U.S. patent application number 09/823588 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-29 for system and method for metadata-linked advertisements.
This patent application is currently assigned to UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES,INC.. Invention is credited to Berezowski, David M., Ellis, Michael D., Moore, S. Sean, Walker, Todd A..
Application Number | 20010047298 09/823588 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22715690 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010047298 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moore, S. Sean ; et
al. |
November 29, 2001 |
System and method for metadata-linked advertisements
Abstract
Systems and methods for providing metadata-selected
advertisements are provided. These systems and methods may receive
metadata and other media, select an object, read metadata attached
to or associated with the selected object, select an advertisement
based on the metadata, and display the selected advertisement. In
addition, monitoring, collecting, and recording of predefined data
concerning metadata selected advertisements may be provided. The
invention also provides a receiver for receiving signals and/or
data (e.g., programs, advertisements, program guides, metadata,
etc.) and a processor for accepting a user's input signal,
selecting an object, reading metadata attached to or associated
with a selected object, selecting an advertisement, and displaying
the selected advertisement.
Inventors: |
Moore, S. Sean; (Tulsa,
OK) ; Berezowski, David M.; (Tulsa, OK) ;
Walker, Todd A.; (Bixby, OK) ; Ellis, Michael D.;
(Boulder, CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FISH & NEAVE
1251 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
50TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10020-1105
US
|
Assignee: |
UNITED VIDEO
PROPERTIES,INC.
|
Family ID: |
22715690 |
Appl. No.: |
09/823588 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60193948 |
Mar 31, 2000 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.4 ;
705/14.54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/2353 20130101;
H04N 21/2668 20130101; G06Q 30/0241 20130101; G06Q 30/0256
20130101; G06Q 30/0251 20130101; G06Q 30/02 20130101; H04N 21/812
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/14 ;
705/10 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for providing advertisements with other media
comprising: selecting an object within a viewing plane of a viewing
device; reading metadata associated with the object; and selecting
an advertisement based on the metadata.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the
advertisement on the viewing device.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting of the object is
based on user input.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the
metadata.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the metadata is received within
other media.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the metadata is received on a
broadcast channel on which other media is also received.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein the metadata is received on a
separate broadcast channel from other media.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the
metadata.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the metadata is stored on a single
storage device.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the metadata is stored on a
plurality of storage devices.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the
advertisement.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the advertisement received is
received within other media.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the advertisement is received on
a broadcast channel on which other media is also received.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the advertisement is received on
a separate broadcast channel from other media.
15. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the
advertisement.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the advertisement is stored on a
single storage device.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the advertisement is stored on a
plurality of storage devices.
18. A method for providing advertisements with other media
comprising: receiving metadata; reading metadata; selecting an
advertisement based on the metadata; and displaying the
advertisement.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the metadata received is
received within other media.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein the metadata is received on a
broadcast channel on which other media is also received.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein the metadata is received on a
separate broadcast channel from other media.
22. The method of claim 18 further comprising storing the
metadata.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the metadata is stored on a
single storage device.
24. The method of claim 22 wherein the metadata is stored on a
plurality of storage devices.
25. The method of claim 18 further comprising receiving the
advertisement.
26. The method of claim 25 wherein the advertisement is received
within other media.
27. The method of claim 25 wherein the advertisement is received on
a broadcast channel on which other media is also received.
28. The method of claim 25 wherein the metadata is received on a
separate broadcast channel from other media.
29. The method of claim 18 further comprising storing an
advertisement.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the advertisement is stored on a
single storage device.
31. The method of claim 29 wherein the advertisement is stored on a
plurality of storage devices.
32. A method for providing advertisements with other media
comprising: reading metadata; downloading an advertisement based on
the metadata; and displaying the advertisement.
33. The method of claim 32 wherein the metadata contains a source
address.
34. The method of claim 33 wherein the source address is a Uniform
Resource Locator.
35. The method of claim 33 wherein the source address is a
telephone number.
36. A method for providing information about a metadata-selected
advertisement comprising: monitoring the metadata-selected
advertisement; collecting data on the metadata-selected
advertisement; and recording the data.
37. A system for providing advertisements with other media
comprising: a receiver that receives metadata; a user input device
that receives a user input; and a processor that selects an object,
that reads metadata associated with the object, that selects an
advertisement based on the metadata of the object, and that causes
the advertisement to be displayed.
38. The system of claim 37 wherein the processor selects the object
based on the user input.
39. The system of claim 37 wherein the receiver also receives other
media.
40. The system of claim 37 wherein the receiver receives the
metadata on a broadcast channel on which the receiver also receives
other media.
41. The system of claim 37 wherein the receiver receives the
metadata on a different broadcast channel from other media.
42. The system of claim 37 further comprising a storage unit that
stores metadata.
43. A system for providing advertisements with other media
comprising: a receiver that receives metadata; and a processor that
reads the metadata, that selects an advertisement based on the
metadata, and that causes the selected advertisement to be
displayed.
44. The system of claim 43 wherein the receiver also receives other
media.
45. The system of claim 43 wherein the receiver receives the
metadata on a broadcast channel on which the receiver receives
other media.
46. The system of claim 43 wherein the receiver receives metadata
on a different broadcast channel from other media.
47. The system of claim 43 further comprising a storage unit that
stores the metadata.
48. A system for providing advertisements with other media
comprising: a receiver that receives metadata; and a processor that
reads the metadata, that causes an advertisement to be downloaded
based on information contained in the metadata, and that causes the
advertisement to be displayed.
49. The system of claim 48 wherein the receiver also receives other
media.
50. The system of claim 48 wherein the receiver receives the
metadata on a broadcast channel on which the receiver also receives
other media.
51. The system of claim 48 wherein the receiver receives metadata
on a different broadcast channel from other media.
52. The system of claim 48 further comprising a storage unit that
stores the metadata.
53. A system for providing information about a metadata-selected
advertisement comprising: a receiver that receives data relating to
metadata-selected advertisements; a processor that monitors the
metadata-selected advertisements, that collects the data relating
to the metadata-selected advertisements, that causes the data to be
recorded; and a storage device that stores the data.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 60/193,948, filed Mar. 31, 2000, which is
hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to advertisement delivery systems and
methods. More particularly, this invention relates to systems and
methods that associate advertisements with other media using
metadata links.
[0003] With the advent of modern television equipment and
communication networks, advertisers have been able to provide
graphical advertisements to viewers such as ordinary television
commercials. However, in the past, these systems were limited in
their functional capabilities and typically only provided
non-content or semi-content related advertisements to viewers.
[0004] To increase the effectiveness of advertisements, it may be
advantageous to both advertisers and consumers alike to associate
what is being advertised with other media (e.g., programs,
applications, etc) that are provided to viewers. Associating these
advertisements with other media may not only tend to increase the
effectiveness of the advertisements, but doing so may also provide
users with an increased awareness of the content of such other
media, as opposed to simply being subject to an advertisement for a
product or service without being provided additional
information.
[0005] It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide
systems and methods for associating advertisements with other media
using metadata.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In accordance with this and other objects of the present
invention, systems and methods for associating advertisements with
other media are provided. These systems and methods may associate
advertisements with other media by using an enhanced data set
herein referred to as "metadata". For example, metadata is data
that may be used to describe programming and may include any
information that may be associated with a program and/or that may
describe the program, its content, or services related to the
program.
[0007] One aspect of the present invention may include
advertisements that are targeted to other media based on metadata
contained within such other media. For example, metadata may be
provided at the scene level of a program. By providing metadata at
the scene level, more descriptive information about a program or
other media can be provided in a more temporally associated
way.
[0008] Another aspect of the invention may include advertisements
that are provided within display screens of guidance applications
based on metadata of other media attached to or associated with the
guidance application. For example, in an interactive program guide,
advertisements may be presented in a browse overlay and such
advertisements may be based on metadata associated with a currently
selected program listing. In addition, the interactive program
guide may present advertisements in a menu or guide overlay based
upon the metadata associated with the last program viewed.
[0009] A further aspect of the invention may include metadata that
contains a source reference for an advertisement. The source
reference may be, for example, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).
This source reference may be recorded or otherwise stored by a
guidance application. For example, on playback of the recorded
program, the guidance application may play back advertisements from
a location defined by the source.
[0010] Still a further aspect of the invention may include enabling
a system provider to manage advertisement inventories and to
provide marketing and other data to advertisers. For example,
through polling, monitoring user requests, or using any other
scheme suitable to the chosen implementation of the system, a
system provider may track valuable marketing information and
provide such information to advertisers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The above and other objects and advantages of the invention
will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in
which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout and
in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system that may be used to
implement various embodiments of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of user equipment that may be used
in accordance with various embodiments of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a process in which an
advertisement may be selected based on the user's selection of an
object and that may be used with various embodiments of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a process in which an
advertisement may be selected from stored metadata and/or other
media and that may be used with various embodiments of the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a process in which an
advertisement may be downloaded using metadata and that may be used
with various embodiments of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a process in which data relating
to metadata-selected advertisements may be monitored, collected and
recorded and that may be used with various embodiments of the
present invention; and
[0018] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a screen display that may be
used to implement various embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] The present invention provides systems and methods for
associating advertisements with other media (e.g., programs,
applications, etc).
[0020] These systems and methods may associate advertisements with
other media by using an enhanced data set herein referred to as
"metadata". Metadata may be used to describe programming and may
include any information that may be associated with a program
and/or that may describe a program, its content, or services
related to a program. Metadata may describe, for example, the
content of a program, whether commercials may be skipped during
playback of a recorded program, or the clothes that an actor is
wearing.
[0021] Metadata may be transmitted and/or received by a user's
equipment (e.g. a set-top box) through any communications network
(e.g., cable systems, satellite systems, modems, wireless paging
frequencies, the Internet, etc., or any combination thereof).
Furthermore, metadata may be transmitted and/or received by the
user's equipment on one or more broadcast channels. For example, a
program may be received on a program channel, and metadata for that
program may be received through this program channel's vertical
blanking interval (VBI). Additionally, metadata may be provided by
utilizing other existing analog and digital technologies such as
the "Advanced Television Enhancement Forum" (ATVEF) protocol for
enhanced television programming.
[0022] One aspect of the present invention may include
advertisements that are targeted to other media based on the
metadata contained within such other media. For example, metadata
may be provided at the scene level of a program. Each scene of the
program may show a different product. In one scene, an actor may be
driving a certain car or wearing a particular type of clothing. In
another scene, the actor may be wearing different clothing, or
another actor may be in the shot with other items that may be
promoted (e.g., a cell phone, sun glasses, etc). As stated above,
these products may be linked to advertisements for these products
using metadata. By providing metadata at the scene level, more
descriptive information about a program or other media can be
provided in a more temporally associated way. In this way, the
advertising of a product is enhanced because the viewer can watch
the product or service as it is worn, used, or provided.
[0023] Another aspect of the invention may include advertisements
that are provided within the display screens of guidance
applications based on metadata of other media attached to or
associated with the guidance application. For example, in an
interactive program guide, advertisements may be presented in a
browse overlay and such advertisements may be based on metadata
associated with a currently selected program listing. The metadata
for a program listing may include any descriptive information about
the program itself, the channel the program is being displayed on,
and/or any other information attached to or associated with the
program listing.
[0024] Another aspect of the invention may include metadata that
contains a source reference for an advertisement. The source
reference may be, for example, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).
For example, when a program is recorded, the metadata along with
the source reference may be recorded or otherwise stored by a
guidance application. On playback of the recorded program, the
guidance application may play back advertisements from a source as
defined, for example, using a URL contained in the recorded
program. A system provider may then replace previously stored and
now outdated advertisements with new ones having the same
identifier. Therefore, for example, when a program is recorded and
subsequently played back, new advertisements may be retrieved and
presented simply by changing an advertisement's identifier.
[0025] Another aspect of the invention may include enabling a
system provider to manage advertisement inventories and provide
marketing and other data to advertisers. The system provider may
manage advertisement inventories by providing fresh advertisements,
as described above. By providing fresh advertisements, the system
provider controls what advertisements the viewer sees when playing
back a recorded program. By controlling which advertisement a
viewer sees on playback, the system provider may be able to sell
playback advertising space to advertisers.
[0026] Furthermore, system providers may provide advertisers
valuable marketing information and other data. Through polling,
monitoring user requests, or using any other scheme suitable to the
chosen implementation of the system, a system provider may track
valuable marketing information and provide such information to
advertisers. Marketing information may include the program
recorded, the number of times an advertisement is accessed, the
time at which the advertisement was accessed, etc., and may also
include demographic information associated with a user's
account.
[0027] In one embodiment of the invention, a system may include:
one or more receivers that may receive signals and/or data; one or
more transmitters that may transmit signals and/or data; a
processor that accepts a user's input signal, that selects an
object within the visual plane of a video display, that reads
metadata, that selects an advertisement, and that causes the
advertisement to be displayed; and one or more storage devices
capable of electronically storing signals and/or data.
[0028] In another embodiment of the invention, a system may include
a processor that accepts a user's input signal, that reads
metadata, that downloads an advertisement, and that causes the
advertisement to be displayed.
[0029] In still another embodiment of the invention, a system may
include a processor that monitors metadata-selected advertisements,
that collects data relating to the metadata-selected advertisement,
and that causes the data to be recorded.
[0030] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system 100 that may be used
to implement various embodiments of the present invention. System
100 may comprise media broadcast equipment 110, advertisement
broadcast equipment 120, metadata broadcast equipment 130, guide
application and data broadcast equipment 140, communications
network 150, user equipment 160, and communications links 170.
Broadcast equipment 110, 120, 130, and 140 may be any suitable
equipment for providing media (e.g., programs, applications, and
other signals and data), such as video and data servers, live
broadcast equipment, video tape players, etc., and may be located
at a cable headend or at any other convenient location. In
addition, broadcast equipment 110, 120, 130, and 140 may be
combined into a single broadcast unit or combined in other
ways.
[0031] Communication network 150 may be any suitable network for
transmitting signals and/or data to and/or from broadcast equipment
110, 120, 130 and 140. For example, network 150 may be the
Internet, a satellite communications system, a cable system, a
local area network, a wide area network, etc., or any combination
of the same. Communication network 150 may use digital or analog
technology or any combination thereof.
[0032] User equipment 160 may be any suitable equipment for
receiving, transmitting, processing and/or displaying signals
and/or data received from and/or transmitted to broadcast equipment
110, 120, 130 and 140. For example, user equipment 160 may be a one
or two-way set-top box, a television with processing and storing
capability, a personal video recorder, a video cassette recorder
with suitable processing capabilities, a personal computer,
etc.
[0033] Communication links 170 may be any suitable links for
communicating data and/or signals, such as a dial-up connection, a
fiber optic cable, a coaxial cable, a DSL connection, etc., or any
combination of the same.
[0034] Although not shown in FIG. 1, system 100 may also include
one or more remote storage units that may be used to store media,
advertisements, metadata, guidance applications and data. These
remote storage units may receive media, advertisements, metadata,
guidance applications, and other data from broadcast equipment 110,
120, 130, and/or 140, may be controlled by any of broadcast
equipment 110, 120, 130, and 140 and user equipment 160, and may
provide the media, advertisements, metadata, guidance applications
and other data to user equipment 160 via communications network
150.
[0035] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of user equipment 160 shown in
FIG. 1. User equipment 160 may be used in accordance with various
embodiments of the present invention. User equipment 160 may
include: a receiver 220; a transmitter 225; a processor 280;
storage units 230, 240, 250 and 260; a user display 270; a recorder
275; an audio output 277; a remote control unit 290; a remote
control interface 295, and audio/video circuitry 215. Receiver 220
may be any suitable equipment for receiving guidance applications
and data, and/or any other desired signals or data (e.g., media,
advertisements, metadata, guides applications and data, URL
addresses, audio, etc). Transmitter 225 may be any suitable
equipment for transmitting data and/or any other desired signals.
The signals and/or data received and/or transmitted by receiver 220
and transmitter 225 may be transmitted and/or received through any
communications network, as described above. Processor 280 may be
any suitable equipment for accepting a user input signal, reading
metadata attached to or associated with an advertisement and other
media, selecting an advertisement, causing an advertisement to be
downloaded from a remote location, and causing an advertisement to
be displayed. Storage units 230, 240, 250, and 260 may be used for
storing media, advertisements, metadata, audio, and guidance
applications and data, respectively. Any of storage units 230, 240,
250, and 260 may be any devices that are capable of storing signals
and/or data (e.g., a separate video cassette recorder, a disk
drive, a memory card, etc). Storage units 230, 240, 250, and 260,
if desired, may also be combined into a single storage unit or
combined in other ways. Remote control unit 290 may be a keyboard,
a touch screen display, a front panel, or any other wired or
wireless device that a user may use to input data. Remote control
interface 295 may receive a signal from remote control unit 290 and
then send that signal to processor 280. Remote control interface
295 may be, for example, a photo detector. Audio/video circuitry
215 may be any suitable circuitry for converting data from
processor 280 into audio and/or video signals for display on
display 270, recording on recorder 275, and/or output on audio
output 277. Display 270 may be any suitable device for presenting
images to a viewer, such as a television, a monitor, a computer
monitor, a personal digital assistant, etc. Audio output 277 may be
any suitable device or devices for allowing a user to listen to or
otherwise provide an audio signal, such as amplifiers, speakers,
etc. Audio output 277 may be combined or partly combined with
display 270. Finally, recorder 275 may be any suitable device for
recording video signals and data, such as a video cassette
recorder, a disk drive, a memory card, etc.
[0036] FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a process 300 in accordance with
various embodiments of the present invention. As illustrated, at
step 310, process 300 may begin by receiving metadata and other
media. Receiving metadata and other media, as mentioned above, may
be accomplished by utilizing a receiver that may receive signals
and/or data.
[0037] Next, at step 320, process 300 may select an object located
within a viewing plane of a viewing device. For example, process
300 may use an audio/video coding method, such as MPEG-4 that
allows objects to be defined. The selecting of an object may be
accomplished, as mentioned above, by a processor that utilizes a
user's input signal. A user's input signal may include the
selection of an object displayed on a video display unit with a
cursor and/or a command to move a cursor displayed on a video
display unit to any point within a video display's viewing plane. A
user's input signal, as described above, may be entered through a
wired or wireless remote control unit.
[0038] To select an object, the processor may be running software
that enables certain objects within the viewing plane of a video
device to be selected. For example, the processor may utilize
visual pattern recognition software that tracks colors, shapes,
etc. Alternatively, the processor may utilize a downloaded
predefined selectable target area to select objects displayed
within the viewing plane of the viewing device.
[0039] At step 330, process 300 may read metadata. The metadata may
be attached to and/or associated with media or a selectable object
imbedded within the media. Reading metadata may be accomplished by
a processor. The metadata, as described in detail above, may
contain characteristics describing media and/or objects. In
addition, the metadata may contain a source address (e.g., a URL)
to download an advertisement from a remote location, as also
described below.
[0040] At step 340, process 300 may select an advertisement. The
selecting of an advertisement may be based on metadata attached to
and/or associated with media and/or a selectable object imbedded
within the media. For example, when media and/or a selectable
object within the media is selected, the metadata attached to
and/or associated with the media and/or selectable object may be
read. Then, an advertisement corresponding to the metadata read may
be selected. The advertisement may be selected by comparing the
metadata of the media or selected object with metadata from
advertisements. The advertisements may be provided from a suitable
remote location to the user's equipment at some suitable frequency
(e.g., periodically, on-demand, via polling, etc), or may be
provided from advertisements previously stored on the user's
system, as will be explained below.
[0041] Finally, at step 350, process 300 may display the
advertisement within the viewing plane of a viewing device.
[0042] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a process 400 in which metadata
may be used to select an advertisement and that may be used to
implement various embodiments of the present invention. Process 400
shows the receiving and the reading of metadata and other media as
well as the selecting and the displaying of an advertisement at
steps 410, 430, 440, and 450 respectively. Steps 410, 430, 440, and
450 are substantially the same as steps 310, 330, 340 and 350 which
are described in detail above in connection with FIG. 3. Also shown
in process 400 is the storing of metadata and other media at step
420. As stated above, the storing of the metadata and other media
may be on any suitable storage unit such as a disk drive, or a
memory card, etc. The storage unit may be located locally at or
near a user's television viewing equipment, or may be located
remotely from the user's viewing equipment.
[0043] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a process 500 in which metadata
may be used to select an advertisement and that may be used to
implement various embodiments of the present invention. Process 500
shows the receiving and the reading of metadata and other media as
well as displaying an advertisement at steps 510, 520, and 540
respectively. Steps 510, 520, and 540, are substantially the same
as steps 310, 330, and 350 which are described in detail above in
connection with FIG. 3. Also shown in process 500 is the
downloading of an advertisement based on metadata at step 530. As
stated above, metadata may contain a source address (e.g., a URL)
to download an advertisement from a remote location. For example, a
guidance application utilizing any suitable communication
technology (e.g., the Internet using a HyperText Transfer Protocol)
may obtain an advertisement by downloading it from a source
address. The advertisement that is presented to a viewer may be the
advertisement currently available at the source (e.g., a web page).
As time passes, the advertiser or the system provider may change
the content of the advertisement that is provided to a user by
simply modifying the advertisement at the source. In this way,
"fresh" advertisements may be presented each time a user plays back
a recorded program.
[0044] Alternatively, these "fresh" advertisements may be provided
by, for example, assigning identifiers to a specific advertisement
or a group of advertisements. These advertisements with identifiers
may be downloaded and stored in the user's equipment or may be
available to a user's system at some remote location available at
some suitable frequency (e.g., periodically, on-demand, via
polling, etc).
[0045] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a process 600 in which data
relating to metadata-selected advertisements may be collected and
recorded. Process 600 shows monitoring metadata-selected
advertisements at step 610. Monitoring of the metadata-selected
advertisements may be accomplished through a receiver and/or a
processor, as described above in connection with FIG. 2, blocks 220
and 280, respectively. Furthermore, monitoring may be accomplished
at any suitable times (e.g. continuously, periodically, on-demand,
etc.). Process 600 also shows collecting data relating to
metadata-selected advertisements at step 620. Such collecting of
data may be accomplished through a processor, as described in
detail above. Finally, process 600 shows the recording of the data.
Recording the data may be done on any suitable storage unit such as
a, a disk drive, or a memory card, etc.
[0046] In addition to monitoring, collecting, and recording,
marketing information may also be provided to advertisers over a
communications network, as described in detail above. For example,
marketing information may be provided to advertisers in a real-time
or in a block time format. A block-time format may include daily,
weekly, monthly, yearly, etc. information. As stated above
marketing information may include information such as the program
recorded, the number of times an advertisement is accessed, the
time at which the advertisement was accessed, etc., and/or include
demographic information associated with a user's account.
[0047] Turning now to FIG. 7, a program advertisement screen 700
shows one example of how advertisements may be selected and
displayed in accordance with the present invention. Program
advertisement screen 700 may include a cursor 710, a
metadata-selected advertisement 720, a scene 730, and order button
740. Scene 730 shows a scene in which the user may select an
object. Cursor 710 may be controlled by a user through a user
input, as described in detail above, and may also be utilized by a
user to select an object within the viewing plane of a video
device, as depicted in scene 730. Selected advertisement 720 shows
a displayed advertisement for the user selected object. If desired,
the user may then select order button 740 to order the selected
item. The selected item may be charged to a user credit card
number, a user's account, and/of any other method or purchasing
items from a remote location.
[0048] Screen 700 is merely illustrative of screens and methods
that may be used to select and display metadata selected
advertisements. Any suitable screens and methods of displaying
advertisements may be used in accordance with the present
invention.
[0049] Thus, systems and methods for providing metadata-linked
advertisements are provided. Persons skilled in the art will
appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other
than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of
illustration rather than of limitation, and that the present
invention is limited only by the claims that follow.
* * * * *