IP Library Granted Patent US 11,140,435
Granted Patent B2
US 11,140,435 · App. 17/094,150 · Granted Oct 5, 2021

Interactive overlays to determine viewer data

Inventor: Matthew Grover (Draper, UT)
Assignee: Roku, Inc.
H04N21/4312H04N21/23418H04N21/44008H04N21/4516H04N21/4532H04N21/475H04N21/812H04N21/8358H04N21/8545
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,140,435
App. No.
17/094,150
Granted
Oct 5, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure provides a method for determining viewer data from interactive overlays. The method includes receiving media content from a content feed. The media device includes a unique identifier (UID). The method also includes determining a media program associated with the received media content based on a fingerprint of the received media content. The method further includes overlaying interactive overlay content onto the media program of the media content in an overlay area. The overlay area corresponds to a spatial position within at least one frame of the media content. The method also includes receiving a feedback response from a viewer based on the interactive overlay content. The method further includes determining viewer information from the feedback response of the viewer. The method further includes associating the viewer information of the feedback response with the UID of the media device.

Claims (58)

1. A method comprising:

while media content is being displayed by a media device, causing, by a processor, performance of a set of acts comprising:

overlaying interactive overlay content onto the media content;

determining first overlay content that is associated with a first viewer characteristic and that is designated to be overlaid onto the media content;

receiving a feedback response from a viewer based on the interactive overlay content;

determining viewer information from the feedback response of the viewer;

determining that the viewer information indicates a second viewer characteristic that is different from the first viewer characteristic;

in response to determining that the viewer information indicates the second viewer characteristic that is different from the first viewer characteristic, dynamically switching the first overlay content to second overlay content that is associated with the second viewer characteristic; and

in response to dynamically switching the first overlay content to the second overlay content, overlaying the second overlay content onto the media content.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

associating the viewer information of the feedback response with a unique identifier of the media device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

based on the determined viewer information, generating a report that identifies more than one viewer at the media device and demographic information of the more than one viewer.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

based on the determined viewer information, generating a report that identifies more than one viewer at the media device and a percentage of viewers of the more than one viewer that have responded to the interactive overlay content.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein overlaying the interactive overlay content onto the media content comprises overlaying the interactive overlay content onto the media content in an overlay area, the overlay area corresponding to a spatial position within at least one frame of the media content.

6. The method of claim 1 , the set of acts further comprising:

detecting a pause of the displayed media content,

wherein overlaying the interactive overlay content onto the media content is performed responsive to the detected pause.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive overlay content is randomly selected by the processor from an interactive overlay content database.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive overlay content comprises a prompt for viewer information, the prompt comprises at least one of a quiz, a questionnaire, a survey, or a feedback form.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive overlay content is based on prior viewer information associated with the media device, the set of acts further comprising:

updating viewer information associated with the media device based on the feedback response of the interactive overlay content.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, upon execution by a processor, cause performance of a set of acts comprising:

while media content is being displayed by a media device:

overlaying interactive overlay content onto the media content;

determining first overlay content that is associated with a first viewer characteristic and that is designated to be overlaid onto the media content;

receiving a feedback response from a viewer based on the interactive overlay content;

determining viewer information from the feedback response of the viewer;

determining that the viewer information indicates a second viewer characteristic that is different from the first viewer characteristic;

in response to determining that the viewer information indicates the second viewer characteristic that is different from the first viewer characteristic, dynamically switching the first overlay content to second overlay content that is associated with the second viewer characteristic; and

in response to dynamically switching the first overlay content to the second overlay content, overlaying the second overlay content onto the media content.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein overlaying the interactive overlay content onto the media content comprises overlaying the interactive overlay content onto the media content in an overlay area, the overlay area corresponding to a spatial position within at least one frame of the media content.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , the set of acts further comprising:

based on the determined viewer information, generating a report that identifies more than one viewer at the media device and demographic information of the more than one viewer.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , the set of acts further comprising:

based on the determined viewer information, generating a report that identifies more than one viewer at the media device and a percentage of viewers of the more than one viewer that have responded to the interactive overlay content.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the interactive overlay content comprises a prompt for viewer information, the prompt comprises at least one of a quiz, a questionnaire, a survey, or a feedback form.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the interactive overlay content is based on prior viewer information associated with the media device, the set of acts further comprising:

updating viewer information associated with the media device based on the feedback response of the interactive overlay content.

16. A system comprising:

a processor; and

memory hardware in communication with the processor, the memory hardware storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a set of acts comprising:

while media content is being displayed by a media device:

overlaying interactive overlay content onto the media content;

determining first overlay content that is associated with a first viewer characteristic and that is designated to be overlaid onto the media content;

receiving a feedback response from a viewer based on the interactive overlay content;

determining viewer information from the feedback response of the viewer;

determining that the viewer information indicates a second viewer characteristic that is different from the first viewer characteristic;

in response to determining that the viewer information indicates the second viewer characteristic that is different from the first viewer characteristic, dynamically switching the first overlay content to second overlay content that is associated with the second viewer characteristic; and

in response to dynamically switching the first overlay content to the second overlay content, overlaying the second overlay content onto the media content.

17. The system of claim 16 , the set of acts further comprising:

based on the determined viewer information, generating a report that identifies more than one viewer at the media device and demographic information of the more than one viewer.

18. The system of claim 16 , the set of acts further comprising:

based on the determined viewer information, generating a report that identifies more than one viewer at the media device and a percentage of viewers of the more than one viewer that have responded to the interactive overlay content.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the interactive overlay content comprises a prompt for viewer information, the prompt comprises at least one of a quiz, a questionnaire, a survey, or a feedback form.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the interactive overlay content is based on prior viewer information associated with the media device, the set of acts further comprising:

updating viewer information associated with the media device based on the feedback response of the interactive overlay content.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2024
From: ROKU, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 068982/0377 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (REEL/FRAME 056982/0194) Recorded Feb 22, 2023
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ROKU, INC.; ROKU DX HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062826/0664 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Jun 29, 2021
From: ROKU, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 056982/0194 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2021
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ROKU, INC.
Reel/Frame 056106/0376 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2020
From: SORENSON MEDIA, INC.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 054325/0721 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2020
From: GROVER, MATTHEW
To: SORENSON MEDIA, INC.
Reel/Frame 054372/0428 →