IP Library › Granted Patent US 12689795
Granted Patent B2
US 12689795 · App. 18/668,008 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Advertisement user interface

Inventors: Gregory N. Christie (San Jose, CA); Alessandro Sabatelli (San Francisco, CA); William M. Bachman (San Jose, CA); Imran Chaudhri (San Francisco, CA); Jeffrey Robbin (Los Altos, CA); Jim Young (Livermore, CA); Joe Howard (San Jose, CA); Marcel Van Os (Santa Cruz, CA); Patrick L. Coffman (San Francisco, CA); Stephen O. Lemay (Palo Alto, CA); Jeffrey Ma (Redwood City, CA); Lynne Kress (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04N21/435H04N21/812
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12689795
App. No.
18/668,008
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for a media content system. A media content provider includes storage for storing and serving video content to subscribers. The media content provider records and or otherwise stores video content from around the world. Subscribers are provided a user interface that provides context sensitive hints to assist the viewer. The system further enables viewers skip, view, and interact with advertisements.

Claims (119)

1 . A method comprising:

at an electronic device in communication with a display device and one or more input devices:

displaying, via the display device, media content; and

while displaying the media content, and in accordance with a determination that a play position of the media content corresponds to a first play position in the media content:

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device reaches the first play position after skipping a first advertisement associated with the media content, displaying, via the display device, a second advertisement at the first play position; and

in accordance with the determination that the electronic device reaches the first play position without skipping the first advertisement, forgoing displaying, via the display, the second advertisement at the first play position, wherein when the electronic device reaches the first play position without skipping the first advertisement, the second advertisement is scheduled for presentation during playback of the media content at a respective play position, different from the first play position.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

before the play position of the media content corresponds to the first play position, before skipping the first advertisement, and in accordance with a determination that the electronic device reaches or exceeds a second play position corresponding to a third advertisement while skipping through the media content:

in accordance with a determination one or more criteria are satisfied, including a criterion that is satisfied when a user of the electronic device has skipped an amount of content included in the media content greater than a threshold amount of content, ceasing skipping through the media content and displaying the third advertisement.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the threshold amount of content corresponds to a number of advertisements.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the threshold amount of content corresponds to an amount of time of the media content.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the threshold amount of content corresponds to a total duration of skipped advertisements.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the play position reaches the first play position based on an input requesting skipping past the first play position.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second advertisement is selected based on a determination of which of a plurality of advertisements the electronic device has skipped.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

before initiating playback of the media content, displaying, via the display, a first selectable option selectable to skip future presentations of advertisements;

while displaying the media content, and in accordance with a determination that the play position of the media content corresponds to a second play position in the media content, different from the first play position:

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device has not detected input selecting the first selectable option, displaying, via the display, a third advertisement, different from the first advertisement; and

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device has detected the input selecting the first selectable option, forgoing display of the third advertisement.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

while displaying the media content, in accordance with the determination that the play position of the media content corresponds to the first play position in the media content, displaying, via the display, a plurality of selectable options that are respectively selectable to perform an operation related to the first advertisement; and

while displaying the plurality of selectable options, detecting, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting a respective selectable option of the plurality of selectable options; and

in response to detecting the input, performing the operation.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the operation includes one or more of: displaying information associated with the first advertisement, saving an indication of the first advertisement for later consumption, or saving an indication that a user of the electronic device likes respective content associated with the first advertisement.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

while displaying the second advertisement in accordance with the determination that the electronic device reaches the first play position after skipping the first advertisement associated with the media content, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a first input requesting skipping past the second advertisement; and

in response to detecting the first input, forgoing the skipping past the second advertisement.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

while displaying the second advertisement and in accordance with the determination that the electronic device reaches the second advertisement without skipping the first advertisement, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a second input requesting skipping past the second advertisement; and

in response to detecting the second input, skipping past the second advertisement in accordance with the second input.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first advertisement is a same advertisement as the second advertisement.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first advertisement is a different advertisement than the second advertisement.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

while displaying the media content, and while the play position of the media content corresponds to a second play position, before the first play position, in the media content, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input requesting the skipping of the first advertisement;

in response to detecting the input requesting the skipping the first advertisement:

forgoing display of the first advertisement; and

continuing display of the media content at the second play position in the media content before displaying the second advertisement.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a media stream including the media content includes the first advertisement and the second advertisement, and the first advertisement and the second advertisement are presented during portions of the media stream corresponding to a same media content.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a media stream including the media content includes the first advertisement and the second advertisement, and the first advertisement and the second advertisement are presented during portions of the media stream corresponding to different media content.

18 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform a method comprising:

displaying, via a display device in communication with the electronic device, media content; and

while displaying the media content, and in accordance with a determination that a play position of the media content corresponds to a first play position in the media content:

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device reaches the first play position after skipping a first advertisement associated with the media content, displaying, via the display device, a second advertisement at the first play position; and

in accordance with the determination that the electronic device reaches the first play position without skipping the first advertisement, forgoing displaying, via the display, the second advertisement at the first play position, wherein when the electronic device reaches the first play position without skipping the first advertisement, the second advertisement is scheduled for presentation during playback of the media content at a respective play position, different from the first play position.

19 . An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for performing a method comprising:

displaying, via a display device in communication with the electronic device, media content; and

while displaying the media content, and in accordance with a determination that a play position of the media content corresponds to a first play position in the media content:

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device reaches the first play position after skipping a first advertisement associated with the media content, displaying, via the display device, a second advertisement at the first play position; and

in accordance with the determination that the electronic device reaches the first play position without skipping the first advertisement, forgoing displaying, via the display, the second advertisement at the first play position, wherein when the electronic device reaches the first play position without skipping the first advertisement, the second advertisement is scheduled for presentation during playback of the media content at a respective play position, different from the first play position.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , the method further comprising:

before the play position of the media content corresponds to the first play position, before skipping the first advertisement, and in accordance with a determination that the electronic device reaches or exceeds a second play position corresponding to a third advertisement while skipping through the media content:

in accordance with a determination one or more criteria are satisfied, including a criterion that is satisfied when a user of the electronic device has skipped an amount of content included in the media content greater than a threshold amount of content, ceasing skipping through the media content and displaying the third advertisement.

21 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the threshold amount of content corresponds to a number of advertisements.

22 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the threshold amount of content corresponds to an amount of time of the media content.

23 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the threshold amount of content corresponds to a total duration of skipped advertisements.

24 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the play position reaches the first play position based on an input requesting skipping past the first play position.

25 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the second advertisement is selected based on a determination of which of a plurality of advertisements the electronic device has skipped.

26 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , the method further comprising:

before initiating playback of the media content, displaying, via the display, a first selectable option selectable to skip future presentations of advertisements;

while displaying the media content, and in accordance with a determination that the play position of the media content corresponds to a second play position in the media content, different from the first play position:

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device has not detected input selecting the first selectable option, displaying, via the display, a third advertisement, different from the first advertisement; and

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device has detected the input selecting the first selectable option, forgoing display of the third advertisement.

27 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , the method further comprising:

while displaying the media content, in accordance with the determination that the play position of the media content corresponds to the first play position in the media content, displaying, via the display, a plurality of selectable options that are respectively selectable to perform an operation related to the first advertisement; and

while displaying the plurality of selectable options, detecting, via one or more input devices in communication with the electronic device, an input selecting a respective selectable option of the plurality of selectable options; and

in response to detecting the input, performing the operation.

28 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27 , wherein the operation includes one or more of: displaying information associated with the first advertisement, saving an indication of the first advertisement for later consumption, or saving an indication that a user of the electronic device likes respective content associated with the first advertisement.

29 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , the method further comprising:

while displaying the second advertisement in accordance with the determination that the electronic device reaches the first play position after skipping the first advertisement associated with the media content, detecting, via one or more input devices in communication with the electronic device, a first input requesting skipping past the second advertisement; and

in response to detecting the first input, forgoing the skipping past the second advertisement.

30 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 29 , the method further comprising:

while displaying the second advertisement and in accordance with the determination that the electronic device reaches the second advertisement without skipping the first advertisement, detecting, via one or more input devices in communication with the electronic device, a second input requesting skipping past the second advertisement; and

in response to detecting the second input, skipping past the second advertisement in accordance with the second input.

31 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the first advertisement is a same advertisement as the second advertisement.

32 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the first advertisement is a different advertisement than the second advertisement.

33 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , the method further comprising:

while displaying the media content, and while the play position of the media content corresponds to a second play position, before the first play position, in the media content, receiving, via one or more input devices in communication with the electronic device, an input requesting the skipping of the first advertisement;

in response to detecting the input requesting the skipping the first advertisement:

forgoing display of the first advertisement; and

continuing display of the media content at the second play position in the media content before displaying the second advertisement.

34 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein a media stream including the media content includes the first advertisement and the second advertisement, and the first advertisement and the second advertisement are presented during portions of the media stream corresponding to a same media content.

35 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein a media stream including the media content includes the first advertisement and the second advertisement, and the first advertisement and the second advertisement are presented during portions of the media stream corresponding to different media content.

36 . The electronic device of claim 19 , the method further comprising:

before the play position of the media content corresponds to the first play position, before skipping the first advertisement, and in accordance with a determination that the electronic device reaches or exceeds a second play position corresponding to a third advertisement while skipping through the media content:

in accordance with a determination one or more criteria are satisfied, including a criterion that is satisfied when a user of the electronic device has skipped an amount of content included in the media content greater than a threshold amount of content, ceasing skipping through the media content and displaying the third advertisement.

37 . The electronic device of claim 36 , wherein the threshold amount of content corresponds to a number of advertisements.

38 . The electronic device of claim 36 , wherein the threshold amount of content corresponds to an amount of time of the media content.

39 . The electronic device of claim 36 , wherein the threshold amount of content corresponds to a total duration of skipped advertisements.

40 . The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the play position reaches the first play position based on an input requesting skipping past the first play position.

41 . The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the second advertisement is selected based on a determination of which of a plurality of advertisements the electronic device has skipped.

42 . The electronic device of claim 19 , the method further comprising:

before initiating playback of the media content, displaying, via the display, a first selectable option selectable to skip future presentations of advertisements;

while displaying the media content, and in accordance with a determination that the play position of the media content corresponds to a second play position in the media content, different from the first play position:

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device has not detected input selecting the first selectable option, displaying, via the display, a third advertisement, different from the first advertisement; and

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device has detected the input selecting the first selectable option, forgoing display of the third advertisement.

43 . The electronic device of claim 19 , the method further comprising:

while displaying the media content, in accordance with the determination that the play position of the media content corresponds to the first play position in the media content, displaying, via the display, a plurality of selectable options that are respectively selectable to perform an operation related to the first advertisement; and

while displaying the plurality of selectable options, detecting, via one or more input devices in communication with the electronic device, an input selecting a respective selectable option of the plurality of selectable options; and

in response to detecting the input, performing the operation.

44 . The electronic device of claim 43 , wherein the operation includes one or more of:

displaying information associated with the first advertisement, saving an indication of the first advertisement for later consumption, or saving an indication that a user of the electronic device likes respective content associated with the first advertisement.

45 . The electronic device of claim 19 , the method further comprising:

while displaying the second advertisement in accordance with the determination that the electronic device reaches the first play position after skipping the first advertisement associated with the media content, detecting, via one or more input devices in communication with the electronic device, a first input requesting skipping past the second advertisement; and

in response to detecting the first input, forgoing the skipping past the second advertisement.

46 . The electronic device of claim 45 , the method further comprising:

while displaying the second advertisement and in accordance with the determination that the electronic device reaches the second advertisement without skipping the first advertisement, detecting, via one or more input devices in communication with the electronic device, a second input requesting skipping past the second advertisement; and

in response to detecting the second input, skipping past the second advertisement in accordance with the second input.

47 . The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the first advertisement is a same advertisement as the second advertisement.

48 . The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the first advertisement is a different advertisement than the second advertisement.

49 . The electronic device of claim 19 , the method further comprising:

while displaying the media content, and while the play position of the media content corresponds to a second play position, before the first play position, in the media content, receiving, via one or more input devices in communication with the electronic device, an input requesting the skipping of the first advertisement;

in response to detecting the input requesting the skipping the first advertisement:

forgoing display of the first advertisement; and

continuing display of the media content at the second play position in the media content before displaying the second advertisement.

50 . The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein a media stream including the media content includes the first advertisement and the second advertisement, and the first advertisement and the second advertisement are presented during portions of the media stream corresponding to a same media content.

51 . The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein a media stream including the media content includes the first advertisement and the second advertisement, and the first advertisement and the second advertisement are presented during portions of the media stream corresponding to different media content.