Reporting of user equipment selected content delivery

• US 8,065,703 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invidi Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Invidi Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Boulet, Daniel A., Anderson, Bruce J., Wilson, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beliveau; Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick A
• Application Number:
  US11/332,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20060293955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 725 9- 21, 725 32- 36, 725/46, 705 144- 1473
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/103 Transmitter-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/18 Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/22 Arrangements for broadcast of identical information via plural broadcast systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/33 by plural channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/30 characterised by the use of a return channel, e.g. for collecting users' opinions, for returning broadcast space/time information or for requesting data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 : characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/80 : characterised in that motion picture association of America [MPAA] ratings are used
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 : Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 : Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/16 : on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/17 : on recording information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 : Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/32 : Arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations, e.g. malfunction or breakdown of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 : Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 : for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/375 : Commercial
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 : for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 : for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 : for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 : for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 : for recognising genres
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 : of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 : for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 : for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 : the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/97 : using uplink of the CATV systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 : Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 : Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 : Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 : wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 : being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• 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 21/2365 : Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 : Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 : Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/2547 : Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 : Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• 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 21/26216 : involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26225 : involving billing parameters, e.g. priority for subscribers of premium services
• 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 21/2668 : 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 21/44016 : involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 : Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 : Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 : for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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

Abstract

A system and method is provided for use in connection with delivering content that is targeted to users of a broadcast network. In order to select content that is targeted to users of the broadcast network, signals are received from a plurality of customer premise equipment devices (CPEs) of the network users via a broadcast network interface. Based on the received signals, broadcast assets (e.g., programming, advertisements etc.) are selected from a collection of available asset options. Accordingly, at least a portion of the selected assets are inserted into a content stream of the broadcast network. Once the content stream is broadcast over a broadcast network interface, at least a portion of the selected assets area available for receipt by at least a portion of the CPEs. The CPEs generate reports regarding assets delivered such that asset providers can be billed based on guaranteed targeted impressions.

Claims

1. A method for use in connection with delivering selected assets from collections of available assets to users of a broadcast network, said broadcast network primarily involving synchronized distribution of broadcast content to multiple users, said method comprising the steps of:

providing, at customer premises equipment devices of users of said broadcast network, a first collection of available assets, wherein said first collection of available assets is transmitted to said customer premises equipment devices in synchronization with a first delivery opportunity associated with a first program selected by a respective one of said users, and a second collection of available assets, wherein said second collection of available assets is transmitted to said customer premises equipment devices in synchronization with a second delivery opportunity associated with said first program selected by said respective one of said users, wherein an asset of said first collection can be selected independent of a selection of an asset of said second collection;

first operating a first one of said customer premises equipment devices to make a selection of at least a first selected asset of said first collection of available assets and at least a second selected asset of said second collection of available assets for delivery to a user and to play said first and second selected assets, in connection with said respective first and second delivery opportunities associated with said first program, said selection based at least in part on information inferred by said first customer premises equipment device so as to distinguish between different users of said first customer premises equipment device based on events at said first customer premises equipment device monitored over time; and

second operating said first one of said customer premises equipment devices to monitor asset selections and to report, to a monitoring system associated with said network, delivery of at least said first selected asset of said first collection of available assets and at least said second selected asset of said second collection of available assets such that the monitoring system receives information indicating delivery of said first and second selected assets to an appropriate one of said different users, wherein reports from customer premises equipment devices indicate an accuracy in matching said first or second selected assets to users such that instances where said first or second selected assets were played to inappropriate users are accounted for in measuring targeted audiences for said first or second selected assets.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said collection of available of assets is associated with a plurality of specified transmission bands of said broadcast network.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said step of first operating comprises selectively switching from a first band of said broadcast network associated with first broadcast content to a second band corresponding to said first or second selected assets of said first or second collection of available assets.

4. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said broadcast network is a television network, and said step of selecting comprises of selectively switching from a programming channel to an asset channel at a commercial break of said programming channel.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said customer premises equipment devices include multiple equipment terminals associated with multiple users and said step of second operating comprises operating less than all of said terminals to report to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said step of second operating comprises causing a statistical sampling of said terminals to report to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

7. A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said step of second operating comprises operating a first terminal and second terminal of said terminals to report at different times to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

8. A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said step of second operating comprises operating at least one of said terminals to execute logic for selecting a time within a time window for reporting to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

9. A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said step of second operating comprises operating a first terminal of said terminals to provide a first set of information to said monitoring system and operating a second terminal of said terminals to provide a second set of information to said monitoring system, said second set including at least one datum more than said first set, wherein said datum relates to a type of data independent from the content of said data.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said second set includes sensitive information relating to a user.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of operating said monitoring system to determine information regarding a delivery value for at least one of said first or second selected assets.

12. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said monitoring system is operative to determine an audience size for said one of said said first or second collection of available assets.

13. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reports comprise an identification of one of said different users of said first customer premises equipment device to which said first or second selected assets was purportedly delivered.

14. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said information inferred by said first customer premises equipment device so as to distinguish between different users of said first customer premises equipment device based on events at said first customer premises equipment device monitored over time is not persistently stored at said first customer premises equipment device.

15. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said information received by said monitoring system is usable to ensure to a predetermined certainty that said appropriate one of said different users to which said first or second selected assets was delivered matches a targeted user pre-associated with said first or second selected assets.

16. A method for use in connection with delivering selected content to users of a broadcast network, said broadcast network primarily involving synchronized distribution of broadcast content to multiple users, said method comprising the steps of:

providing, at each user terminal of multiple user terminals of a broadcast network, a collection of available assets, each user terminal being associated with a set of said users;

monitoring events at each user terminal over time to infer that a particular user of the set of users is viewing a broadcast program via said user terminal;

first operating each said terminal to select and play a selected asset of said collection of available assets for delivery to said particular user in connection with a given asset delivery opportunity associated with said broadcast program; and

second operating a statistical sampling less than all of said terminals for determination of asset audience size to report, to a monitoring system associated with said network, delivery of selected assets of said collection of available assets by said terminals in connection with said given asset delivery opportunity such that the monitoring system receives information indicating delivery of said selected assets to appropriate users and can determine an audience size for each of said selected assets, wherein reports from said terminals indicate an accuracy in matching said selected assets to users such that instances where said selected assets were played to inappropriate users are accounted for in measuring targeted audiences for said selected assets.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16, wherein said step of second operating comprises implementing said statistical sampling of said terminals to report to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity such that terminals are selected to report substantially randomly.

18. A method as set forth in claim 16, wherein said step of second operating comprises operating a first terminal and a second terminal of said terminals to report at different times to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

19. A method as set forth in claim 16, wherein said step of second operating comprises operating at least one of said terminals to execute logic for selecting a time within a time window for reporting to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

20. A method as set forth in claim 16, wherein said step of second operating comprises operating a first terminal of said terminals to provide a first set of information to said monitoring system and operating a second terminal of said terminals to provide a second set of information to said monitoring system, said second set including at least one datum more than said first set, wherein said datum relates to a type of data independent of a content of said data.

21. An apparatus for use in connection with delivering selected assets from collections of available assets to users of a broadcast network, said broadcast network primarily involving synchronized distribution of broadcast network to multiple users, said apparatus comprising:

a structure, associated with customer premises equipment devices of users of said broadcast network, for receiving a first collection of available assets, wherein said first collection of available assets is transmitted to said customer premises equipment devices in synchronization with a first delivery opportunity associated with a first program selected by a respective one of said users, and a second collection of available assets, wherein said second collection of available assets is transmitted to said customer premises equipment devices in synchronization with a second delivery opportunity associated with said first program selected by said respective one of said users, wherein an asset of said first collection can be selected independent of a selection of an asset of said second collection; and

a processor, associated with said first one of said customer premises equipment devices, operative to make a selection of at least a first selected asset of said first collection of available assets and at least a second selected asset of said second collection of available assets for delivery to a user, and to play said first and second selected assets, in connection with said respective said first and second delivery opportunities associated with said first program, said selection based at least in part on information inferred by said processor so as to distinguish between different users of said first customer premises equipment device based on events at said first customer premises equipment device monitored over time, and to report, to a monitoring system associated with said network, delivery of at least said first selected asset of said first collection of available assets and said second selected asset of said second collection of available assets such that the monitoring system receives information indicating delivery of said first or second selected assets to appropriate users, wherein instances where said first or second selected assets were played to inappropriate users are accounted for in measuring audiences for said first or second selected assets.

22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said processor is operative for selectively switching from a first band of said broadcast network associated with a first broadcast content to a second band corresponding to said first or second selected.

23. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said customer premises equipment devices include multiple equipment terminals associated with multiple users and multiple processors associated with said multiple customer premises equipment devices, wherein said multiple processors are operative such that less than all of said terminals report to said monitoring system in connection with a given delivery opportunity.

24. An apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said multiple processors are operative to cause a statistical sampling of said terminals to report to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

25. An apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said multiple processors are operative such that a first terminal and a second terminal of said terminals report at different times to said monitoring system in connection with said given delivery opportunity.

26. An apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said multiple processors are operative such that a first terminal of said terminals provides a first set of information to said monitoring system and a second terminal of said terminals provides a second set of information to said monitoring system, wherein said second set includes at least one datum more than said first set, said datum relating to a type of data independent from a content of said data.

27. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said report comprises an identification of one of said different users of said first customer premises equipment device to which said first or second selected assets was purportedly delivered.