : Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64307 : ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 : comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 : involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8583 : by creating hot-spots
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 : Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 : for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 : for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 : Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A method and an apparatus are used to target interactive virtual objects to subscribers in a television delivery system. Programs are selected and virtual object locations are defined in the selected programs. The virtual objects available for targeting are categorized and the categories are correlated to subscriber information to determine the optimum targeting of the virtual objects. The invention uses upstream data reception hardware, databases and processing hardware and software, and corresponding features in the televisions to accomplish these functions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

assigning a plurality of interactive virtual advertisement spots to a program;

generating a retrieval plan; and

providing the retrieval plan to a terminal, wherein the retrieval plan instructs the terminal to display in one of the virtual advertisement spots an interactive virtual object selected from a ranked list of a plurality of interactive virtual objects, wherein said ranked list is determined at least by a measure of effectiveness for each one of said plurality of interactive virtual objects in each one of said plurality of interactive virtual advertisement spots, wherein each one of the plurality of interactive virtual advertisement spots is in a different spatial location in said program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the retrieval plan comprises:

assigning the terminal to one or more groups;

and

assigning each of the one or more of the groups to one or more of the plurality of interactive virtual objects.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of assigning the terminal to one or more groups comprises:

generating group assignment rules;

delivering group assignment rules to the terminal;

storing the group assignment rules at the terminal; and

determining one or more group assignments based on the group assignment rules and data related to the terminal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data related to the terminal includes one or more of Area of Dominant Influence (ADI), zip code, demographic data and programs watched data, virtual objects viewed, on-screen questionnaires and characteristics imported from marketing databases;

the method further comprising updating the group assignments to reflect changes in the ADI, zip code the demographic data, the programs watched data the virtual objects viewed, the on-screen questionnaires, and the characteristics imported from marketing databases.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising periodically sending the retrieval plan and group assignment rules to the terminal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a scene of the program.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a frame of the program.

8. A method of targeting interactive virtual objects, comprising:

providing a program containing a plurality of interactive virtual object locations to a terminal;

providing one or more of a plurality of interactive virtual objects for each one of the plurality of the interactive virtual object locations to the terminal, wherein said one or more of the plurality of interactive virtual objects are selected from a ranked list of the plurality of interactive virtual objects, said ranked list is determined at least by a measure of effectiveness for each one of said plurality of interactive virtual objects in each one of said plurality of interactive virtual object locations, and each one of the plurality of interactive virtual object locations is in a different spatial location in said program;

providing a retrieval plan to the terminal, wherein the retrieval plan designates, for one or more of the plurality of interactive object locations, which of the provided one or more interactive virtual objects to display.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the program is a television program.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the program is one of an advertisement, an electronic program guide, and an Internet web page.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of interactive virtual object locations is fixed in position across frames of the program.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of interactive virtual object locations moves spatially in the program with time.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing at least one non-interactive virtual object.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the terminal is a television set top terminal.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the terminal is incorporated into one of a television, a personal computer and a PDA with video viewing capabilities.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the terminal is coupled to a satellite television receiver.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the retrieval plan is periodically provided with the transmission of the program in a transmission to the terminal.

18. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing a group assignment matrix to the terminal, wherein:

the group assignment matrix classifies the terminal into one or more different predefined groups within each of one or more target user categories, and

the retrieval plan designates which of the provided one or more interactive objects to display in the one or more interactive object locations by associating the target categories and the predefined groups with the one or more interactive objects and the one or more interactive object locations.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising generating the group assignment matrix, wherein the predefined groups within one of the target categories are defined based on characteristics of users.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the characteristics include user demographic information.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the characteristics include user entered information.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the characteristics include programs watched data.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the characteristics include interactive virtual objects watched data.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the characteristics include user activation of the interactive virtual objects.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein generating the retrieval plan comprises:

associating one of the target user categories with one of the interactive object locations;

associating each predefined group within the associated one of the target user categories with a respective one of the interactive objects.

26. The method of claim 8, wherein the ranked list is determined by:

scoring a compatibility of program content surrounding a first interactive virtual object location of the interactive virtual object locations with a targeted group of users,

scoring compatibilities of each of the plurality of interactive virtual objects with the targeted group of users; and

ranking each of the plurality of interactive virtual objects displayed in the first one interactive virtual object location based on combining the scoring of the program content and the scoring of each interactive virtual object.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the ranked list is further determined by:

scoring a compatibility of program content surrounding a second interactive virtual object location of the interactive virtual object locations with the targeted group of users, and

ranking different pairs of the plurality of interactive virtual objects displayed in the first and second interactive virtual object locations and based on combining the scoring of the program content surrounding the first interactive virtual object location, the scoring of the program content surrounding the second interactive virtual object location, and the scoring of each interactive virtual object.

28. The method of claim 8 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a scene of the program.

29. The method of claim 8 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a frame of the program.

30. A method comprising:

receiving a program, a plurality of interactive virtual objects, and a retrieval plan at a terminal, wherein the program includes a plurality of interactive virtual object locations, the retrieval plan designates one or more of said plurality of interactive virtual objects to be displayed during a display of the program selected from a ranked list of said plurality of interactive virtual objects, the ranked list is determined at least by a measure of effectiveness for each one of said plurality of interactive virtual objects in each one of said plurality of interactive virtual object locations, and each one of the plurality of interactive virtual object locations is in a different spatial location in said program; and

displaying one or more of the interactive virtual objects in one or more of the interactive virtual object locations of the program according to the retrieval plan.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein displaying, comprises:

comparing a group assignment matrix to the retrieval plan, wherein the group assignment matrix assigns the terminal to a targeted user group; and

selecting an interactive virtual object for display based on the comparison.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising generating the group assignment matrix including

receiving group assignment rules;

and

determining one or more group assignments at the terminal based on the group assignment rules and individual terminal data or terminal group data.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the individual terminal data, comprises one or more of viewer demographic data, programs watched data, virtual objects viewed data, on-screen questionnaires, and characteristics imported from marketing databases, and wherein the terminal group data, comprises one or more ADI, zip code, and geographical data.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the group assignment rules are stored in the terminal.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

linking a terminal selecting the at least one displayed interactive virtual object to an alternate program.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the alternate program comprises an Internet web site.

37. The method of claim 30 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a scene of the program.

38. The method of claim 30 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a frame of the program.

39. A terminal comprising:

a network interface configured to receive a plurality of interactive virtual objects and a plurality of interactive virtual object locations and metadata

an interactive virtual objects extractor processor coupled to the network interface and configured to extract the plurality of interactive virtual objects, the plurality of interactive virtual object locations and the metadata;

a storage processor coupled to the extractor configured to determine which of the extracted plurality of interactive virtual objects are targeted to the terminal and save the extracted targeted interactive virtual objects in a memory; and

an interactive virtual object selector processor coupled to the storage processor and configured to determine an interactive virtual object placement for one or more saved interactive virtual objects selected from a ranked list of said plurality of interactive virtual objects, wherein said ranked list is determined at least by a measure of effectiveness for each one of said plurality of interactive virtual objects in each one of said plurality of interactive virtual object locations, and each one of the plurality of interactive virtual advertisement object locations is in a different spatial location in a program.

40. The terminal of claim 39, wherein the plurality of interactive virtual objects are received with programming content of the program, and wherein the extractor processor is configured to extract the plurality of interactive virtual objects from the programming content.

41. The terminal of claim 39, wherein the plurality of interactive virtual objects are received independently of programming content of the program.

42. The terminal of claim 41, wherein the plurality of interactive virtual objects are received over the Internet.

43. The terminal of claim 39, wherein the terminal is a terminal in a television program delivery system.

44. The terminal of claim 43, wherein the terminal is a set top terminal.

45. The terminal of claim 43, wherein the terminal is a television.

46. The terminal of claim 39, wherein the terminal is one of a personal computer, a personal data assistant, and a wireless telephone.

47. The terminal of claim 39, wherein the selector processor is further configured to:

log the placement of an interactive virtual object and an interactive response to the interactive virtual object in the memory, and

use the placement and the response in determining placements of future interactive virtual objects.

48. The terminal of claim 39 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a scene of the program.

49. The terminal of claim 39 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a frame of the program.

50. A method comprising:

creating a package of a plurality of interactive virtual objects, wherein said plurality of interactive virtual objects are dynamic;

providing the package to a plurality of terminals;

generating a group assignment matrix, wherein the group assignment matrix assigns the terminals to groups;

generating a retrieval plan;

providing a program to one or more of the terminals, the program including a plurality of interactive virtual object locations, wherein the retrieval plan designates one or more of the plurality of interactive virtual objects to be displayed in the plurality of interactive virtual object locations during a display of the program, wherein said plurality of interactive virtual objects are selected from a ranked list of the plurality of interactive virtual objects, wherein said ranked list is determined at least by a measure of effectiveness for each one of said plurality of interactive virtual objects in each one of said plurality of interactive virtual object locations, and each one of the plurality of interactive virtual advertisement object locations is in a different spatial location in said program.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein at least one of said plurality of interactive virtual objects includes triggers that initiate a signal from the terminals the method further comprising:

receiving a trigger from one of the terminals;

retrieving an interactive virtual object trigger action in response to receipt of the trigger; and

determining that the interactive virtual object trigger action requires initiation of an interactive request.

52. The method of claim 51, the method further comprising:

sending the interactive request to the terminal which sent the trigger;

awaiting an interactive response from the terminal which sent the trigger; and

initiating an interactive action based on the interactive response.

53. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

linking a terminal selecting the at least one designated interactive virtual object to an alternate program.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the alternative program comprises an Internet web site.

55. The method of claim 50 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a scene of the program.

56. The method of claim 50 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a frame of the program.

57. A system comprising:

an operations center including a network interface and one or more processors configured to;

provide, through a network, a program containing a plurality of interactive virtual object locations to a terminal;

provide one or more of a plurality of interactive virtual objects for each one of the plurality of the interactive virtual object locations to the terminal, wherein said one or more of the plurality of interactive virtual objects are selected from a ranked list of the plurality of interactive virtual objects, wherein said ranked list is determined at least by a measure of effectiveness for each one of said plurality of interactive virtual objects in each one of said plurality of interactive virtual object locations, and each one of the plurality of interactive virtual object locations is in a different spatial location in said program;

provide a retrieval plan to the terminal, wherein the retrieval plan designates, for one or more of the plurality of interactive object locations, which of the provided one or more interactive virtual objects to display; and

a terminal comprising;

one or more terminal network interfaces configured to receive the program, the plurality of interactive virtual objects, and the retrieval plan;

an interactive virtual objects extractor processor coupled to the terminal network interfaces and configured to extract the plurality of interactive virtual objects, the plurality of interactive virtual object locations and the retrieval plan;

a storage processor coupled to the extractor configured to determine which of the extracted plurality of interactive virtual objects are targeted to the terminal and save the extracted targeted interactive virtual objects in a memory; and

an interactive virtual object selector processor coupled to the storage processor configured to determine an interactive virtual object placement for the one or more stored interactive virtual objects.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the selector processor is further configured to:

log the placement of an interactive virtual object and an interactive response to the interactive virtual object in the memory, and

communicate the placement and the response to the operation center.

59. The system of claim 57 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a scene of the program.

60. The system of claim 57 wherein each different spatial location in said program is a different location within a frame of the program.

61. The system of claim 57, wherein the plurality of interactive virtual objects are provided to the terminal by one of a cable television system, a wireless broadcast system, a satellite broadcast system, a wired data network, a wireless PCS network, and a terrestrial television broadcast network.

62. The system of claim 57, wherein the plurality of interactive virtual objects and the retrieval plan are derived through the network with the program.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the one or more terminal network interfaces are further configured to receive replacement interactive virtual objects and a replacement interactive virtual object retrieval plan, wherein the replacement interactive virtual objects and the replacement retrieval plan are delivered from the operations center.

64. The system of claim 57, wherein an interactive virtual object of the plurality of interactive virtual objects, comprises:

an interactive virtual object identifier;

interactive virtual object placement rules, wherein the rules provide guidance to the terminal in managing insertion of interactive virtual objects into the program content;

a digital representation of the interactive virtual object; and

an interactive virtual object trigger action that defines an action to be taken upon triggering of the virtual object at the terminal.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the interactive virtual object further comprises a virtual object applet that provides software capable of initiation by a source external to the terminal.

66. The system of claim 64, wherein the interactive virtual object trigger action initiated an interactive request to a location external to the terminal.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the location external to the system further comprises:

an interactive virtual object management center; and

an interactive virtual object servicing center coupled to the interactive virtual object management center, wherein the management center provides interactive virtual object response management guidelines to the servicing center, and wherein the guidelines determine an appropriate response based on receipt of an interactive request from the terminal.

68. The system of claim 57, wherein the terminal further comprises:

an interactive virtual object extractor that extracts interactive virtual objects from data received at the terminal;

an interactive virtual object location detector processor, coupled to the extractor, that determines the allowable content locations for the plurality of interactive virtual objects; and

an interactive virtual object insertion processor, coupled to the selector processor, that inserts the selected interactive virtual objects into the allowable content locations.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the terminal further comprises a storage management processor coupled to the extractor, wherein the management processor uses an interactive virtual object retrieval plan to determine which received interactive virtual objects are to be stored at the terminal.

70. The system of claim 57, wherein the plurality of interactive virtual objects are selectable by a user at the terminal.

71. The system of claim 70, wherein an interactive selection by the user is processed automatically by the terminal.