Interactive video distribution systems – Program – message – or commercial insertion or substitution – Insertion of local commercial or local program at headend or...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-21
2001-08-28
Grant, Chris (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
Program, message, or commercial insertion or substitution
Insertion of local commercial or local program at headend or...
C725S042000, C725S037000, C725S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282713
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to television broadcasting, and, specifically to providing on-demand electronic advertising information and coupon information along with broadcasts of television programs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Television broadcasting technology has improved tremendously since its inception. Today, television signals are broadcasted on the airwaves, through cables, and via satellite. The number of stations and programs accessible today has increased to hundreds of stations. Consequently, the television broadcast systems have increased in complexity in order to present the information on the hundreds of stations to the viewer.
The current generation of complex broadcasting system technology provides the viewer with many options regarding the functions of the broadcasting system and the programs that are available for broadcast. These options include, but are not limited to, choices in presentation graphics, program directories that allow for channel surfing among program descriptions while watching a particular program on one channel, custom user-formatted menus, message receipt functions from a service provider, on-demand selection of pay-per-view broadcasts, selection of a broadcast for automatic recording, and programming a broadcast system to tune to a preselected station at a designated time. These broadcasting system options are typically accessed through graphical user interfaces.
While the broadcast system technology improvements provide viewers with more programming selections and better picture and sound quality, these improvements provide retailers and service providers, the supporters of the broadcast system, with an improved medium over which to advertise their products. Retailers and service providers typically derive a benefit from the improved medium because the improved quality of the signals and the programming draw a larger audience, thereby providing them with a larger potential customer base. In spite of the larger potential customer base, there remains a need for an advertising system that better enables retailers and service providers to target customers with more product information and incentive to purchase than is provided with typical commercial segments. Furthermore, as a large number of homes contain personal computers, many of which are used to electronically purchase products and services via direct modem or Internet connections, there is a need to provide potential customers with product information and incentive to purchase that exploits the convenience of electronic purchasing.
The success of the combination of targeted advertising and electronic purchasing is best demonstrated by the financial success of the typical home shopping networks. The typical home shopping network provides products for which they present detailed advertising information and allow for electronic purchasing. This is a form of on-demand advertising because when a viewer wants to shop, the viewer can tune in a home shopping network of their choice, and when the viewer tires of shopping, the viewer can tune to a different network or station. The on-demand nature of the home shopping networks is appreciated by the typical viewer.
One form of advertisement that is very successful is the provision of coupons issued by manufacturers, retailers, and service providers that allow the consumer to save money on particular products during particular times. Typically, coupons are published in magazines and newspapers, and the consumer acquires the coupons by purchasing the magazine or newspaper. In the alternative, consumers are issued a coupon card by a particular retailer, wherein presentation of the coupon card, or electronic coupon, automatically allows the consumer to take advantage of reduced prices on particular goods without having to present coupons corresponding to the particular goods. However, there is a need for providing coupons that are compatible with electronic purchasing methods and which are accompanied by more detailed product information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and apparatus for providing on-demand electronic advertising are provided. According to one aspect of the invention, advertising information is provided for items comprising products and services used in scenes of live and prerecorded television programs. The scenes comprise currently displayed scenes, previously displayed scenes, and scenes that are to be displayed in the future. The advertising information is received along with broadcasts of associated television programs. The advertising information may be received simultaneously with the scenes in which the identified items corresponding to the advertising information appear. Furthermore, the advertising information may be received prior to receipt of the scenes or television programs in which the identified items corresponding to the advertising information appear, in which case the advertising information is stored.
In accessing the advertising information, one of a number of display modes are selected by a viewer or user. The display modes comprise an advertisement mode, a stored advertisement mode, and a non-advertisement mode. When the advertisement mode is selected, the viewer is alerted when advertising information is available for an item displayed in a scene of the television program broadcast. The viewer alert comprises a tone and at least one displayed mark, wherein the displayed marks may be superimposed over the broadcast of the television program on the screen. The displayed marks comprise an indicator for each item for which advertising data is available, and the indicators may be representative of the items to which the indicators correspond.
The advertising information for a particular item is requested when the viewer selects the indicator corresponding to the item in which the viewer is interested. The selection is performed using a cursor or pointer. Upon request, the advertising information is displayed on a display along with the broadcast of the currently selected television program. The advertising information may be displayed by superimposing the information over the broadcast of the television program on the screen. Furthermore, the advertising information may be displayed on a portion of the display along with the television program broadcast, wherein either the advertising information or the television program is displayed on a picture-in-a-picture inset.
The stored advertisement mode causes all of the advertising information for the associated television program to be stored. The stored advertising information is recalled and viewed at a time that is different from the display time of the scene in which the corresponding advertised item appears. When the advertising information is received prior to the associated television program, timing data is received along with the advertising information. The timing data links the advertising information to the corresponding television program scenes and items. The advertising information may be used to electronically order the associated item. The non-advertisement mode prevents display of advertising information to the viewer.
In addition to the advertising information, coupon information may be provided to a viewer for selected items. The coupon information is received along with the broadcast of a television program. When a coupon mode is selected, the viewer is alerted when the coupon information is available. Selected coupon information is displayed along with the broadcast of a television program.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description and appended claims which follow.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5202826 (1993-04-01), McCarthy
patent: 5249044 (1993-09-01), Von Kohorn
patent: 5260778 (1993-11-01), Kauffman et al.
patent: 5285278 (1994-02-01), Holman
patent: 5420606 (1995-05-01), Begum et al.
patent: 5451998 (1995-09-01), Hamrick
patent: 5469206 (1995-11-01), Strubbe et al.
patent: 5475470 (1995-12-01), Biggs, Jr.
Kitsukawa Tadamasa
Proehl Andrew
Szedo Gong
Totsuka Keiichi
Blakely , Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman LLP
Grant Chris
Sony Corporation
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