WO2007090173A2 - Method to enable interactive advertising during a media stream - Google Patents

Abstract

A method to enable interactive advertising during a media stream provides an advertising technique that allows a consumer to interact with and selectively extract advertisements from multimedia content (e.g., audio, video, pictures) by providing a mechanism to drill down into elements embedded in the content. The primary functionality allows the consumer to get more information regarding a product or other clement that is seen or heard during a media stream.

Description

METHOD TO ENABLE INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING DURING A MEDIA STREAM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to audio and video media, and more particularly to an improved method to enable interactive advertising in fixed electronic media or during a media stream.

Background Art [0002] Advertising in the web, audio and video media is well known and widely used.

Currently, data mining is the state of the art in acquiring information concerning a computer user in order to direct and target advertising based on inferences made about the user's purchasing inclinations and preferences. Purveyors of goods and services use data mining tools to find the common attributes shared by their best customers and their likely customers. When accessed by a user employing a conventional browser with a conventional interface, the web site of an online advertising company can track click-streams of visitors to obtain specific and detailed information about visitor habits. With the information obtained concerning the portions, pages, and even the page elements the visitor prefers, the site can dynamically generate a site to cater to that user and/or can target advertising content to send to the user through embedded or banner ads. GUIs, neural networks, decision trees employing genetic algorithms, and nearest neighbor algorithms have made data mining increasingly flexible, responsive, and effective. [0003] However, the method and the modeling employed in data mining involve a minimum of user activity and are not presently adapted for use in media streams.

[0004] There is thus, as yet, no known method enabling intentional user interactivity with an advertisement during a video or audio media stream, and limited, single-level interactivity with web advertisements. [0005] The exemplary systems known by the present inventors include those shown in the following issued patents and published patent applications:

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 7,170,993, to Anderson, et al, discloses methods for use with web sites operating electronic commerce (e-commerce) applications, interactive voice response (IVR) systems and workflow systems, which provide automated monitoring of user activity and personalized action taking based on such activity using an on-line decision support mechanism that combines formal and heuristic reasoning. The on-line decision support is directed to a wide variety of e-commerce applications, including targeted promotions and discounts, assisting with navigation through self-help material, supporting dynamic price negotiations, and selecting portions of page content. [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,290, to Horowitz, ct al, teaches an automated system for presenting both interactive and proactive customized and personalized advice for a customer by a financial institution based on a customer profile generated by the system according to an analysis of the customer from a totality of the customer's interaction with the system. The system includes an advice engine that considers numerous sets of system logic and generates the advice; a presentation engine that presents the advice to the customer in an individualized manner; and a context assessment engine that examines the context of the interaction between the customer and the system and assesses the effectiveness of the advice. [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,620, to Jawahar, et al, discloses an access monitoring application to an information accessing system which monitors information accessed by the information accessing system. Data is received from the information accessing system which identifies the information accessed by the information accessing system. The information accessing system may use a web browser application to access information stored in web pages and the access monitoring application may monitor web pages accessed by the web browser application. [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,375, to Kawasaki, describes a system for profiling an Internet user by scanning content information of the user to generate unknown data and processing unknown data to determine its relevance to predefined categories of interest. The relevance is indicated in a matching rating system, analyzing attributes such as length of time reviewing content information, frequency of encounter, recency, strength and closeness. With such comparisons, the system generates a match of the unknown data with the predefined categories to form a profile of the user that may ultimately be used to target offers to users based upon the profile. [0010] The foregoing discussion reflects the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, this information is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the prior art discloses, teaches, suggests, shows, or otherwise renders obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.

Disclosure of Invention

[0011] The method to enable interactive advertising in fixed electronic media or during a media stream of the present invention provides a pull advertising technique that allows a consumer to interact with and selectively extract advertisements from multimedia content

(e.g., audio, video, pictures) by providing a mechanism to drill down into elements embedded in the content. The primary functionality allows the consumer to identify and obtain more information regarding a product or other element seen or heard in the media stream. [0012] The baseline content is delivered to the consumer in the traditional fashion. The baseline content preferably includes some indicator that elements within the baseline content are linked to advertisements or to product information. The indicator may be a small icon, label, or an area signified by a border or color, but no indicator is functionally necessary for content to be linked. The type of interaction with the baseline content depends on both the media type and the delivery mechanism or device (e.g. a computer, television, radio). The elements within the advertisement can be recognizable brand products, prominent elements (such as clothing on a model), or background elements.

[0013] The inventive method enables a feature, including protocols, infrastructure, and tools, to make advertisements (audio, video, or fixed image) replete with content that can be accessed with the click of a mouse, a touch on a touch-sensitive screen, or the utterance of a word in a connected microphone. For example, if a user were watching a video advertisement in which one of the characters in the advertisement was wearing a pair of shoes that appealed to the user, the user would have the ability to "click" on the shoes, and with that click he or she would be taken to another advertisement featuring the shoes themselves, or another kind of informational document about the product or feature of interest.

[0014] The inventive method includes functionality to enable an advertiser to embed audio content within a media stream so that the utterance of any of a set of predetermined words is "hyperlinked." For instance, if the audible phrase "DELL® computer" were to occur in the audio portion of a media stream feed, such as a talk show or other feed, the user could then utter or type the phrase from the audio feed into a network-connected device, such as a computer, PDA, mobile phone, or other network-connected appliance. The user interface of the network-connected device contacts the advertiser's server through the network interface and is then directed to new content related to the utterance heard during the audio feed and entered in by the user. (DELL is a trademark of Dell Inc. of Round Rock, Texas.)

[0015] The concept of "ad-in-ad" denotes promotional content embedded within an advertisement or other video or audio content which interests the user. It gives to advertisers the ability to generate additional revenue by marketing content in multiple layers within and under the initial advertisement. [0016] The ad-in-ad feature can use content embedded several levels "deep," allowing for content (audio or video) to be "live" with additional information. The inventive method provides a sophisticated form of search in which the viewer or listener may selectively and intentionally learn more and more about a product or service by narrowing the search implicitly to the video or audio content they are listening to and/or watching.

[0017] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide anew and improved method of advertising.

[0018] It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved advertising technique that allows a consumer to interact with and selectively extract advertisements from multimedia content.

[0019] A further object or feature of the present invention is a new and improved method of embedding advertisements in multimedia content.

[0020] An even further object of the present invention is to provide a novel form of search and access in which the viewer or listener has the opportunity to learn more about a product or service by simple generation of a search by a touch, click, gesture, or utterance, implicitly narrowed to the video or audio content they are watching or listening to.

[0021] There has thus been broadly outlined the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art maybe better appreciated. There arc, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form additional subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based readily may be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0022] Other novel features which are characteristic of the invention, as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example.

It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this disclosure. The invention resides not in any one of these features taken alone, but rather in the particular combination of all of its structures for the functions specified.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: [0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a first and most basic preferred embodiment of a new and improved method to enable interactive advertising during a media stream of this invention;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a clearinghouse model of the inventive system; and

[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating an example of the interactive system of FIGS. 1 and 2, using video-based ad displayed on a web site ; .

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, there is illustrated therein a new and improved method to enable interactive advertising during an audio and/or video media stream. [0028] The following examples of the preferred embodiments of the inventive system share general features comprising the following components: (1) embedded data in the media stream identifying the embedded advertised and "advertise-able" objects; (2) visible or audible cues to which objects have embedded information or advertisements, such as mouse-over labels, highlights, a list of names of the embedded objects located somewhere on a screen which make up a menu of selectable fields, tones or other audible cues in an audio stream, no cues for freeform selection attempts, or others; (3) a mechanism to select an embedded object, such as mouse position and clicking, step-selection through a menu-list with a simple remote or attached keypad or keyboard, vocal utterances, and others; (4) hardware/software system to detect the selection and deliver it to the advertiser or clearinghouse for processing; and (5) a strategy and mechanism to deliver advertisements and/or other information about the selected item.

[0029] The most basic form of the interactive system of the present invention, generally denominated 100 herein and shown schematically in FIG. 1 , uses standard or novel media delivery, cues, and selection mechanisms. The basic form of the system comprises a user's computer or other network-connected device 110 having an audio and/or video output component 120 (such as a video display and/or speakers) delivering advertising content 130 from a media source server 140 pursuant to the user's request via his or her user interface (e-g-, web browser) The advertisement in the media stream includes embedded objects that may be identified and selected 150 by the user, thus constituting a request for further information. The request is directed either back to the media source or to a media server for linked advertising 160, which either contains stored digital files deliverable on demand, or links to other servers or media sources which provide content pursuant to the user's request. The selected data from the advertiser's server provides a direct response 170 about the selected item. The direct response may be delivered and displayed 180 in a concurrent web page or Picture-In-Picture mechanism, a later time slot, or a preemptive stream while time- shifting the primary content, or by other means. [0030] In an alternative embodiment 200 of the inventive system, shown in FIG. 2, a clearinghouse 210 matches identified objects 220 with information and advertisements stored in a database of advertiser digital files 230 which can be delivered to the user. The clearinghouse works in both directions, matching not only the incoming data identifying the object 220 with the outgoing media 240, but also matching the incoming data identifying the primary advertiser to trade with information about the secondary advertiser 250, which may be different. This creates several opportunities, including: (a) creating advertising media with embedded objects without the need for creating the actual advertising for those objects; (b) delivery of pre-created advertisements or information about embedded objects linked by class or attributes, from a variety of advertisers and sources; and (c) trading credits for the "referral" link.

[0031] The clearinghouse system capitalizes on the speed and flow of Internet advertising models to encourage linking among advertisers. The current TV/radio/print advertising model which controls the content in a given advertising context (including the specific content of the ad and where it is placed) is displaced to a varying extent by the prospect of greater numbers of viewers with greater degrees of relevance. The clearinghouse system is mediated by a system of preferences and ratings that allow advertisers to rate other advertisers to prioritize the source and type of content that the clearinghouse may match to a particular embedded object. [0032] EXAMPLE 1. The schematic printed photograph 300 of FIG. 3 represents a video or picture displayed as part of an advertisement and presented on a website. For purposes of this example it is assumed that this content represents a movie trailer or static advertisement. Within the advertisement are object and elements in which the consumer may have an interest. For example, the consumer may be interested in the corduroy jacket 310 worn by the male actor, the dress 320 worn by the female actor, or the sparkling wine 330 in the drink glass.

Each of these elements is linked to product details or other advertisements stored in digital form on the advertiser's server or on other computer systems on the data network and connected to the advertiser's server. The embedding can continue at multiple levels, wherein the user can continue to drill down for further information at each new level presented. The consumer can identify an embedded advertisement by running his or her pointing device (e.g., mouse cursor) over the image and looking for a text screen tip indicating that the item under the cursor contains an advertisement. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the items identified by circles 315, 325, 335, contain embedded advertisements (these circles would not be part of the actual advertisement). Running the mouse pointer over the male actor's sport coat indicates there is an embedded advertisement by POLO®, the clothing manufacturer. (POLO is a registered trademark of Polo Fashions, Inc., New York, New York.) Clicking on the sports coat launches another window within the Internet browser, requests the content of the POLO web site, and presents the POLO web page 340 to the user. Similarly, clicking on the dress launches a MACY'S® advertisement 350, and clicking on the wine glasses launches a DOMAINE CHANDON® champagne advertisement 360. (MACYS is a registered trademark of Macy's Department Stores, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio; DOMAINE CHANDON is a registered trademark of Moet Hennessy USA, Inc., New York, New York.) [0033] Television and radio have traditionally been provided through a one-way delivery of media content; i.e., an electronic consumer device receives a broadcast signal and reconstitutes the content into a perceivable video and/or audio form. Internet radio and video over Internet (VOI) have the ability to extend these experiences to bidirectional, as with other web applications. The mechanism for drilling down into the embedded advertisement will vary depending on the available technology, but could include voice activated commands, cursor-over selections, or clicking special icons that appear occasionally to indicate that an embedded ad is present.

[00341 Media presentation on TV and radio is based on exclusive use of time, meaning that while a program is playing it is not competing with other overlaid media on the same channel. For example, a TV sitcom is the exclusive item broadcast on a channel during the time slot between commercials or other planned breaks. Likewise, advertisers pay for exclusive use of time blocks. The inventive method changes this paradigm by allowing the consumer to launch a new stream of media from within the current stream. [0035] There are a number of alternatives to immediately launching a new media stream over the existing stream. For example, a personal video/audio recorder (PVR/PAR) may be used to record and time-shift the primary stream while the secondary stream plays, and the user may return to the primary stream when complete. Alternatively, an "ad-on-demand" model maybe implemented in which the ad preferences are recorded and buffered for playback during the subsequent advertising time slots. As a further alternative, a window-in- window may be launched to display an ad while a media stream program continues to run.

[0036] EXAMPLE 2. As a second example, using the same fundamental model describe above, embedded advertising may be provided for user access during broadcast television. For instance, a television advertisement for laundry detergent might appear during a daytime soap opera. The ad may contain a washer and dryer in the scene. The viewer vocalizes "washing machine" into a microphone connected to the TV remote control. After the detergent commercial is complete, the PVR starts to record the primary content (the soap opera) while the television displays an advertisement for the washing machine. Once the washing machine advertisement is complete, the television reverts back to the soap opera, time-shifted by the

PVR.

[0037] EXAMPLE 3. As a third example, if the television show and the advertisement were the same as in Example 2, the advertisement might display icons on the bottom of the screen indicating there is embedded material. The viewer may use an integrated pointing device in the TV remote control to clicks on a displayed icon indicating "GE® Washing Machine." This selection is sent to the broadcaster, which queues a washing machine commercial to be narrowcast and displayed to the user during the next commercial time block. Once the commercial is complete, the default video (either the next scheduled ad or the soap opera) is again displayed. [0038] EXAMPLE 4. As a fourth example, assuming the television show and advertisement are the same as in Example 2, the viewer might activate the embedded ad, in which case a second window would appear on the television screen (screen-in-screen), and the audio stream would transfer to the embedded ad. The user can deactivate the ad at any time using a remote control function button, or he or she can switch between the ad and the main programming. [0039] Further extensions of these examples are possible by remixing elements. One possible outgrowth of the inventive method is revenue generation for a primary advertiser using the click-through model, i.e., revenue generation by measuring the number of users clicking on an ad. Currently, advertising is primarily an expense for an advertising company. Tn the future, advertising can be a profit center for the advertiser using a model similar to internet advertising - embedded advertisers have demonstrated a willingness to pay click- through rates.

[0040] The foregoing disclosure is sufficient to enable those with skill in the relevant art to practice the invention without undue experimentation. The disclosure further provides the best mode of practicing the invention now contemplated by the inventor.

[0041] While the particular system and method herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages stated herein, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended concerning the detail of its electronic implementation or design shown other than as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, the proper scope of the present invention should be determined only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass obvious modifications as well as all relationships equivalent to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed as invention is:

1. A system for delivering on-demand advertising requested by a user during a media stream, comprising: a data network including at least one media source providing a a media stream including objects containing embedded advertising information that may be selected by the user, wherein perceivable cues are provided to the user as to which objects in said media stream have embedded information; a network interface device capable of connection to said data network and having a user interface; selection means in said user interface for selecting in said media stream one or more objects having embedded advertising information; detection means for detecting the user selection of said objects; first transmission means for delivering the user selection to said media source for processing; media source selection means for selecting advertisements and/or other information about the object selected by the user; and second transmission means for delivering the advertisements and/or other information selected by said media source selection means.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said perceivable cues are selected from the group consisting of mouse-over labels, highlights, lists of names of the embedded objects and comprising a menu of selectable fields, and audible tones.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein no cues are provided in said media stream so as to permit freeform user selection attempts.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first selection means is selected from the group consisting of mouse position and clicking, touch on a touch screen, step-selection through a menu-list with a simple remote or attached input device, and vocal utterances.

5. An interactive advertising system for use on a data network, comprising: a media source server for delivering advertising content in a media stream, said media stream including objects that may be identified and selected by a user; a network-connected device having an audio and/or video output component for delivering said media stream to the user, said network-connected device having a user interface with means for identifying and selecting said objects in said media stream to request further information regarding said objects; first transmission means for transmitting the userrequest for information via the data network to said media source or a media server having either or both stored digital advertising files deliverable on demand or links to other servers or media sources for providing content pursuant to the user's request; selection means at said media source for selecting a direct response to the user's request; and second transmission means for transmitting the selected direct response to the user's request.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the direct response is displayed in a concurrent web page or Picture-In-Picture mechanism, a later time slot, or a preemptive stream while time- shifting the primary content.

7. The system of claim 5, further including a clearinghouse for matching user selected objects with information and advertisements stored in a database of advertiser digital files.