# US 8,544,039 B2 · Method and apparatus for distributing consumer advertisements

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- Number: US 8,544,039 B2
- Document ID: US8544039B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/202,558
- Filed: 2008-09-02
- Published: 2010-03-04
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2008-09-02
- Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
- Applicants: E-Lee Chang; John R. Stefanik; Charles Patrick Bradley; Tuck Seng Tan; Darnell Clayton; Madhur Khandelwal
- Inventors: E-Lee Chang; John R. Stefanik; Charles Patrick Bradley; Tuck Seng Tan; Darnell Clayton; Madhur Khandelwal
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8544039B2

## CPC

- H04N 7/17318: {Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests}
- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- H04N 21/2543: Billing {, e.g. for subscription services (payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21)}
- H04N 21/25883: {being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address (arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52)}
- 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 21/47815: {Electronic shopping (payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12)}
- H04N 21/6582: {Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number (arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38)}
- H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)}
- H04L 12/1859: {adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels}
- H04L 61/106: across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
- 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
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set-top box (STB) having a controller to present a plurality of advertisement categories, detect a selection of one of the plurality of advertisement categories, present an advertisement template associated with the selected advertisement category, detect a plurality of entries in the advertisement template for constructing a consumer classified advertisement, generate an advertisement graphical user interface (GUI) corresponding to the entries, detect one or more demographic patterns in the plurality of entries, identify a plurality of users of a media communication system from which the STB operates according to the detected one or more demographic patterns, and provide the plurality of users of the media communication system accessibility to the advertisement GUI. Other embodiments are disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A set-top box, comprising:
a memory having computer instructions; and
a controller device coupled to the memory, wherein the controller device when executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:
presenting a plurality of advertisement categories;
detecting a selection of a selected one of the plurality of advertisement categories;
presenting an advertisement template associated with the selected one of the plurality of advertisement categories;
detecting a plurality of entries in the advertisement template for constructing a consumer classified advertisement;
generating an advertisement graphical user interface corresponding to the entries;
detecting a behavioral pattern from the plurality of entries detected in the advertisement template;
identifying a plurality of targeted users of a media communication system according to the behavioral pattern, wherein the controller device operates in the media communication system;
presenting a plurality of previews of the advertisement graphical user interface, each of the plurality of previews differing from each other based on display characteristics corresponding to different computing devices;
providing, to equipment of the plurality of targeted users of the media communication system, accessibility to the advertisement graphical user interface;
presenting to the equipment of the plurality of targeted users an auctioning process for submitting bids for purchasing a good or a service presented in the advertisement graphical user interface;
receiving a bid from equipment of a targeted user of the plurality of targeted users;
determining an identifier of a user of the set top box that generated the consumer classified advertisement; and
presenting the bid to equipment of the user of the set-top box that generated the consumer classified advertisement.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The set top box of claim 1, wherein the controller device when executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising notifying the equipment of the targeted user of the plurality of targeted users of the consumer classified advertisement, wherein the different computing devices comprise another set top box and a television.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The set top box of claim 1, wherein the controller device when executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:
presenting an offer to the equipment of the plurality of targeted users of the media communication system with the advertisement graphical user interface; and
notifying a billing system responsive to detecting an affirmative acceptance of the offer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The set top box of claim 1, wherein the bid is presented by way of a media presentation device operably coupled to the set top box.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The set top box of claim 1, wherein the determining of the identifier of the user of the set top box that generated the consumer classified advertisement corresponds to a communication identifier of a communication device of the user, and wherein the presenting of the bid at to the equipment of the user of the set-top box that generated the classified advertisement comprises transmitting the bid to the equipment of the user of the set top box that generated the classified advertisement according to the communication identifier.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The set top box of claim 5, wherein the communication identifier comprises one of an E.164 number or a session initiation protocol uniform resource identifier.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The set top box of claim 1, wherein the controller device when executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:
detecting one of a demographic pattern, a psychographic pattern, or a combination thereof with the plurality of entries;
identifying the plurality of targeted users of the media communication system according to the one of the demographic pattern the psychographic pattern, or the combination thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The set top box of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of targeted users has a consumption behavioral profile that is similar to the one of the demographic pattern, the psychographic pattern, or the combination thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The set top box of claim 1, wherein the media communication system monitors a consumption behavior of each of its users and determines therefrom a behavioral profile of its users.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The set top box of claim 1, wherein the media communication system corresponds to one of an internet protocol multimedia subsystem communication system, an internet protocol television communication system, a cable television communication system, a satellite television communication system, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 11

A network element of a media communication system, comprising:
a memory having computer instructions; and
a controller device coupled to the memory, wherein the controller device when executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:
receiving from a media processor a request to advertise a good or a service of a user of the media processor;
presenting the media processor with a plurality of advertisement categories;
detecting from the media processor a selection of a selected one of the plurality of advertisement categories;
presenting the media processor with an advertisement template associated with the selected one of the plurality of advertisement categories;
detecting at the media processor a plurality of entries in the advertisement template;
generating an advertisement user interface corresponding to the plurality of entries;
detecting a behavioral pattern in one of the plurality of entries, other sources of behavioral data associated with the user, or a combination thereof;
identifying a plurality of targeted subscribers of the media communication system with a behavioral profile similar to the behavioral pattern;
providing a plurality of previews of the advertisement user interface for presentation by way of the media processor, each of the plurality of previews differing from each other based on display characteristics corresponding to different computing devices;
distributing the advertisement user interface to equipment of the plurality of targeted subscribers;
presenting to the equipment of the plurality of targeted subscribers an auctioning process for submitting bids for purchasing a good or a service presented in the advertisement user interface;
receiving a bid from equipment of a subscriber of the plurality of targeted subscribers;
receiving a communication identification of the media processor of a user that generated the advertisement user interface; and
presenting the bid to the media processor of the user that generated the advertisement user interface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The network element of claim 11, wherein the media processor comprises a set-top box, a computer terminal, a web server, or combinations thereof, and wherein the different computing devices comprise another set top box and a television.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The network element of claim 11, wherein the controller device when executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising distributing the advertisement user interface by providing passive accessibility to the advertisement user interface by way of a media processor of each of the plurality of targeted subscribers.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The network element of claim 11, wherein the controller device when executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising distributing the advertisement user interface by notifying the equipment of each of the plurality of targeted subscribers of a service or product offered in the advertisement user interface.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The network element of claim 11, wherein the controller device when executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:
presenting at the media processor an offer to equipment of target subscribers of the media communication system with the advertisement user interface; and
recording a fee applied to a billing statement of the media processor responsive to detecting an affirmative acceptance of the offer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The network element of claim 11, wherein the presenting of the bid to the media processor of the user that generated the advertisement user interface comprises presenting the bid by way of a media presentation device operably coupled to the media processor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The network element of claim 11, wherein the communication identification of the media processor of the user that generated the advertisement user interface corresponds to a communication identifier of a communication device of the user that generated the advertisement user interface, wherein the presenting of the bid comprises transmitting the presentation of the bid to the communication device according to the communication identifier of the communication device of the user that generated the advertisement user interface, and wherein the communication identifier of the communication device of the user that generated the advertisement user interface comprises one of an E.164 number or a session initiation protocol uniform resource identifier.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The network element of claim 11, wherein the media communication system corresponds to an internet protocol multimedia subsystem communication system, an internet protocol television system communication system, a cable television communication system, a satellite television communication system, or combinations thereof, and wherein the plurality of entries comprises a link to another webpage user interface that includes one of media content, advertisements, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The network element of claim 11, wherein the other sources of behavioral data comprise one of usage behavior data collected from a communication device of a targeted subscriber of the plurality of targeted subscribers, usage behavior data collected from subscriber account information of the targeted subscriber of the plurality of targeted subscribers, usage behavior data collected from user preferences supplied by equipment of the targeted subscriber of the plurality of targeted subscribers, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 20

A method comprising:
receiving by a network element comprising processor, a request to advertise a good or a service of a user of a media processor;
presenting, by the network element, a plurality of advertisement categories;
detecting, by the network element, a selection of a selected one of the plurality of advertisement categories;
presenting, by the network element, an advertisement template associated with the selected one of the plurality of advertisement categories;
generating, by the network element, an advertisement user interface corresponding to a plurality of entries detected at the media processor;
detecting, by the network element, a behavioral pattern in one of the plurality of entries, other sources of behavioral data associated with the user, or combinations thereof;
identifying, by the network element, a plurality of targeted subscribers of a media communication system with a behavioral profile similar to the behavioral pattern;
providing, by the network element, a plurality of previews of the advertisement user interface for presentation by way of the media processor, each of the plurality of previews differing from each other based on display characteristics corresponding to different computing devices;
distributing, by the network element, the advertisement user interface to equipment of the plurality of targeted subscribers;
presenting, by the network element, an auctioning process to the equipment of the plurality of targeted subscribers for submitting bids for purchasing a good or a service presented in the advertisement user interface;
receiving, by the network element, a bid from equipment of a subscriber of the plurality of targeted subscribers;
receiving, by the network element, a communication identification of the media processor of a user that generated the advertisement user interface; and
presenting, by the network element, the bid to the media processor of the user that generated the advertisement user interface.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further comprising distributing, by the network element, the advertisement user interface by notifying each of the plurality of targeted subscribers of a service or product offered in the advertisement user interface.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further comprising:
presenting, by the network element, an offer by way of the media processor to target subscribers of the media communication system with the advertisement user interface; and
recording, by the network element, a fee applied to a billing statement of the media processor responsive to detecting an affirmative acceptance of the offer.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the presenting, by the network element, of the bid to the media processor comprises presenting the bid by way of a media presentation device operably coupled to the media processor.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the communication identification of the media processor corresponds to a communication identifier of a communication device associated with the media processor, wherein the presenting of the bid comprises transmitting the presentation of the bid to the communication device according to the communication identifier of the communication device, and wherein the communication identifier of the communication device comprises one of an E.164 number or a session initiation protocol uniform resource identifier.

### Claim 25 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the media communication system corresponds to an internet protocol multimedia subsystem communication system, an internet protocol television system communication system, a cable television communication system, a satellite television communication system, or combinations thereof, and wherein the plurality of entries comprises a link to another webpage user interface that includes one of media content, advertisements, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 26 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the other sources of behavioral data comprise one of usage behavior data collected from a communication device of a targeted subscriber of the plurality of targeted subscribers, usage behavior data collected from subscriber account information of the targeted subscriber of the plurality of targeted subscribers, usage behavior data collected from user preferences supplied by the equipment of the targeted subscriber of the plurality of targeted subscribers, or combinations thereof.