Apparatus, system and method for audio-visual content viewing using advertisement credit

• US 8,656,428 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atlas Advisory Partners, LLC
• Original Assignee: 4 Leaf Patent Partners, LLC
• Inventors: McWilliams, Thomas J
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Kieu Oanh T
• Application Number:
  US13/065,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20110247026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 725/40, 725/42, 725/86, 725/91, 725/100
• US Class Current: 725/42
• 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 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

An alternative system and method for charging to provide audio visual services typically made available by providers, namely DVR services, rDVR services, on-demand services, broadcast and switch video television services, and pay-per-view services, for example. A customer/user may be enabled to access certain services from a provider in exchange for viewing one or more commercials, advertisements, overlays, watermarks, logos, or the like, preferably in real time, before, during, or following viewing an audio visual work provided in accordance with the services.

Claims

1. A system for provision of at least one audio-visual service to a television, comprising:

a receiver capable of receiving an electronic user request for the audio-visual service;

a server communicatively connected to said receiver capable of providing the audio-visual service responsive to the request;

an ad server capable of serving one or more advertisements to the user in conjunction with the audio-visual service, wherein said ad server is communicatively connected to at least said server;

at least one digital input to said receiver capable of receiving at least the audio-visual service from said server, and the one or more advertisements from said ad server corresponded to the audio-visual service at least partially over the communicative connection between said server and said ad server, and capable of electronically instructing the audio-visual service and the one or more advertisements to be contemporaneously displayed on the television via said receiver;

wherein the one or more advertisements comprise at least partial payment, by the user, for the audio-visual service.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio-visual service comprises a digital video recording service.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio-visual service comprises a video-on-demand service.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises a set top box.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises a tablet computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises an internet protocol television.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said server comprises a central facility.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said server comprises an edge server.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said server comprises a gateway server.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the contemporaneous display comprises display of at least one of the one or more advertisements immediately prior to at least a portion of the audio-visual service.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the contemporaneous display comprises a watermark.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the contemporaneous display comprises an overlay.

13. A computerized method of providing, responsive to a user request, an audio-visual service to a video receiver connected to a television, comprising:

receiving a request via a user interface for the audio-visual service;

assessing, via at least one database, whether a requesting user comprises a subscriber for the requested audio-visual service;

if the requesting user is a subscriber, providing the requested audio-visual service responsive to said assessing;

if the requesting user is not a subscriber, inquiring to the requesting user over a network of a provider of the audio-visual service as to whether the requesting user wishes to receive the requested audio-visual service on a per-use basis pursuant to viewing at least one advertisement in association with the requested audio-visual service;

receiving an affirmative response from the requesting user responsive to said inquiring;

downloading to the video receiver, for display on the television, of the requesting user the audio-visual service at least partially interlaced with the at least one advertisement wherein the at least one advertisement comprises at least partial payment, by the user, for the audio-visual service.

14. The computerized method of claim 13, wherein the audio-visual service comprises one selected from the group consisting of a digital video recording service and a video-on-demand service.

15. The computerized method of claim 13, wherein the video receiver comprises one selected from the group consisting of a set top box, a tablet computer, and an internet protocol television.