Methods, apparatus and computer-readable media for conveying television program advertisements
First Claim
1. A method for execution by a controller, comprising:
- the controller identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to a promotional time slot appearing within a first content stream, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream;
the controller causing conveyance during the promotional time slot of an advertisement for the television program; and
the controller causing an indication of the second content stream to be transmitted to customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, which comprises identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to a promotional time slot appearing within a first content stream, the television program being carried by a second content stream; causing conveyance during the promotional time slot of an advertisement for the television program; and causing an indication of the second content stream to be transmitted to customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream. Also, a method, which comprises identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to a promotional time slot appearing within a first content stream, the television program being carried by a second content stream; causing conveyance during the promotional time slot of an advertisement for the television program; and being attentive to an indication that, during the promotional time slot, a selection has been made by customer equipment to view the second content stream.
24 Citations
64 Claims
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1. A method for execution by a controller, comprising:
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the controller identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to a promotional time slot appearing within a first content stream, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; the controller causing conveyance during the promotional time slot of an advertisement for the television program; and the controller causing an indication of the second content stream to be transmitted to customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus, comprising:
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a controller; and a transmission module for connection to a distribution network; wherein the controller is configured for identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to a promotional time slot appearing within a first content stream, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; wherein the controller is configured for conveying via the transmission module an advertisement for the television program; and wherein the controller is configured for causing an indication of the second content stream to be transmitted to customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot.
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16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to execute a method, the computer-readable program code comprising:
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first computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to identify a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to a promotional time slot appearing within a first content stream, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; second computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to cause conveyance during the promotional time slot of an advertisement for the television program; and third computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to cause an indication of the second content stream to be transmitted to customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot.
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17. A method for execution by a controller, comprising:
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the controller receiving a first content stream featuring an advertisement during a promotional time slot, the advertisement identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to the promotional time slot, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; the controller causing conveyance of the first content stream over customer equipment; and the controller providing an indication of the second content stream to the customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus, comprising:
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a controller; and a transmission module for connection to a distribution network; wherein the controller is configured for receiving a first content stream featuring an advertisement during a promotional time slot, the advertisement identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to the promotional time slot, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; wherein the controller is configured for conveying the first content stream over customer equipment via the transmission module; and wherein the controller is configured for providing an indication of the second content stream to the customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot.
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35. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to execute a method, the computer-readable program code comprising:
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first computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to be attentive to receipt of a first content stream featuring an advertisement during a promotional time slot, the advertisement identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to the promotional time slot, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; second computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to cause conveyance of the first content stream over customer equipment; and third computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to provide an indication of the second content stream to the customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot.
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36. A method for execution by a controller, comprising:
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the controller identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to a promotional time slot appearing within a first content stream, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; the controller causing conveyance during the promotional time slot of an advertisement for the television program; the controller providing an indication of the second content stream to customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot; and the controller being attentive to an indication that, during the promotional time slot, a selection has been made by the customer equipment to view the second content stream. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An apparatus, comprising:
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a controller; and a transmission module for connection to a distribution network; wherein the controller is configured for identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to a promotional time slot appearing within a first content stream, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; wherein the controller is configured for conveying via the transmission module an advertisement for the television program during the promotional time slot; wherein the controller is configured for providing an indication of the second content stream to customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot; and wherein the controller is configured for receiving indication that, during the promotional time slot, a selection has been made by the customer equipment to view the second content stream.
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50. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to execute a method, the computer-readable program code comprising:
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first computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to identify a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to a promotional time slot appearing within a first content stream, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; second computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to cause conveyance during the promotional time slot of an advertisement for the television program; and computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to provide an indication of the second content stream to customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot; and third computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to be attentive to an indication that, during the promotional time slot, a selection has been made by the customer equipment to view the second content stream.
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51. A method for execution by a controller, comprising:
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the controller receiving a first content stream featuring an advertisement during a promotional time slot, the advertisement identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to the promotional time slot, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; the controller causing conveyance of the first content stream over customer equipment; the controller providing an indication of the second content stream to the customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot; and the controller being attentive to an indication that, during the promotional time slot, a selection has been made by the customer equipment to view the second content stream. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. An apparatus, comprising:
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a controller; and a transmission module for connection to a distribution network; wherein the controller is configured for receiving a first content stream featuring an advertisement during a promotional time slot, the advertisement identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to the promotional time slot, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; wherein the controller is configured for conveying the first content stream over customer equipment via the transmission module; wherein the controller is configured for providing an indication of the second content stream to the customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot; and wherein the controller is configured for receiving indication that, during the promotional time slot, a selection has been made by the customer equipment to view the second content stream.
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61. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to execute a method, the computer-readable program code comprising:
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first computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to be attentive to receipt of a first content stream featuring an advertisement during a promotional time slot, the advertisement identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to the promotional time slot, the television program being carried by a second content stream different from the first content stream; second computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to cause conveyance of the first content stream over customer equipment; computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to provide an indication of the second content stream to the customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot; and third computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to be attentive to an indication that, during the promotional time slot, a selection has been made by the customer equipment to view the second content stream.
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62. An apparatus, comprising:
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a display device; and a processing device configured to; cause the display device to present a first content stream over which is aired an advertisement promoting a television program scheduled to air on a second content stream different from the first content stream; receive an indication of the second content stream in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot; be attentive to receipt of an indication that a response to the advertisement has been provided by a viewer of the display device; and cause the display device to present the second content stream in response to receipt of said indication that a response to the advertisement has been provided. - View Dependent Claims (63)
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64. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to execute a method, the computer-readable program code comprising:
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first computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to cause a display device to present a first content stream over which is aired an advertisement promoting a television program scheduled to air on a second content stream different from the first content stream; computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to receive an indication of the second content stream in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream during the promotional time slot; second computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to be attentive to receipt of an indication that a response to the advertisement has been provided by a viewer of the display device; and
pg,40third computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to cause the display device to present the second content stream in response to receipt of said indication that a response to the advertisement has been provided.
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Specification