System and method for modifying advertisement responsive to EPG information

• US 9,191,722 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Alexander, Ronald, Dias, Stephen, Hancock, Kenneth S., Leung, Elsie Y., Macrae, Douglas B., Ng, Arthur Y., O'Neil, Shawn P., Shoaff, P. Christopher, Sutton, Jonathon, Ward, Thomas E., Westberg, Thomas E., Yuen, Henry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US14/094,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20140089980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 725 9- 11, 725/13, 725/46
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• 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 21/42204 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 21/4314 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 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• 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 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 : Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• 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 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show'"'"'s program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement.

In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.

Claims

1. A method for generating individual user profiles at a server, the method comprising:

receiving, at the server with processing circuitry, a first user input identifying a first profile of a plurality of individual user profiles, wherein the user input identified first profile is associated with a first user;

associating, at the server with the processing circuitry, based on the first user input, a first set of subsequent user interactions with the user input identified first profile, wherein the first set of subsequent user interactions comprises user interactions by the first user with a first plurality of media assets;

updating, at the server with the processing circuitry, based on the first set of subsequent user interactions, the user input identified first profile;

identifying, at the server with the processing circuitry, based on the user input identified first profile, a second plurality of media assets recommended to the first user that the first user is likely to be interested in based on only the user input identified first profile of the first user;

receiving, at the server with the processing circuitry, a second user input identifying a first category of media assets;

generating, at the server with the processing circuitry, based on the second user input, for display at a user equipment device a first plurality of media listings corresponding to the selected first category of media assets and the second plurality of media assets recommended to the first user;

receiving, at the server with the processing circuitry, a third user input identifying a second profile of the plurality of individual user profiles, wherein the user input identified second profile is associated with a second user;

associating, at the server with the processing circuitry, based on the third user input, a second set of subsequent user interactions with the user input identified second profile, wherein the second set of subsequent user interactions comprises user interactions by the second user with a third plurality of media assets;

updating, at the server with the processing circuitry, based on the second set of subsequent user interactions, the user input identified second profile;

identifying, at the server with the processing circuitry, based on the user identified second profile, a fourth plurality of media assets recommended to the second user that the second user is likely to be interested in based on only the user input identified second profile of the second user;

receiving, at the server with the processing circuitry, a fourth user input identifying a second category of media assets; and

generating, at the server with the processing circuitry, based on the fourth user input, for display at the user equipment device a second plurality of media listings corresponding to the selected second category of media assets and the fourth plurality of media assets recommended to the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting programming information corresponding to the second plurality of recommended media assets and the fourth plurality of recommended media assets over an Internet connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user input and the third user input are each inputted by one of the first user and the second user at the user equipment device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of subsequent user interactions and the second set of subsequent user interactions comprise user selections of the first plurality of media assets and the third plurality of media assets for viewing.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving information on media assets the first user interacted with at a remote computer, wherein updating the user input identified first profile comprises storing the received information in a history of user interactions by the first user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein updating the user input identified first profile comprises storing a user response to an on-screen survey regarding preferences of the first user.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising identifying, based on the stored history of user interactions by the first user and the stored response to the on-screen survey, the first plurality of recommended media assets that the first user is likely to be interested in.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first user input comprises receiving, with the processing circuitry, user entered personal identification information comprising a password.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein associating subsequent user interactions with the user input identified first profile comprises selecting, with the processing circuitry, the user input identified first profile based on a current time.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, at the server with the processing circuitry, the user input identified first profile based on an identifier of a user input device, wherein the user input identified first profile is associated with the first user.

11. A system for generating individual user profiles at a server, the system comprising:

control circuitry configured to;

receive, at the server, a first user input identifying a first profile of a plurality of individual user profiles, wherein the user input identified first profile is associated with a first user;

associate, at the server, based on the first user input, a first set of subsequent user interactions with the user input identified first profile, wherein the first set of subsequent user interactions comprise user interactions by the first user with a first plurality of media assets;

update, at the server, based on the first set of subsequent user interactions, the user input identified first profile;

identify, at the server, based on the user input identified first profile, a second plurality of media assets recommended to the first user that the first user is likely to be interested in based on only the user input identified first profile of the first user;

receive, at the server, a second user input identifying a first category of media assets;

generate, at the server, based on the second user input, for display at a user equipment device a first plurality of media listings corresponding to the selected first category of media asset and the second plurality of media assets recommended to the first user;

receive, at the server, a third user input identifying a second profile of the plurality of individual user profiles, wherein the user input identified second profile is associated with a second user;

associate, at the server, based on the third user input, a second set of subsequent user interactions with the user input identified second profile, wherein the second set of subsequent user interactions comprises user interactions by the second user with a third plurality of media assets;

update, at the server, based on the second set of subsequent user interactions, the user input identified second profile;

identify, at the server, based on the user identified second profile, a fourth plurality of media assets recommended to the second user that the second user is likely to be interested in based on only the user input identified second profile of the second user;

receive, at the server, a fourth user input identifying a second category of media assets; and

generate, at the server, based on the fourth user input, for display at the user equipment device a second plurality of media listings corresponding to the selected second category of media assets and the fourth plurality of media assets recommended to the second user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to transmit programming information corresponding to the second plurality of recommended media assets and fourth plurality of recommended media assets over an Internet connection.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first user input and the third user input are each inputted by one of the first user and the second user at the user equipment device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first set of subsequent user interactions and the second set of subsequent user interactions comprise user selections of the plurality of media assets for viewing.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive information on media assets the first user interacted with at a remote computer, wherein the control circuitry is configured to update the user input identified first profile by being configured to store the received information in a history of user interactions by the first user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry is configured to update the user input identified first profile by being further configured to store a user response to an on-screen survey regarding preferences of the first user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to identify, based on the stored history of user interactions by the first user and the stored response to the on-screen survey, the first plurality of recommended media assets that the first user is likely to be interested in.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the first user input by being configured to receive user entered personal identification information comprising a password.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is configured to associate subsequent user interactions with the user input identified first profile by being configured to select the user input identified first profile based on a current time.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

identify the user input identified first profile based on an identifier of a user input device, wherein the user input identified first profile is associated with first the user.