Methods and apparatus for presenting advertisements during playback of recorded television content

Abstract

A method for operating a programming receiver is provided. The method displays, by the programming receiver, a sequence of recorded video content comprising a video presentation and a plurality of segments of interstitial content; receives, at the programming receiver, a command to skip one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content; and presents a screen comprising a picture advertisement for the one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content, the screen requesting confirmation to skip the one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content in the sequence.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating a programming receiver, the method comprising:
 displaying, by the programming receiver, a sequence of recorded video content comprising a video presentation and a plurality of segments of interstitial content;   receiving, at the programming receiver, a command to skip one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content; and   presenting a screen comprising an auxiliary media object associated with the one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content, the screen requesting confirmation to skip the one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content in the sequence.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to presenting the screen,
 receiving a second command to confirm skipping the one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content; 
 omitting the one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content during displaying the sequence of recorded video content, based on the second command; and 
 when a second one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content is next in the sequence of recorded video content, presenting a second screen requesting a second confirmation to skip a second one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, when a second one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content is not next in the sequence of video content, the method further comprises:
 determining that a segment of the video presentation is next in the sequence of recorded video content; and   when the one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content is omitted, advancing the sequence during playback by presenting the segment.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to presenting the screen,
 receiving a second command to decline skipping the one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content; 
 displaying the one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content, based on the second command; and 
 when a second one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content is next in sequence of the video content, presenting a second screen requesting confirmation to skip the second one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second screen comprises a second auxiliary media object for the second one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary media object comprises a logo for the one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a set of metadata associated with the sequence of recorded video content;   when the command is received, detecting a subset of the sequence of recorded video content currently being displayed;   extracting identifying data for the subset from the set of metadata;   determining that the subset is one of the plurality of segments of interstitial content, based on the identifying data;   extracting a link for the auxiliary media object from the set of metadata; and   obtaining the auxiliary media object, using the link.   
     
     
         8 . A programming receiver, comprising:
 system memory, configured to store a sequence of recorded video content and recorded commercials;   at least one processor, communicatively coupled to the system memory, the at least one processor configured to:
 present the sequence of recorded video content and recorded commercials; 
 receive a user command to skip one of the recorded commercials, during playback of the one of the recorded commercials; and 
   present a screen requesting confirmation to skip the one of the recorded commercials in the sequence, wherein the screen comprises an auxiliary media object for a product associated with the one of the recorded commercials in the sequence.   
     
     
         9 . The programming receiver of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a user interface configured to:
 receive the user command to skip the one of the recorded commercials; and 
 in response to presenting the screen, receive a confirmation command to skip the one of the recorded commercials; 
   wherein the at least one processor is further configured to omit the one of the recorded commercials during playback of the sequence, based on receiving the confirmation.   
     
     
         10 . The programming receiver of  claim 9 , wherein the user interface comprises an infrared remote control. 
     
     
         11 . The programming receiver of  claim 9 , wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) presented by a remote control software application. 
     
     
         12 . The programming receiver of  claim 8 , further comprising a communication device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and a remote server, the remote server configured to store one or more auxiliary media objects associated with recorded commercials;
 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 receive a set of metadata associated with the sequence of recorded content; 
 detect a currently displayed subset of the sequence of recorded video content and recorded commercials; 
 extract identifying data for the subset from the set of metadata; 
 determine that the subset is one of the recorded commercials, based on the identifying data; 
 extract a link for the auxiliary media object from the set of metadata; and 
 obtain the auxiliary media object, using the link. 
   
     
     
         13 . The programming receiver of  claim 8 , wherein the auxiliary media object comprises a still-frame photograph associated with the product associated with the one of the recorded commercials in the sequence. 
     
     
         14 . The programming receiver of  claim 8 , wherein the auxiliary media object comprises a logo for the product associated with the one of the recorded commercials in the sequence. 
     
     
         15 . A method for presenting recorded video content, the method comprising:
 in response to a user input command to skip a commercial in a set of recorded video content,
 displaying an auxiliary media object requesting confirmation to skip the commercial. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the auxiliary media object depicts a product associated with the commercial. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the auxiliary media object depicts a logo associated with the commercial. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving a second user input command to confirm skipping the commercial;   excluding the commercial from playback of the set of recorded video content, in response to receiving the second user input command; and   displaying a second auxiliary media object requesting confirmation to skip a second commercial.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the user input command is received during playback of the commercial; and
 wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a second user input command to confirm skipping the commercial; 
 excluding the commercial from playback of the set of recorded video content, in response to receiving the second user input command; and 
 resuming playback at a beginning of a next segment of the set of recorded video content. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving a set of metadata associated with the set of recorded video content;   when the user input command is received, detecting a subset of the set of recorded video content currently being displayed;   extracting identifying data for the subset from the set of metadata;   determining that the subset is the commercial, based on the identifying data;   extracting a link for the auxiliary media object from the set of metadata; and   obtaining the auxiliary media object, using the link.