Method and system for positioning row advertising in a program guide
View Patent ↗A method of arranging row ads system within a program guide includes communicating row ad metadata to a user device and communicating program guide information to a user device. The program guide information defines a plurality of rows, wherein at least a first row is associated with a first channel. The method includes associating positioning information with the row ad relative to the first row, populating a second row from the plurality of rows in response to the metadata and displaying the row ad and displaying the first row associated with the first channel within a program guide structure on a display associated with the user device in response to the positioning information.
1. A method comprising:
communicating row ad metadata to a user device;
communicating program guide information to a user device, said program guide information defining a plurality of rows, wherein at least a first row is associated with a first channel;
associating positioning information with the row ad so that the row ad maintains a fixed position relative to the first row;
populating a second row from the plurality of rows in response to the program guide information; and
in response to the positioning information and a user device characteristic, displaying the row ad and the first row associated with the first channel within a program guide structure on a display associated with the user device.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device characteristic comprises a service subscription class.
3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the subscription class comprises a premium subscription class.
4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device characteristic comprises local channel class.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device characteristic comprises a designated marketing area class.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device characteristic comprises a presence of an Internet connection.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device characteristic comprises a presence of an ATSC receiver.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising linking the row ad to content.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising linking the row ad to broadband channel.
10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising linking the row ad to a linear channel.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising linking the row ad to instructional text or on-screen help.
12. A method comprising:
communicating row ad metadata to a user device, wherein the row ad metadata comprises a material identification;
communicating program guide information to a user device, said program guide information defining a plurality of rows, wherein at least a first row is associated with a first channel;
associating positioning information with the row ad so that the row ad maintains a fixed position relative to the first row;
populating a second row from the plurality of rows in response to the program guide information; and
in response to the positioning information, displaying the row ad and the first row associated with the first channel within a program guide structure on a display associated with the user device.
13. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising selecting a row ad using a user interface;
communicating the material identification to the content processing system,
in response to communicating the material identification, communicating content corresponding to the material identification to the user device.
14. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising selecting the row ad using a user interface and changing the display in response to selecting.
15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein changing the display comprises displaying help menu.
16. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein changing the display comprises displaying an order menu.
17. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein changing the display comprises displaying text and graphics associated with the row ad.
18. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to the user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a satellite.
19. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to the user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a terrestrial system.
20. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to the user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a broadband system.
21. A method comprising:
communicating row ad metadata to a user device;
communicating program guide information to a user device, said program guide information defining a plurality of rows, wherein at least a first row is associated with a first channel and a second row is associated with a second channel;
associating positioning information with the row ad so that the row ad maintains a fixed position relative to the first row;
populating a third row from the plurality of rows in response to the row ad metadata; and
in response to the positioning information, displaying the row ad in the third row and displaying the first row associated with the first channel within a program guide structure on a display associated with the user device when the second row is present and not displaying the row ad when the second row is absent.
22. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to a user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a satellite.
23. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to a user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a terrestrial system.
24. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to a user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a broadband system.
25. A method comprising:
communicating row ad metadata to a user device;
communicating program guide information to a user device, said program guide information defining a plurality of rows, wherein at least a first row is associated with a first channel and a second row is associated with a second channel;
associating positioning information with the row ad so that the row ad maintains a fixed position relative to the first row;
populating a third row from the plurality of rows in response to the row ad metadata; and
in response to the positioning information, displaying the row ad in the third row and displaying the first row associated with the first channel within a program guide structure on a display associated with the user device when the second row is absent and not displaying the row ad when the second row is present.
26. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to a user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a satellite.
27. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to a user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a terrestrial system.
28. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein communicating the row ad metadata to a user device comprises communicating the row ad metadata through a broadband system.