System and method for metadata-linked advertisements

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing metadata-selected advertisements are provided. These systems and methods may receive metadata and other media, select an object, read metadata attached to or associated with the selected object, select an advertisement based on the metadata, and display the selected advertisement. In addition, monitoring, collecting, and recording of predefined data concerning metadata selected advertisements may be provided. The invention also provides a receiver for receiving signals and/or data (e.g., programs, advertisements, program guides, metadata, etc.) and a processor for accepting a user's input signal, selecting an object, reading metadata attached to or associated with a selected object, selecting an advertisement, and displaying the selected advertisement.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing advertisements with other media comprising: 
 selecting an object within a viewing plane of a viewing device;    reading metadata associated with the object; and    selecting an advertisement based on the metadata.    
     
     
         2 . The method of    claim 1    further comprising displaying the advertisement on the viewing device.  
     
     
         3 . The method of    claim 1    wherein the selecting of the object is based on user input.  
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 1    further comprising receiving the metadata.  
     
     
         5 . The method of    claim 4    wherein the metadata is received within other media.  
     
     
         6 . The method of    claim 4    wherein the metadata is received on a broadcast channel on which other media is also received.  
     
     
         7 . The method of    claim 4    wherein the metadata is received on a separate broadcast channel from other media.  
     
     
         8 . The method of    claim 1    further comprising storing the metadata.  
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 8    wherein the metadata is stored on a single storage device.  
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 8    wherein the metadata is stored on a plurality of storage devices.  
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 1    further comprising receiving the advertisement.  
     
     
         12 . The method of    claim 11    wherein the advertisement received is received within other media.  
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 11    wherein the advertisement is received on a broadcast channel on which other media is also received.  
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 11    wherein the advertisement is received on a separate broadcast channel from other media.  
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 1    further comprising storing the advertisement.  
     
     
         16 . The method of    claim 15    wherein the advertisement is stored on a single storage device.  
     
     
         17 . The method of    claim 15    wherein the advertisement is stored on a plurality of storage devices.  
     
     
         18 . A method for providing advertisements with other media comprising: 
 receiving metadata;    reading metadata;    selecting an advertisement based on the metadata; and    displaying the advertisement.    
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 18    wherein the metadata received is received within other media.  
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 18    wherein the metadata is received on a broadcast channel on which other media is also received.  
     
     
         21 . The method of    claim 18    wherein the metadata is received on a separate broadcast channel from other media.  
     
     
         22 . The method of    claim 18    further comprising storing the metadata.  
     
     
         23 . The method of    claim 22    wherein the metadata is stored on a single storage device.  
     
     
         24 . The method of    claim 22    wherein the metadata is stored on a plurality of storage devices.  
     
     
         25 . The method of    claim 18    further comprising receiving the advertisement.  
     
     
         26 . The method of    claim 25    wherein the advertisement is received within other media.  
     
     
         27 . The method of    claim 25    wherein the advertisement is received on a broadcast channel on which other media is also received.  
     
     
         28 . The method of    claim 25    wherein the metadata is received on a separate broadcast channel from other media.  
     
     
         29 . The method of    claim 18    further comprising storing an advertisement.  
     
     
         30 . The method of    claim 29    wherein the advertisement is stored on a single storage device.  
     
     
         31 . The method of    claim 29    wherein the advertisement is stored on a plurality of storage devices.  
     
     
         32 . A method for providing advertisements with other media comprising: 
 reading metadata;    downloading an advertisement based on the metadata; and    displaying the advertisement.    
     
     
         33 . The method of    claim 32    wherein the metadata contains a source address.  
     
     
         34 . The method of    claim 33    wherein the source address is a Uniform Resource Locator.  
     
     
         35 . The method of    claim 33    wherein the source address is a telephone number.  
     
     
         36 . A method for providing information about a metadata-selected advertisement comprising: 
 monitoring the metadata-selected advertisement;    collecting data on the metadata-selected advertisement; and    recording the data.    
     
     
         37 . A system for providing advertisements with other media comprising: 
 a receiver that receives metadata;    a user input device that receives a user input; and    a processor that selects an object, that reads metadata associated with the object, that selects an advertisement based on the metadata of the object, and that causes the advertisement to be displayed.    
     
     
         38 . The system of    claim 37    wherein the processor selects the object based on the user input.  
     
     
         39 . The system of    claim 37    wherein the receiver also receives other media.  
     
     
         40 . The system of    claim 37    wherein the receiver receives the metadata on a broadcast channel on which the receiver also receives other media.  
     
     
         41 . The system of    claim 37    wherein the receiver receives the metadata on a different broadcast channel from other media.  
     
     
         42 . The system of    claim 37    further comprising a storage unit that stores metadata.  
     
     
         43 . A system for providing advertisements with other media comprising: 
 a receiver that receives metadata; and    a processor that reads the metadata, that selects an advertisement based on the metadata, and that causes the selected advertisement to be displayed.    
     
     
         44 . The system of    claim 43    wherein the receiver also receives other media.  
     
     
         45 . The system of    claim 43    wherein the receiver receives the metadata on a broadcast channel on which the receiver receives other media.  
     
     
         46 . The system of    claim 43    wherein the receiver receives metadata on a different broadcast channel from other media.  
     
     
         47 . The system of    claim 43    further comprising a storage unit that stores the metadata.  
     
     
         48 . A system for providing advertisements with other media comprising: 
 a receiver that receives metadata; and    a processor that reads the metadata, that causes an advertisement to be downloaded based on information contained in the metadata, and that causes the advertisement to be displayed.    
     
     
         49 . The system of    claim 48    wherein the receiver also receives other media.  
     
     
         50 . The system of    claim 48    wherein the receiver receives the metadata on a broadcast channel on which the receiver also receives other media.  
     
     
         51 . The system of    claim 48    wherein the receiver receives metadata on a different broadcast channel from other media.  
     
     
         52 . The system of    claim 48    further comprising a storage unit that stores the metadata.  
     
     
         53 . A system for providing information about a metadata-selected advertisement comprising: 
 a receiver that receives data relating to metadata-selected advertisements;    a processor that monitors the metadata-selected advertisements, that collects the data relating to the metadata-selected advertisements, that causes the data to be recorded; and    a storage device that stores the data.