IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,635,649
Granted Patent B2
US 8,635,649 · App. 10/066,811 · Granted Jan 21, 2014

System and method for modifying advertisement responsive to EPG information

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,635,649
App. No.
10/066,811
Granted
Jan 21, 2014
Kind
B2
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 (93)

1. A method for displaying a customized advertisement on a display comprising the steps of:

storing, local to a user equipment, viewer profile information in a database;

receiving an advertisement, the advertisement including primary advertisement information;

determining whether the stored viewer profile information matches information associated with a supplemental advertisement information item from a plurality of supplemental advertisement information items;

selecting the supplemental advertisement information item from the plurality of supplemental advertisement information items for inclusion in the customized advertisement when the stored viewer profile information matches the information associated with the supplemental advertisement information item;

customizing, local to the user equipment, the received advertisement to include the selected supplemental advertisement information item to form the customized advertisement; and

causing the customized advertisement to be displayed, wherein the displayed customized advertisement includes both the primary advertisement information and the selected supplemental advertisement information item, wherein the displayed primary advertisement information is associated with the displayed supplemental advertisement information item.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving, determining, selecting, customizing, and causing steps are performed in substantially real time.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving step comprises receiving promotional information about a future television program.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving step comprises receiving promotional information about a currently telecast television program.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving step comprises receiving promotional information about one or more of a product and a service.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing step comprises storing favorite channel information and the customizing step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement with the stored favorite channel information.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing step comprises storing favorite program information and the customizing step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement with the stored favorite program information.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing step comprises storing a web site address and the customizing step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement with the stored web site address.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing step comprises storing information related to a geographical location and the customizing step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement with the information related to a geographical location.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing step comprises storing information related to a television viewer and the customizing step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement with the information related to a television viewer.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing step comprises storing information related to rotating advertisement information in an EPG and the customizing step comprises combining a portion of the received advertisement with the information related to rotating advertisement information.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising causing the advertisement information to be displayed in an EPG based on the rotating information.

13. The method of claim 3 , wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the future television program.

14. The method of claim 5 , wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the one or more of the product and the service.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of receiving a user selection of the customized advertisement and activating a function related to the selected advertisement.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of activating a function comprises linking to a web site based on an address related to the selected advertisement and causing information from the web site to be displayed.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of activating a function comprises causing information related to the selected advertisement to be displayed.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of activating a function comprises scheduling a future television program for recording.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of activating a function comprises tuning to a currently telecast television program.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein customizing the received advertisement comprises replacing a text portion of the received advertisement with a text portion of the supplemental advertisement-information item.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein customizing the received advertisement comprises replacing a graphic portion of the received advertisement with a graphic portion of the supplemental advertisement-information item.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the customized advertisement is displayed on a first portion of the display and television schedule information is displayed on a second, non-overlapping, portion of the display.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the customized advertisement is displayed on a first portion of the display and a video is displayed on a second, non-overlapping, portion of the display.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primary advertisement information is displayed on a first portion of the display, and the selected supplemental advertisement information item is displayed on a second, non-overlapping, portion of the display.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primary advertisement information is displayed on a first portion of the display, and the selected supplemental advertisement information item is displayed on a second portion of the display, wherein the second portion of the display overlaps at least partially with the first portion of the display.

26. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the stored viewer profile information matches information associated with the supplemental advertisement information item comprises:

comparing a portion of the viewer profile information to data stored in a packet of the supplemental advertisement information item.

27. A method for displaying a customized advertisement on a display comprising the steps of:

storing, local to a user equipment, viewer profile information in a first database;

storing an advertisement in a second database, the advertisement including primary advertisement information;

retrieving the advertisement from the second database;

determining whether the stored viewer profile information matches information associated with a supplemental advertisement information item from a plurality of supplemental advertisement information items;

selecting the supplemental advertisement information item from the plurality of supplemental advertisement information items for inclusion in the customized advertisement when the stored viewer profile information matches the information associated with the supplemental advertisement information item;

overlaying, local to the user equipment, the selected supplemental advertisement information item onto the retrieved advertisement to form the customized advertisement; and

causing customized advertisement to be displayed, wherein the customized advertisement includes both the primary advertisement information and the overlaid selected supplemental advertisement information item, wherein the displayed primary advertisement information is associated with the displayed supplemental advertisement information item.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the storing advertisement step comprises storing promotional information about a future television program.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the storing advertisement step comprises storing promotional information about a currently telecast television program.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the storing advertisement step comprises storing promotional information about one or more of a product and a service.

31. The method of claim 27 , wherein the storing viewer profile information step comprises storing favorite channel information and the overlaying step comprises overlaying the stored favorite channel information onto a portion of the stored advertisement.

32. The method of claim 27 , wherein the storing viewer profile information step comprises storing favorite program information and the overlaying step comprises overlaying the stored favorite program information onto a portion of the stored advertisement.

33. The method of claim 27 , wherein the storing viewer profile information step comprises storing a web site address and the overlaying step comprises overlaying the stored web site address onto a portion of the stored advertisement.

34. The method of claim 28 , wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the future television program.

35. The method of claim 30 , wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the one or more of the product and the service.

36. The method of claim 27 further comprising the steps of receiving a user selection of the displayed customized advertisement and activating a function related to the selected advertisement.

37. The method of claim 36 , wherein the step of activating a function comprises linking to a web site based on an address related to the selected advertisement and causing more information from the web site to be displayed.

38. The method of claim 36 , wherein the step of activating a function comprises causing information related to the selected advertisement to be displayed.

39. The method of claim 36 , wherein the step of activating a function comprises causing a video preview related to the selected advertisement to be displayed.

40. The method of claim 36 , wherein the step of activating a function comprises scheduling a future television program for recording.

41. The method of claim 36 , wherein the step of activating a function comprises tuning to a currently telecast television program.

42. A system for displaying customized advertisements comprising:

a processor configured to:

retrieve an advertisement from a second database, wherein the advertisement includes primary advertisement information;

determine whether viewer profile information matches information associated with a supplemental advertisement information item from a plurality of supplemental advertisement information items, wherein the viewer profile information is stored in a first database;

select the supplemental advertisement information item from the plurality of supplemental advertisement information items for inclusion in the customized advertisement when the stored viewer profile information matches the information associated with the supplemental advertisement information item; and

customize, local to the user equipment, the retrieved advertisement to include the selected supplemental advertisement information item to form the customized advertisement; and

cause the customized advertisement to be displayed, wherein the displayed customized advertisement includes both the primary advertisement information and the selected supplemental advertisement information item, wherein the displayed primary advertisement information is associated with the displayed supplemental advertisement information item.

43. The system of claim 42 , wherein the advertisement information is promotional information about a future television program.

44. The system of claim 42 , wherein the advertisement information is promotional information about a currently telecast television program.

45. The system of claim 42 , wherein the advertisement information is promotional information about one or more of a product and a service.

46. The system of claim 42 , wherein the first database includes a program description for combining a portion of the advertisement information with the stored program description.

47. The system of claim 42 , wherein the first database includes favorite channel information for combining with a portion of the stored advertisement.

48. The system of claim 42 , wherein the first database includes a web site address for combining with a portion of the stored advertisement.

49. The system of claim 42 , wherein the first database includes geographical location data for combining with a portion of the stored advertisement.

50. The system of claim 42 , wherein the first database includes information related to a television viewer for combining with a portion of the stored advertisement.

51. The system of claim 42 , wherein the first database includes information related to rotating advertisement information in an EPG for combining with a portion of the advertisement.

52. The system of claim 43 , wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the future television program.

53. The system of claim 45 , wherein the promotional information is a video preview related to the one or more of a product and a service.

54. The system of claim 42 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive a user selection of the displayed customized advertisement and activate a function related to the selected advertisement.

55. The system of claim 54 , wherein the processor is configured to activate a function by being further configured to activate a function to link to a web site based on an address related to the selected advertisement.

56. The system of claim 54 , wherein the processor is configured to activate a function by being further configured to activate a function to cause detailed information related to the selected advertisement to be displayed.

57. The system of claim 54 , wherein the processor is configured to activate a function by being further configured to activate a function to schedule a future television program for recording.

58. The system of claim 54 , wherein the processor is configured to activate a function by being further configured to activate a function to tune to a currently telecast television program.

59. The system of claim 54 , wherein the processor is configured to activate a function by being further configured to activate a function to cause a video preview related to the selected advertisement to be displayed.

60. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions including instructions for displaying a customized advertisement on a display, the instructions, when executed by a microprocessor, causing the microprocessor to perform the steps of:

storing viewer profile information in a database, the database local to a user equipment;

receiving an advertisement, the advertisement including primary advertisement information;

determining whether the stored viewer profile information matches information associated with a supplemental advertisement information item from a plurality of supplemental advertisement information items;

selecting the supplemental advertisement information item from the plurality of supplemental advertisement information items for inclusion in the customized advertisement when the stored viewer profile information matches the information associated with the supplemental advertisement information item;

customizing, local to the user equipment, the received advertisement to include the selected supplemental advertisement information item to form the customized advertisement; and

causing the customized advertisement to be displayed, wherein the displayed customized advertisement includes both the primary advertisement information and the selected supplemental advertisement item, wherein the displayed primary advertisement information is associated with the displayed supplemental advertisement information item.

61. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions including instructions for displaying a customized advertisement on a display, the instructions, when executed by a microprocessor, causing the microprocessor to perform the steps of:

storing viewer profile information in a first database, the first database local to a user equipment;

storing an advertisement in a second database, the advertisement including primary advertisement information;

determining whether the stored viewer profile information matches information associated with a supplemental advertisement information item from a plurality of supplemental advertisement information items;

selecting the supplemental advertisement information item from the plurality of supplemental advertisement information items for inclusion in the customized advertisement when the stored viewer profile information matches the information associated with the supplemental advertisement information item;

overlaying, local to the user equipment, the selected supplemental advertisement information item onto the advertisement to form the customized advertisement; and

causing the customized advertisement to be displayed, wherein the customized advertisement includes both the primary advertisement information and the overlaid selected supplemental advertisement information item, wherein the displayed primary advertisement information is associated with the displayed supplemental advertisement information item.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053458/0749 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053481/0790 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2020
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS INC.; VEVEO, INC.; INVENSAS CORPORATION; INVENSAS BONDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; TESSERA, INC.; TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DTS, INC.; PHORUS, INC.; IBIQUITY DIGITAL CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053468/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: APTIV DIGITAL INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 051145/0090 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051110/0006 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051143/0468 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 033396/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033407/0035 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2011
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC, A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPANY; ROVI CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 027039/0168 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2010
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION)
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; ROVI DATA SOLUTIONS, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS TV GUIDE DATA SOLUTIONS, INC.); ROVI GUIDES, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.); ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION CORPORATION); ROVI SOLUTIONS LIMITED (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION EUROPE LIMITED); ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 025222/0731 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2008
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; INDEX SYSTEMS INC; MACROVISION CORPORATION; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 020986/0074 →