System and method for inserting advertising content in broadcast programming

Abstract

A system for inserting viewer-specific advertising content comprises a viewer device. The viewer device identifies viewer characteristics regarding the viewer. Upon receipt of advertising content, the viewer device identifies advertisements matching the viewer characteristics. The viewer device inserts the advertisements matching the viewer characteristics into broadcast content.

1 . A method for inserting targeted advertisements into broadcast programming, comprising: 
 gathering at an end user device, viewing habits data that characterizes broadcast programming that was presented by the end user device;    receiving at the end user device, a plurality of targeted advertisements for insertion within broadcast programming;    identifying at the end user device, at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data that was gathered at the end user device, for insertion within broadcast programming;    receiving at the end user device, broadcast programming; and    inserting into the broadcast programming that is received at the end user device, the at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data that was gathered at the end user device, for presentation by the end user device.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein identifying at the end user device, at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data that was gathered at the end user device, for insertion within broadcast programming, comprises: 
 receiving at the end user device, data identifying target audiences for the plurality of targeted advertisements; and    matching, at the end user device, the viewing habits data that was gathered at the end user device, and the data identifying target audiences for the plurality of targeted advertisements that was received at the end user device, to identify the at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data that was gathered at the end user device.    
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein identifying at the end user device, at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data that was gathered at the end user device, for insertion within broadcast programming, comprises identifying at the end user device, at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data that was gathered at the end user device, and further corresponding to a geographic location of the end user device.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the end user device comprises a set top box.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein gathering at an end user device, viewing habits data that characterizes broadcast programming that was presented by the end user device, comprises: 
 identifying a plurality of categories into which broadcast programming can be grouped; and    determining a frequency and/or duration with which the end user device is tuned to broadcast programming in the plurality of categories.    
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein receiving at the end user device, a plurality of targeted advertisements for insertion within broadcast programming is performed prior to receiving at the end user device, broadcast programming, and wherein the method further comprises storing at the end user device, the plurality of targeted advertisements for insertion within broadcast programming.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein receiving at the end user device, a plurality of targeted advertisements for insertion within broadcast programming is performed simultaneously with inserting into the broadcast programming that is received at the end user device, the at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data that was gathered at the end user device, for presentation by the end user device.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein inserting into the broadcast programming that is received at the end user device, the at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data that was gathered at the end user device, for presentation by the end user device, is followed by: 
 gathering at the end user device, data identifying that the at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data was actually presented by the end user device.    
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein gathering at the end user device, data identifying that the at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data was actually presented by the end user device, is followed by: 
 transmitting from the end user device, the data identifying that the at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data was actually presented by the end user device.    
     
     
         10 . An end user device that is configured to perform the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         11 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code executable by a computer processor and configured to execute the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         12 . A method for tracking targeted advertisements inserted into broadcast programming, comprising: 
 transmitting from an end user device, data identifying that at least one targeted advertisement inserted into the broadcast programming was actually presented by the end user device.    
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein transmitting from an end user device, data identifying that at least one targeted advertisement inserted into the broadcast programming was actually presented by the end user device is preceded by: 
 gathering at the end user device, the data identifying that the at least one targeted advertisement inserted into the broadcast programming was actually presented by the end user device.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein gathering at the end user device, the data identifying that the at least one targeted advertisement inserted into the broadcast programming was actually presented by the end user device comprises: 
 determining whether the end user device remains tuned to the broadcast programming during the at least one targeted advertisement inserted into the broadcast programming.    
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein gathering at the end user device, the data identifying that the at least one targeted advertisement inserted into the broadcast programming was actually presented by the end user device is preceded by: 
 gathering at the end user device, viewing habits data that characterizes broadcast programming that was presented by the end user device;    receiving at the end user device, a plurality of targeted advertisements for insertion within broadcast programming;    identifying at the end user device, at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data that was gathered at the end user device, for insertion within broadcast programming;    receiving at the end user device, broadcast programming; and    inserting into the broadcast programming that is received at the end user device, the at least one targeted advertisement corresponding to the viewing habits data that was gathered at the end user device, for presentation by the end user device.    
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the end user device comprises a set top box.  
     
     
         17 . An end user device that is configured to perform the method of  claim 12 .  
     
     
         18 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code executable by a computer processor and configured to execute the method of  claim 12 .  
     
     
         19 . A method for inserting targeted advertisements into broadcast programming at an end user device, comprising: 
 inserting into the broadcast programming that is received at the end user device, at least one selected targeted advertisement that is received at the end user device, corresponding to viewing habits data that was previously gathered at the end user device, for presentation by the end user device.    
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein inserting into the broadcast programming that is received at the end user device, at least one selected targeted advertisement that is received at the end user device, corresponding to viewing habits data that was previously gathered at the end user device, is followed by: 
 transmitting from the end user device, data identifying that the at least one selected targeted advertisement was actually presented by the end user device.