Title:
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TARGETING OF INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL OBJECTS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2003032640
Kind Code:
A8
Abstract:
A method and an apparatus are used to target interactive virtual objects to subscribers in a television delivery system. Programs are selected and virtual object locations are defined in the selected programs. The virtual objects (1265) available for targeting categorized and categories are correlated to subscriber information (1210) to determine the optimum targeting of the virtual objects (1260). The virtual objects may be targeted (1220) based on individual subscriber information (1210) or on information related to a group of subscribers. When a frame of program includes a virtual object location, a default or an alternate virtual objects is displayed. The virtual object location may change over space or time. The virtual object may be interactive, and may be used to link a subscriber to a remote location, such as an Internet web site. The television terminals record which virtual objects were displayed and report this information back to the headends and the operations center. The reported information is used to generate billing for commercial advertisers and to analyze viewer watching habits.
More Like This:
Inventors:
HENDRICKS JOHN S
BONNER ALFRED E
MCCOSKEY JOHN S
ASMUSSEN MICHAEL L
BONNER ALFRED E
MCCOSKEY JOHN S
ASMUSSEN MICHAEL L
Application Number:
PCT/US2002/032129
Publication Date:
May 15, 2003
Filing Date:
October 10, 2002
Export Citation:
Assignee:
DISCOVERY COMMUNICAT INC (US)
International Classes:
H04H20/38; H04H20/93; H04H60/33; H04H60/64; H04N5/445; H04N5/60; H04N7/088; H04N7/10; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/24; H04M1/57; H04N5/44; H04N5/45; (IPC1-7): H04N7/16; H04N7/10; H04N7/025; H04N7/173
Download PDF: