Systems and methods for providing targeted advertisements based on current activity

Abstract

An interactive television application is provided in which advertisements may be targeted based on current media. Targeted advertisements may be displayed in displays such as program guide information screens and video overlays. Advertisements are targeted and selected for display or excluded from display based on identifying which advertisements are associated with a current media or recently watched media. Media groupings are provided to associate media with groups of advertisements. Selection of advertisements for each media grouping can be based on programs, channels, network affilitation, sponsorship, genre or other suitable criteria.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 239,356, respectively, filed October 11, 2000, the entire contents of which application are hereby incorporated by reference into this application. technical field [0003] The present invention relates to interactive television applications, and more particularly to interactive television applications that provide hit advertisements. Background technique [0004] In conventional interactive television applications, advertisements are provided to users in the form of graphical displays. Such known systems have deficiencies in adequately matching and identifying advertisements that are relevant to, or appropriately matching, the user's current interests. [0005] Hitting targets have been used in some known systems to hit user preferences. However, a drawback of such systems is that while there may be a group of users watching television t...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, the drawback of such systems is that while there may be a group of users watching TV together, they still routinely hit ads for individual users' personal likes or dislikes

In addition, such systems are also deficient in that they typically miss impulse hits because such systems identify hits by monitoring the user's activity over time for a user's preferences that have been identified

Another drawback may be that even though a user may be watching television with other users having different interests, it is possible in such a system to hit the ad for the preferences of the user currently logged into the system

[0006] In addition, some known systems are deficient in having sufficient links between programs and / or channels and advertisements associated with the programs or channels so that when a particular one of the programs or channels is displayed Market Opportunities Emerging in Residence

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