IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,503,055
Granted Patent B2
US 7,503,055 · App. 10/783,150 · Granted Mar 10, 2009

Systems and methods for advertising television networks, channels, and programs

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,503,055
App. No.
10/783,150
Granted
Mar 10, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention allows control of the presentation of advertisements that are associated with television networks, channels, and programs, and enables a single broadcasting of each advertisement associated with a network to be made to numerous television systems in parallel. The presentation of advertisements that are associated with television networks, channels, and programs is controlled in the present invention by determining at television viewer equipment whether the television networks, channels, or programs with which the advertisements are associated are unavailable to the television viewer or are undesirable to the television viewer. Once this determination has been made, the television viewer equipment then presents the advertisements, or selects and presents suitable alternative advertisements. A single broadcasting of each network advertisement to all television systems is enabled in the present invention by broadcasting each advertisement with a network identifier to all television systems. At the television systems, the network identifier and channel map or program guide information located in television viewer equipment are then used by an interactive program guide or other application running in the television viewer equipment to determine whether a local affiliate for that network is available and not designated as undesirable by the television viewer. If the local affiliate is available and not designated as undesirable, the advertisement is then presented to the television viewer, otherwise a suitable alternative advertisement is then identified and presented to the television viewer.

Claims (74)

1. A system for controlling the presentation of advertisements to a television viewer, comprising:

an advertising database that stores an advertisement, wherein said advertisement is a programming-related advertisement for a network, channel, or programming on a network or channel; and

television viewer equipment configured to:

receive said advertisement from said advertising database;

receive advertisement control information associated with said advertisement, wherein said advertisement control information schedules said advertisement for display by said television viewer equipment;

determine whether or not said advertisement from said advertising database is for a network, channel, or programming on a network or channel that is received by said television viewer equipment; and

unschedule said display of said advertisement when said television viewer equipment determines that said advertisement is for a network, channel, or programming on a network or channel that is not received by said television viewer equipment.

2. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising a program guide database that stores program guide information, wherein said television viewer equipment is further configured to receive said program guide information from said program guide database and use said program guide information to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment.

3. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising a channel map database that stores channel map information, wherein said television viewer equipment is further configured to receive said channel map information from said channel map database and use said channel map information to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment.

4. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said television viewer equipment is further configured to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment if the channel, network, or programming is unavailable to said television viewer equipment.

5. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said television viewer equipment is further configured to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment if the channel, network, or programming is undesired by said television viewer.

6. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said television viewer equipment is further configured to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment when the network, channel, or programming should have corresponding program guide information and does not have said corresponding program guide information.

7. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said advertising database is part of a television distribution facility.

8. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said advertising database is part of a main facility.

9. A method for controlling the presentation of advertisements to a television viewer, the method comprising:

storing an advertisement in an advertising database, wherein said advertisement is a programming-related advertisement for a network, channel or programming on a network or channel;

receiving said advertisement from said advertising database with television viewer equipment;

receiving with said television viewer equipment advertisement control information associated with said advertisement, wherein said advertisement control information schedules said advertisement for display by said television viewer equipment;

determining with said television viewer equipment whether or not said advertisement from said advertising, database is for a network, channel, or programming on a network or channel that is received by said television viewer equipment; and

unscheduling said display of said advertisement by said television viewer equipment when said television viewer equipment determines that said advertisement is for a network, channel, or programming on a network or channel that is not received by said television viewer equipment.

10. The method defined in claim 9 further comprising:

storing program guide information in a program guide database;

receiving with said television viewer equipment said program guide information from said program guide database; and

using said program guide information by said television viewer equipment to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment.

11. The method defined in claim 9 further comprising:

storing channel map information in a channel map database;

receiving with said television viewer equipment said channel map information from said channel map database; and

using said channel map information by said television viewer equipment to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment.

12. The method defined in claim 9 wherein unscheduling said display of said advertisement comprises unscheduling said display of said advertisement if the channel, network, or programming is unavailable to said television equipment.

13. The method defined in claim 9 wherein unscheduling said display of said advertisement comprises unscheduling said display of said advertisement if the channel, network, or programming is undesired by said television viewer.

14. The method defined in claim 9 wherein unscheduling said display of said advertisement comprises unscheduling said display of said advertisement when the network, channel, or programming should have corresponding program guide information and does not have said corresponding program guide information.

15. The method defined in claim 9 further comprising implementing said advertising database as a part of a television distribution facility.

16. The method defined in claim 9 further comprising implementing said advertising database as a part of a main data storage and control facility.

17. A system for controlling the presentation of advertisements to a television viewer, the system comprising:

means for storing an advertisement in an advertising database, wherein said advertisement is a programming-related advertisement for a network, channel or programming on a network or channel;

means for receiving said advertisement from said advertising database with television viewer equipment;

means for receiving with said television viewer equipment advertisement control information associated with said advertisement, wherein said advertisement control information schedules said advertisement for display by said television viewer equipment;

means for determining with said television viewer equipment whether or not said advertisement from said advertising database is for a network, channel, or programming on a network or channel that is received by said television viewer equipment; and

means for unscheduling said display of said advertisement by said television viewer equipment when said television viewer equipment determines that said advertisement is for a network, channel, or programming on a network or channel that is not received by said television viewer equipment.

18. The system defined in claim 17 further comprising:

means for storing program guide information in a program guide database;

means for receiving with said television viewer equipment said program guide information from said program guide database; and

means for using said program guide information by said television viewer equipment to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment.

19. The system defined in claim 17 further comprising:

means for storing channel map information in a channel map database;

means for receiving with said television viewer equipment said channel map information from said channel map database; and

means for using said channel map information by said television viewer equipment to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment.

20. The system defined in claim 17 wherein said means for unscheduling said display of said advertisement comprises means for unscheduling said display of said advertisement if the channel, network, or programming is unavailable to said television viewer equipment.

21. The system defined in claim 17 wherein said means for unscheduling said display of said advertisement comprises means for unscheduling said display of said advertisement if the channel, network, or programming is undesired by said television viewer.

22. The system defined in claim 17 wherein said means for unscheduling said display of said advertisement comprises means for unscheduling said display of said advertisement when the network, channel, or programming should have corresponding program guide information and does not have said corresponding program guide information.

23. The system defined in claim 17 further comprising means for implementing said advertising database as a part of a television distribution facility.

24. The system defined in claim 17 further comprising means for implementing said advertising database as a part of a main data storage and control facility.

25. A system for controlling the presentation of advertisements to a television viewer, wherein said advertisements are associated with a television network having a network identifier, comprising:

an advertising database that stores an advertisement; and

television viewer equipment configured to:

receive said advertisement from said advertising database;

receive advertisement control information associated with said advertisement, wherein said advertisement control information schedules said advertisement for display by said television viewer equipment and said advertisement control information contains a network identifier;

use said network identifier to determine whether any affiliate of said network is received by said television viewer equipment; and

unschedule said display of said advertisement when said television viewer equipment determines that said advertisement is for an affiliate of said network that is not received by said television viewer equipment.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said television viewer equipment is further configured to implement a program guide application that is configured to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment when said affiliate is determined not to be received by the television viewer equipment.

27. A method for controlling the presentation of advertisements to a television viewer, wherein said advertisements are associated with a television network having a network identifier, the method comprising:

storing an advertisement in an advertising database;

receiving said advertisement from said advertising database with television viewer equipment;

receiving with said television viewer equipment advertisement control information associated with said advertisement, wherein said advertisement control information schedules said advertisement for display by said television viewer equipment and said advertisement control information contains a network identifier;

using said network identifier to determine with said television viewing equipment whether any affiliate of said network is received by said television viewer equipment; and

unscheduling said display of said advertisement by said television viewer equipment when said television viewer equipment determines that said advertisement is for an affiliate of said network that is not received by said television viewer equipment.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising implementing a program guide application using said television viewer equipment, said program guide application configured to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment when said affiliate is determined not to be received by said television viewer equipment.

29. A system for controlling the presentation of advertisements to a television viewer, wherein said advertisements are associated with a television network having a network identifier, the system comprising:

means for storing an advertisement in an advertising database;

means for receiving said advertisement from said advertising database with television viewer equipment;

means for receiving with said television viewer equipment advertisement control information associated with said advertisement, wherein said advertisement control information schedules said advertisement for display by said television viewer equipment and said advertisement control information contains a network identifier;

means for using said network identifier to determine with said television viewing equipment whether any affiliate of said network is received by said television viewer equipment; and

means for unscheduling said display of said advertisement by said television viewer equipment when said television viewer equipment determines that said advertisement is for an affiliate of said network that is not received by said television viewer equipment.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising means for implementing a program guide application using said television viewer equipment, said program guide application configured to unschedule said display of said advertisement on said television viewer equipment when said affiliate is determined not to be received by said television viewer equipment.

Assignments (17)
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 →
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 →
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 →
MERGER Recorded Jun 12, 2015
From: UV CORP.
To: TV GUIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 035848/0270 →
MERGER Recorded Jun 12, 2015
From: TV GUIDE, INC.
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 035848/0245 →
MERGER Recorded Jun 12, 2015
From: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: UV CORP.
Reel/Frame 035893/0241 →
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 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 26, 2012
From: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
To: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 028652/0671 →
CONFIRMATORY ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jul 26, 2012
From: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
To: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 028652/0755 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2012
From: REYNOLDS, STEVEN J.; KNEE, ROBERT A.; ELLIS, MICHAEL D.
To: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 028650/0588 →
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 →