System for Data Management and On-Demand Rental and Purchase of Digital Data Products

US 20140136325A1
Filed: 01/18/2014
Published: 05/15/2014
Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1997
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1-54. -54. (canceled)

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Abstract

A system for handling data and transactions involving data through the use of a virtual transaction zone, which virtual transaction zone removes the dependency of such transaction on the delivery medium of the product. The invention may reside and operate on a variety of electronic devices such as televisions, VCRs, DVDs, personal computers, WebTV, any other known electronic recorder/player, or as a stand alone unit. The transaction zone also provides a mechanism for combining mediums, data feeds, and manipulation of those feeds. The transaction zone also provides a mechanism for controlling the content, delivery, and timing of delivery of the end consumer'"'"'s product.

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109 Claims

1-54. -54. (canceled)

55. A system for providing targeted advertising to a multimedia content consumer, comprising:
- at least one storage device for storing digital multimedia content, wherein the digital multimedia content comprises specifically identified advertising data;
  
  means for selecting advertising data based upon suitability data associated with an end user that is suitable for targeting to the end user to produce targeted advertising data and for storing the targeted advertising data in said at least one storage device;
  
  processing circuitry with software configured to access the targeted advertising data from said at least one storage device; and
  
  means for making the targeted advertising data available to the end user.
- View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
- - 56. The system of claim 55, further comprising at least one addressable and reserved data storage unit for storing the targeted advertising data.
  - 57. The system of claim 56, further comprising:
    - a central control unit that is operably coupled with a server, wherein said at least one addressable and reserved data storage unit is located within an end user receiver device and wherein said central control unit communicates with the end user receiver device to configure the end user receiver device to receive the specifically identified advertising data from the server and to store the specifically identified advertising data in the at least one addressable and reserved data storage unit.
  - 58. The system of claim 57, wherein a selective plurality of said addressable and reserved storage units are configured for rental by an advertising provider for delivery of the targeted advertising data to a plurality of end user receivers.
  - 59. The system of claim 56, wherein the specifically identified advertising data is processed to produce advertising data that is suitable for targeting to a second end user based upon suitability data specific to the second end user and to store the advertising data that is suitable to a second end user in a second one of said addressable and reserved data storage unit.
  - 60. The system of claim 55, wherein the suitability data is collected in a manner selected from the group consisting of monitoring at least one activity of an end user, monitoring a search routine of an end user, monitoring a key word, monitoring a selection of media content by an end user, monitoring a selection of television programming by an end user, monitoring an advertising preference of an end user, monitoring a product purchase by an end user, and combinations thereof.
  - 61. The system of claim 55, wherein the digital multimedia content is selected from the group consisting of video content, audio content, audio/video content, television programming, a motion picture, Internet content, a video catalog, a video subscription program, video-on-demand, pay-per-view programming, a computer video game, an electronic book or magazine, an audio book, print material, video graphic material, fee based content, news programming, entertainment programming, and combinations thereof.
  - 62. The system of claim 55, wherein the specifically identified advertising data comprises multi-formatted advertising data and wherein said processing circuitry is configured to produce a particular advertisement format that said system identifies as suitable for targeting to an end user by matching the particular advertisement format with suitability data associated with the end user.
  - 63. The system of claim 55, wherein said processing circuitry is configured to dynamically merge the targeted advertising data with digital media content for presenting the targeted advertising data to an end user during playback of the digital media content.
  - 64. The system of claim 63, further comprising means for combining the targeted advertising data with the digital media content to a create combined digital media content, wherein the combined digital media content is rented content and wherein the control data is configured to enact an automatic virtual return of the rented content upon expiration of a defined rental period, and wherein the system is configured to issue a notification of the automatic virtual return to a content provider
  - 65. The system of claim 63, wherein said processing circuitry is configured to locate an existing advertising segment within the digital media content and to substitute the targeted advertising data for the existing advertising segment.
  - 66. The system of claim 63, further comprising:
    - means for combining the targeted advertising data with the digital media content to create combined digital media content, wherein the combined digital media content and control data are configured for transfer to a portable digital device and whereby the control data is configured to control at least one restriction for use of the combined digital media content.
  - 67. The system of claim 66, wherein the combined digital media content is rented content and the control data is configured to enact an automatic virtual return of the rented content upon expiration of a defined rental period.
  - 68. The system of claim 67, wherein said system is a commercial based system, and wherein said commercial based system is operably coupled with a central control database located remotely from said commercial based system, wherein said central control database manages the delivery of the digital multimedia content and the specifically identified digital advertising data for receipt by said commercial based system and wherein said rented content is dispensed to an end user customer by said commercial based system upon completion of a rental transaction for rental of the rented content by the end user customer.
  - 69. The system of claim 66, further comprising:
    - at least one record of the transfer of the combined digital media content to the portable digital device, said record comprising at least one record from a group consisting of an identification of the combined digital media content, an identification of at least one restriction on use of the combined digital media content, and an identification of the portable digital media device, an identification of an end user account, an identification of a rental transaction, a notification of a virtual return of the combined digital content, and combinations thereof that can be monitored by a content provider of said at least one record.
  - 70. The system of claim 66, wherein the portable digital device is selected from the group consisting of a portable digital memory device, a DVD, a CD, a wireless telephone, a portable computer, a personal digital assistant device (PDA), a hand held computer, a portable multimedia receiver, a portable media player, a portable configuration of an end user receiver, and combinations thereof.
  - 71. The system of claim 55, wherein the digital multimedia content is selected from the group consisting of video content, audio content, audio/video content, television programming, a motion picture, Internet content, a video catalog, a video subscription program, video-on-demand, pay-per-view programming, a computer video game, an electronic book or magazine, an audio book, print material, video graphic material, fee based content, news programming, entertainment programming, and combinations thereof.
  - 72. The system of claim 55, wherein a selective plurality of said addressable and reserved storage units are configured for rental by an advertising provider for delivery of the targeted advertising data to a plurality of end user receivers.
  - 73. The system of claim 55, wherein the targeted advertising data is configured for presentation to an end user by a method of presentation selected from the group consisting of a dynamic insertion of the targeted digital advertising data in or around a user selected media program, a transfer of the targeted advertising data to a second end user device, a menu screen, a header, a footer, an picture in picture, a split screen, an overlay, a keyword search item, and combinations thereof.

74. A device for a digital video recorder for providing multimedia digital content and targeted advertising to an end user, comprising:
- at least one input connection for receiving digital multimedia content, wherein the digital multimedia content comprises specifically identified advertising data;
  
  at least one storage device for storing the digital multimedia content;
  
  at least one addressable and reserved data storage unit for storing the specifically identified advertising data;
  
  means for selecting advertising data based upon suitability data associated with an end user that is suitable for targeting to the end user to produce targeted advertising data; and
  
  processing circuitry with software configured to access the targeted advertising data from the at least one addressable and reserved data storage unit for presenting the targeted advertising data to the end user.
- View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
- - 75. The device of claim 74, wherein said processing circuitry is configured to dynamically merge the targeted advertising data with digital media content stored in said at least one storage device and to present the targeted advertising data to the end user during playback of the digital media content.
  - 76. The device of claim 75, wherein the targeted advertising data is advertising data identified as suitable to the end user based upon said selection by the end user of the digital media content for storage in said at least one storage device.
  - 77. The device of claim 75, wherein the digital media content is rented content, wherein said software comprises programming for interpreting control data for controlling at least one restriction for use of the digital media content, wherein the control data is configured to enact an automatic virtual return of the digital media content upon expiration of a defined rental period, and wherein the system is configured to issue a notification of the automatic virtual return to a content provider.
  - 78. The device of claim 74, wherein said software comprises programming for locating an existing advertising segment within digital media content and to substitute the targeted advertising data for the existing advertising segment.
  - 79. The device of claim 74, further comprising means for collecting the suitability data, wherein said means for collecting suitability data is selected from the group consisting of monitoring at least one activity of at least one end user, monitoring an interaction with said device, monitoring a search activity of an end user, monitoring a key word, monitoring selection of said multimedia content, monitoring selection of television programming, monitoring product purchases, and combinations thereof.
  - 80. The device of claim 74, wherein the specifically identified advertising data comprises multi-formatted data comprising a plurality of advertisements and wherein said software comprises software for configuring said processing circuitry to select a particular advertisement from said plurality of advertisements for targeting to an end user based upon suitability data associated with the end user.
  - 81. The device of claim 74, wherein said software comprises programming to dynamically merge the targeted advertising data with digital media content received by said device in real time for the presentation of the targeted advertising data during playback of the digital media content while the digital media content is being received in real time.
  - 82. The device of claim 81, wherein the targeted advertising data is combined with the digital media content and stored in said at least one storage device for subsequent playback.
  - 83. The device of claim 81, wherein said software further comprises programming configured for locating an existing advertising segment within the digital media content and to substitute the targeted advertising data for the existing advertising segment.
  - 84. The device of claim 74, wherein said device is configured to conduct two way communications with a central control unit located remotely from said device and wherein said at least one addressable and reserved data storage unit is monitored and controlled by the central control to configure the device to receive and store the specifically identified advertising data in the at least one addressable and reserved storage unit for presenting the targeted advertising to the end user.
  - 85. The device of claim 83, wherein the targeted advertising data is merged with digital media content to create combined digital media content and wherein the combined digital media content is made accessible to a second end user device via communications with the central control unit.
  - 86. The device of claim 74, wherein said specifically identified advertising data is processed to produce advertising data that is suitable for targeting to a second end user based upon suitability data specific to the second end user and to store the advertising data that is suitable to a second end user in a second of said at least one addressable and reserved data storage unit.
  - 87. The device of claim 74, wherein the targeted advertising data is configured for the presentation to an end user by a method of presentation selected from the group consisting of an insertion of the targeted advertising data within a media program, a transfer of the targeted advertising data to a second end user device, a menu screen, a header, a footer, a picture in picture, a split screen, an overlay, an audio playback, a graphics presentation, and combinations thereof.
  - 88. The device of claim 74, wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a digital video recorder, a digital television set top box, a multimedia digital receiver, a digital media player, an Internet connected computer, said device combined with a computer video game player, a portable digital media player, a portable digital recorder, a portable digital assistant device (PDA), a wireless telephone, a portable computer, a web connected automobile media player, and combinations thereof.

89. A system for providing targeted advertising to a plurality of multimedia content consumers, comprising:
- at least one storage device for storing digital multimedia content, wherein at least one digital multimedia content comprises specifically identified digital advertising data;
  
  processing circuitry comprising software configured to select advertising data based upon suitability data associated with an end user that is suitable for targeting to the end user to produce targeted advertising data;
  
  means for configuring a memory device for storing the targeted advertising data;
  
  a central control unit operably coupled with an advertising data server configured by said central control unit to automatically deliver the targeted advertising data to at least one end user receiver,wherein said central control unit manages the delivery of the targeted advertising data for storing in the memory device.
- View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
- - 90. The system of claim 89, wherein the memory device comprises at least one addressable and reserved data storage unit for storing the targeted advertising data.
  - 91. The system of claim 90, wherein the memory device comprising at least one addressable and reserved storage unit is located within the at least one end user receiver and wherein said central control unit is operably communicative with the at least one end user receiver for configuring the at least one end user receiver to receive the targeted advertising data and to store the targeted advertising data in the at least one addressable and reserved storage unit.
  - 92. The system of claim 91, wherein the targeted advertising data is configured for presentation to an end user by a method of presentation selected from the group consisting of a dynamic insertion of the targeted advertising data in or around a selected media program, a transfer of the targeted advertising data to a second end user device, a menu screen, a header, a footer, an picture in picture, a split screen, an overlay, an audio playback, a graphics presentation, a keyword search, and combinations thereof.
  - 93. The system of claim 91, wherein said central control unit comprises software to program said at least one end user receiver to access the targeted advertising data from the memory and to dynamically merge the targeted advertising data with digital media content pre-stored in the at least one end user receiver for presentation of the targeted advertising during playback of the digital media content.
  - 94. The system of claim 93, wherein said software comprises programming to dynamically merge the targeted advertising data with the digital media content by locating an existing advertising segment within the digital media content and substituting the targeted advertising data for the existing advertising segment.
  - 95. The system of claim 93, wherein said software comprises programming to merge the targeted advertising data with the digital media content to produce combined digital media content and wherein the combined digital media content is made accessible to a second end user receiver via omnidirectional communications with said central control unit.
  - 96. The system of claim 89, wherein the targeted advertising data is configured for presentation to an end user by a method of presentation selected from the group consisting of a dynamic insertion of the targeted advertising data in or around a selected media program, a transfer of the targeted advertising data to a second end user device, a menu screen, a header, a footer, an picture in picture, a split screen, an overlay, an audio playback, a graphics presentation, a keyword search, and combinations thereof.
  - 97. The system of claim 89, wherein said system is configured to automatically produce at least one optimal advertising placement option for targeting suitable advertising data to at least one end user based upon at least one factor from a group consisting of a total number of customers, a customer profile data analysis, a customer suitability data, customer demographics, an available storage space within an end user receiver, available advertising formats, available advertising schedules, advertising rates, ad placement timing, program schedules, product showcase schedules and cost effectiveness can combinations thereof, and wherein the suitable advertising data is delivered to a plurality of end user receivers according to a selected advertising placement option.
  - 98. The system of claim 89, wherein said central control unit is configured to collect the suitability data and wherein the suitability data is collected in a manner selected from the group consisting of monitoring at least one activity of at least one an end user, monitoring a search routine of an end user, monitoring an interaction with said programmable receiver by an end user, monitoring a key word search, monitoring selection of media content, monitoring selection of television programming, monitoring product purchases, examining demographics, collecting end user profile data, and combinations thereof.

99. A system for providing on demand delivery of multimedia digital content and targeted advertising to at least one end user, comprising:
- a storage device located remotely from an end user receiver for storing multimedia digital content;
  
  means for enabling an end user to program said system to record a specifically identified digital media content for storing in said storage device;
  
  processing circuitry with software configured to select advertising data based upon suitability data associated with the end user that is identified as suitable for targeting to said end user to produce targeted advertising data;
  
  an account transaction server operably coupled with said storage device and said end user receiver for managing the on demand delivery of the specifically identified digital media content and the targeted advertising data to said end user receiver.
- View Dependent Claims (100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109)
- - 100. The system of claim 99, further comprising at least one addressable and reserved data storage unit for storing the targeted advertising data.
  - 101. The system of claim 100, wherein said processing circuitry is configured to access the targeted advertising data stored in said at least one addressable and reserved storage unit and to dynamically merge the targeted advertising data with the specifically identified digital media content to create combined digital media content and wherein the combined digital media content is delivered on demand to the end user receiver for presentation of the targeted advertising data during playback of the combined digital media content.
  - 102. The system of claim 101, wherein said processing circuitry is configured to locate an existing advertising segment within the specifically identified digital media content and to substitute the targeted advertising data for the existing advertising segment.
  - 103. The system of claim 101, wherein the advertising data comprises at least one alternative advertisement that is identified as being suitable for targeting to a second end user and wherein the at least one alternative advertisement is selected for presenting to a second end user based upon the suitability data specific to the second end user.
  - 104. The system of claim 101, wherein said account transaction server is configured for two way communications with a second end user receiver that is identified by said system as associated with a particular end user account, wherein said account transaction server configures the second end user receiver to receive the combined digital media content, and wherein the combined digital media content is delivered to the second end user receiver on demand.
  - 105. The system of claim 99, wherein the suitability data is collected for identifying advertising data that is suitable for targeting the end user, and wherein the suitability data is collected in a manner selected from the group consisting of monitoring at least one activity of an end user, monitoring a search activity of an end user, monitoring an interaction with said programmable receiver by an end user, monitoring a key word, monitoring selection of said specifically identified digital multimedia content, monitoring selection of television programming, monitoring an advertising preference, monitoring product purchases, examining demographics, collecting end user profile data, and combinations thereof.
  - 106. The system of claim 99, wherein the targeted advertising data is selected based upon the selection by the end user of the specifically identified digital media content for recording in said storage device.
  - 107. The system of claim 99, wherein the specifically identified digital media content is rented content, wherein control data for controlling at least one restriction for use of the specifically identified digital media content is delivered to the end user receiver, wherein the control data is used to enact an automatic virtual return of the rented content upon expiration of a defined rental period, and wherein a notification of the virtual return of the rented content is provided to a content provider.
  - 108. The system of claim 99, wherein the suitable advertising data is presented to an end user by a method of presentation selected from the group consisting of a dynamic insertion of the targeted advertising data in or around a selected media program, a transfer of the targeted advertising data to a second end user device, a menu screen, a header, a footer, an picture in picture, a split screen, an overlay, an audio playback, a graphics presentation, a keyword search, and combinations thereof.
  - 109. The system of claim 99, wherein the digital multimedia content is content selected from the group consisting of video content, audio content, audio/video content, television programming, a motion picture, Internet content, a video catalog, a video subscription program, video-on-demand, pay-per-view programming, a computer video game, an electronic book or magazine, an audio book, print material, video graphic material, fee based content, news or entertainment programming, and combinations thereof.

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Current Assignee
Customedia Technologies, L.L.C.
Original Assignee
Customedia Technologies, L.L.C.
Inventors
Lewis, William Henry

Granted Patent

US 9,053,494 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

705/14.53
CPC Class Codes

G06Q 30/0225   Avoiding frauds

G06Q 30/0235   constrained by time limit o...

G06Q 30/0241   Advertisements

G06Q 30/0255   based on user history

G06Q 30/0269   based on user profile or at...

G11B 27/28   by using information signal...

H04N 21/2543   Billing , e.g. for subscrip...

H04N 21/278   Content descriptor database...

H04N 21/4325   by playing back content fro...

H04N 21/4331   Caching operations, e.g. of...

H04N 21/4334   Recording operations record...

H04N 21/4622   Retrieving content or addit...

H04N 21/4627   Rights management associate...

H04N 21/4751   for defining user accounts,...

H04N 21/4753   for user identification, e....

H04N 21/6581   Reference data, e.g. a movi...

H04N 5/44   Receiver circuitry for the ...

H04N 5/76   Television signal recording

H04N 5/765   Interface circuits between ...

H04N 5/775   between a recording apparat...

H04N 5/93 : Regeneration of the televis...

H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of pro...

H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; A...

H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processin...

H04N 9/87 : Regeneration of colour tele...

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System for Data Management and On-Demand Rental and Purchase of Digital Data Products

First Claim

1 Assignment

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

9 Citations

109 Claims

Specification

Solutions

Use Cases

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System for Data Management and On-Demand Rental and Purchase of Digital Data Products

First Claim

1 Assignment

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

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Abstract

9 Citations

109 Claims

Specification

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Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links