Methods and Systems for Forced Advertising

Abstract

Methods and systems for forced advertising are provided. These methods and systems determine when a forced advertisement is to be presented, determine what forced advertisement is to be presented, and control how the forced advertisement is to be presented. A forced advertisement may be received prior to the time at which the forced advertisement is to be presented or when needed. The forced advertisement may be presented when certain broadcast advertisements are being broadcast, at certain times of the day, or at certain times within a program. The forced advertisements may be selected based upon content of a replaced broadcast advertisement, content of a nearby program, or independently of any broadcast-related factors. Finally, forced advertisements may be presented so that a television viewer cannot escape viewing the advertisement by changing channels or turning off the television.

1 . A method for presenting a video stream, the method comprising:
 presenting the video stream on user equipment;   receiving an indication to present alternate media content during said presenting of the video stream;   interrupting said presenting of the video stream;   presenting the alternate media content on the user equipment; and   automatically reverting to presenting the video stream from the point of interruption.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein presenting the alternate media content comprises presenting the alternate media content as an overlay on the video stream. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 buffering the video stream by a storage device during said interrupting; and   unbuffering the video stream after the alternate media content is presented.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alternate media content is an advertisement. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving the video stream from a first media content source; and   receiving the alternate media content from a second media content source that is different from the first media content source.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first media content source corresponds to a broadcaster of the video stream, and the second media content source corresponds to a distributor of the video stream. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising disallowing a channel switch while the alternate media content is being presented. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alternate media content is a modified version of at least a portion of the video stream. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the modified version is selected based on a user profile of a viewer of the video stream. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the alternate media content on the user equipment. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein presenting the alternate media content comprises automatically presenting the alternate media content when the user equipment is turned on, if a previous presentation of the alternate media content was interrupted by turning off the user equipment. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein interrupting the video stream comprises interrupting the video stream during a scheduled advertisement slot for an advertisement included in the video stream. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the alternate media content based on program content in the video stream. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving an indication comprises detecting the inclusion in the video stream of an advertisement that belongs to a particular category. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving an indication comprises detecting a signal in the video stream. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving an indication comprises receiving an indication to present the alternate media content at a time that is relative to the length of program content in the video stream. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving an indication comprises receiving an indication to present the alternate media content periodically. 
     
     
         18 . A system fore presenting a video stream, the system comprising a computer processor configured to:
 present the video stream on user equipment;   receive an indication to present alternate media content during said presenting of the video stream;   interrupt said presenting of the video stream;   present the alternate media content on the user equipment; and   automatically revert to presenting the video stream from the point of interruption.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to present the alternate media content as an overlay on the video stream. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 buffer the video stream by a storage device during said interrupting; and   unbuffer the video stream after the alternate media content is presented.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the alternate media content is an advertisement. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to disallow a channel switch while the alternate media content is being presented. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the alternate media content is a modified version of at least a portion of the video stream. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the modified version is selected based on a user profile of a viewer of the video stream. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to store the alternate media content on a storage device at the user equipment. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to select the alternate media content based on program content in the video stream. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to receive an indication by detecting the inclusion in the video stream of an advertisement that belongs to a particular category. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to receive an indication by detecting a signal in the video stream. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to receive the indication to present the alternate media content at a time that is relative to the length of program content in the video stream. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to receive an indication to present the alternate media content periodically.