System and method for broadcasting advertisements

Abstract

A broadcast system provides consumers with inducement to consume portions in which they may not have an active interest, such as commercials. To dissuade consumers from leaving the vicinity of the broadcast receiver or from switching to other broadcasts while a first broadcast airs such a portion, the first broadcast is augmented by a second content entity calculated to be of interest to the consumer. Interaction is required of the consumer in order for him to receive the second content entity, which necessitates his presence and attention.

1 . A method for broadcasting a service, comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting a first information stream comprising first consumable content for consumption by a user; and    transmitting a second information stream comprising a first portion for interaction with a user and a second portion comprising second consumable content for consumption by the user conditionally according to a response of the user to the first portion.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first information stream further comprises commercial content.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the user must substantially consume the commercial content in the first information stream in order to receive the second consumable content in the second information stream.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the second information stream is presented during the user's consumption of the first information stream.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein both the first information stream and the second information stream are transmitted via the same broadcasting service.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first information stream and the second information stream are transmitted via different transmission media.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first information stream is transmitted via a broadcasting network and the second information stream is transmitted via a wireless telecommunication network.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second information stream is transmitted with the commercial content.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second information stream is transmitted with the first consumable content.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second information stream is transmitted in advance of at least one of the first consumable content and commercial content.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of: 
 storing the second information stream for later use.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second consumable content is stored when the commercial content is consumed.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second consumable content is presented when the commercial content is consumed.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 storing both the first information stream with the second information stream; and    presenting both the stored first information stream with the stored second information stream.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 transmitting the user's response back to a service provider via a third information stream.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of transmitting the second portion is performed after the service provider has received the user's response.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of: 
 prompting, by the first portion of the second information stream, the user to consume the commercial content in the first information stream in order to be presented with the second consumable content of the second information stream.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 prompting, by the first portion of the second information stream, the user to respond to the prompt in order to be presented with the second consumable content of the second information stream.    
   
   
       19 . A propagated signal comprising: 
 a first information stream comprising first consumable content for consumption by a user; and    a second information stream comprising a first portion for interaction with a user and a second portion comprising second consumable content for consumption by the user conditionally according to a response by the user to the first portion.    
   
   
       20 . The propagated signal of  claim 19 , wherein the first information stream further comprises commercial content.  
   
   
       21 . The propagated signal of  claim 20 , wherein the user must substantially consume the commercial content in the first information stream in order to receive the second consumable content in the second information stream.  
   
   
       22 . The propagated signal of  claim 19 , wherein the first portion of the second information stream is presented during the user's consumption of the first information stream.  
   
   
       23 . The propagated signal of  claim 19 , wherein the first information stream and the second information stream are transmitted via one of same or different transmission media.  
   
   
       24 . The propagated signal of  claim 20 , wherein the second information stream is transmitted with at least one of the commercial content and the first consumable content.  
   
   
       25 . A broadcasting system comprising: 
 a first transmitter for transmitting a first information stream comprising first consumable content for consumption by a user;    a second transmitter for transmitting a second information stream comprising a first portion for interaction with a user and a second portion comprising second consumable content for consumption by the user; and    consumer equipment comprising: 
 a first receiver for receiving the first information stream;  
 a second receiver for receiving the second information stream; and  
 a display for presenting the first information stream and the first portion of the second information stream to the user, wherein the presentation of the second consumable content to the user depends upon the user's response to the first portion.  
   
   
   
       26 . The broadcasting system of  claim 25 , wherein the first information stream further comprises commercial content.  
   
   
       27 . The broadcasting system of  claim 26 , wherein the user must substantially consume the commercial content in the first information stream in order to receive the second consumable content in the second information stream.  
   
   
       28 . The broadcasting system of  claim 25 , wherein the first portion of the second information stream is presented during the user's consumption of the first information stream.  
   
   
       29 . The broadcasting system of  claim 25 , wherein the first information stream and the second information stream are transmitted via one of same or different transmission media.  
   
   
       30 . The broadcasting system of  claim 25 , wherein a single transmitter comprises both the first and second transmitter.  
   
   
       31 . The broadcasting system of  claim 25 , wherein a single receiver comprises both the first and second receiver.  
   
   
       32 . A service provider system comprising: 
 a first transmitter for transmitting a first information stream comprising first consumable content for consumption by a user; and    a second transmitter for transmitting a second information stream comprising a first portion for interaction with a user and a second portion comprising second consumable content for consumption by the user;    wherein the presentation of the second consumable content to the user is conditioned upon the users response to the first portion.    
   
   
       33 . The service provider system of  claim 32 , wherein the first information stream further comprises commercial content.  
   
   
       34 . The service provider system of  claim 33 , wherein the user must substantially consume the commercial content in the first information stream in order to receive the second consumable content in the second information stream.  
   
   
       35 . The service provider system of  claim 32 , wherein the first portion of the second information stream is presented during the user's consumption of the first information stream.  
   
   
       36 . The service provider system of  claim 32 , wherein the first information stream and the second information stream are transmitted via one of same or different transmission media.  
   
   
       37 . The service provider system of  claim 33 , wherein the second information stream is transmitted with at least one of the commercial content and the first consumable content.  
   
   
       38 . The service provider system of  claim 33 , wherein a single transmitter comprises both the first and second transmitter.  
   
   
       39 . A consumer equipment system for receiving service, comprising: 
 a first receiver for receiving a first information stream comprising first consumable content for consumption by a user;    a second receiver for receiving a second information stream comprising a first portion for interaction with a user and a second portion comprising second consumable content for consumption by the user; and    a display for presenting the first information stream and the first portion of the second information system to the user;    wherein the presentation of the second consumable content to the user is conditioned upon the user's response to the first portion.    
   
   
       40 . The consumer equipment system of  claim 39 , wherein the first information stream further comprises commercial content.  
   
   
       41 . The consumer equipment system of  claim 40 , wherein the user must substantially consume the commercial content in the first information stream in order to receive the second consumable content in the second information stream.  
   
   
       42 . The consumer equipment system of  claim 39 , wherein the first portion of the second information stream is presented during the user's consumption of the first information stream.  
   
   
       43 . The consumer equipment system of  claim 39 , wherein the first information stream and the second information stream are transmitted via one of same or different transmission media.  
   
   
       44 . The consumer equipment system of  claim 40 , wherein the second information stream is transmitted with at least one of the commercial content and the first consumable content.  
   
   
       45 . The consumer equipment system of  claim 39 , wherein a single receiver comprises both the first and second receiver.  
   
   
       46 . The consumer equipment system of  claim 39 , wherein a set-top box comprises the consumer equipment system.  
   
   
       47 . The consumer equipment system of  claim 39 , wherein a portable handset comprises the consumer equipment system.  
   
   
       48 . The consumer equipment system of  claim 47 , wherein the first receiver is broadcast receiver and the second receiver is a wireless telecom receiver.