Correlating online behavior with presumed viewing of television advertisements

A machine comprising a hardware computer system, controlled by an entity independent of a television service provider, that is programmed to perform a method implemented in connection with television programs or television channels received at a first set-top box from the television service provider, the method comprising:

• (a) using a list of television programs within which the entity is responsible for delivering advertisements or allowed to deliver advertisements at a time specified by an ad request, automatically recording presumed viewing of a first television advertisement directed to the set-top box;
• and
• (b) based on the presumed viewing of the first television advertisement via the set-top box, automatically causing an action to be taken with respect to an online user interface device that is electronically associated with the set-top box;
• (c) wherein the computer system records the presumed viewing and causes the action to be taken (i) without receiving information, originating from the television service provider or from the set-top box, indicating which television program or television channel is displayed using the set-top box at the time specified by the ad request, and (ii) without receiving information, originating from the television service provider or from the set-top box, indicating whether the first television advertisement was displayed using the set-top box.

A tangible, non-transitory data storage medium comprising indicia of instructions for a programmed hardware computer system, controlled by an entity independent of a television service provider, to perform a method implemented in connection with television programs or television channels received at a first set-top box from the television service provider, the method comprising:

• (a) using a list of television programs within which the entity is responsible for delivering advertisements or allowed to deliver advertisements at a time specified by an ad request, automatically recording presumed viewing of a first television advertisement directed to the set-top box;
• and
• (b) based on the presumed viewing of the first television advertisement via the set-top box, automatically causing an action to be taken with respect to an online user interface device that is electronically associated with the set-top box;
• (c) wherein the computer system records the presumed viewing and causes the action to be taken (i) without receiving information, originating from the television service provider or from the set-top box, indicating which television program or television channel is displayed using the set-top box at the time specified by the ad request, and (ii) without receiving information, originating from the television service provider or from the set-top box, indicating whether the first television advertisement was displayed using the set-top box.