# US 11,115,727 B2 · System and method for advertising > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,115,727 B2 - Document ID: US11115727B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/453,242 - Filed: 2014-08-06 - Published: 2015-01-29 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-12 - Assignees: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Applicants: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Inventors: Sohel Khan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11115727B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)} - G06Q 30/0261: {based on user location} - G06Q 30/0264: {based upon schedule} - H04N 21/23424: {involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement} - H04N 21/235: Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors - H04N 21/2668: Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles {(information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063)} - H04N 21/478: Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application - H04N 21/63: Control signaling {related to video distribution} between client, server and network components; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients {or between remote clients}, e.g. transmitting basic layer and enhancement layers over different transmission paths, setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet between remote STB's; Communication protocols; Addressing (real-time session protocols H04L65/1101; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104) - H04N 21/633: Control signals issued by server directed to the network components or client {(management of faults, events, alarms in data networks H04L41/06)} - H04N 21/858: Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A system and method for advertising are disclosed. In an aspect, a method comprises rendering a content to a plurality of users, the content having a time duration, rendering a first selectable element associated with the content to a first one of the plurality of users at a first time during the time duration of the rendered content, and rendering a second selectable element associated with the content to a second one of the plurality of users at a second time during the time duration of the rendered content, wherein the second time is different from the first time and the first selectable element is not rendered to the first one of the plurality of users while the second selectable element is rendered to the second one of the plurality of users. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining a target group of devices; determining a first subset and a second subset of the target group of devices, wherein each of the first subset and the second subset comprises a respective plurality of devices, wherein a quantity of devices in the first subset or the second subset is based on a session capacity of a merchant system; sending, at a first time, an interactive advertisement exclusively to the first subset; sending, at a second time, the interactive advertisement exclusively to the second subset, wherein the first time is different from the second time, wherein the first time and the second time are determined randomly; receiving, from a first device of the first subset, a first interaction with the interactive advertisement; initiating a first communication session between the first device and the merchant system in response to the first interaction; receiving, from a second device of the second subset, a second interaction with the interactive advertisement; and initiating a second communication session between the second device and the merchant system in response to the second interaction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive advertisement comprises a pop-up advertisement. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first interaction comprises a first request, and wherein the first communication session is initiated in response to the first request. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the second interaction comprises a second request, and wherein the second communication session is initiated in response to the second request. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein one or more of the first communication session or the second communication session comprises a two-way communication session initiated over an internet protocol communication path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein one or more of the first communication session or the second communication session comprises a Short Message Service (SMS) message. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first subset is associated with a first geographical region, and wherein the second subset is associated with a second geographical region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication session is initiated between the first device and the merchant system via an agent of the merchant system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication session is initiated between the second device and the merchant system via an agent of the merchant system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the quantity of devices in the first subset or the second subset is updated based on a network capacity. ### Claim 11 An apparatus-comprising: one or more processors; and a memory comprising processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: determine a target group of devices; determine a first subset and a second subset of the target group of devices, wherein each of the first subset and the second subset comprises a respective plurality of devices, wherein a quantity of devices in the first subset or the second subset is based on a session capacity of a merchant system; send, at a first time, an interactive advertisement exclusively to the first subset of the target group of devices; send, at a second time, the interactive advertisement exclusively to the second subset of the target group of devices, wherein the first time is different from the second time, wherein the first time and the second time are determined randomly; receive, from a first device of the first subset, a first interaction with the interactive advertisement; initiate a first communication session between the first device and the merchant system in response to the first interaction; receive, from a second device of the second subset, a second interaction with the interactive advertisement; and initiate a second communication session between the second device and the merchant system in response to the second interaction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the interactive advertisement comprises a pop-up advertisement. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first interaction comprises a first request, and wherein the first communication session is initiated in response to the first request. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second interaction comprises a second request, and wherein the second communication session is initiated in response to the second request. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein one or more of the first communication session and the second communication session comprises a two-way communication session initiated over an internet protocol communication path. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein one or more of the first communication session and the second communication session comprises Short Message Service (SMS). ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first subset is associated with a first geographical region, and wherein the second subset is associated with a second geographical region. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first communication session is initiated between the first device and the merchant system via an agent of the merchant system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second communication session is initiated between the second device and the merchant system via an agent of the merchant system. ### Claim 20 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to: determine a target group of devices; determine a first subset and a second subset of the target group of devices, wherein each of the first subset and the second subset comprises a respective plurality of devices, wherein a quantity of devices in the first subset or the second subset is based on a session capacity of a merchant system; send, at a first time, an interactive advertisement exclusively to the first subset of the target group of devices; send, at a second time, the interactive advertisement exclusively to the second subset of the target group of devices, wherein the first time is different from the second time, wherein the first time and the second time are determined randomly; receive, from a first device of the first subset, a first interaction with the interactive advertisement; initiate a first communication session between the first device and the merchant system in response to the first interaction; receive, from a second device of the second subset, a second interaction with the interactive advertisement; and initiate a second communication session between the second device and the merchant system in response to the second interaction.