The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 05, 2006
Filed:
Jun. 30, 1999
Dean J. Blackketter, San Francisco, CA (US);
Daniel J. Zigmond, Carnation, WA (US);
Sandra R. Bernardi, Los Altos Hills, CA (US);
Timothy F. Park, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Dean J. Blackketter, San Francisco, CA (US);
Daniel J. Zigmond, Carnation, WA (US);
Sandra R. Bernardi, Los Altos Hills, CA (US);
Timothy F. Park, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
Described are methods and apparatus for enhancing a television advertisement simultaneously displayed on a number of remote receivers. In one embodiment, one or more advertisement templates are stored in memory on each of the remote receivers. The templates include formatting information and data fields into which can be inserted predefined types of information. For example, a selected template may be adapted to receive and display an advertiser's name, product, and a hyperlink to the advertiser's web site. A content creator, (e.g., a program producer, broadcaster, affiliate, cable company or satellite provider), embeds an advertisement summary in a data service channel of a broadcast signal. The advertisement summary includes a resource identifier unique to a selected one of the advertisement templates. Upon receiving an advertisement summary directed to a resident advertisement template, the receiver combines custom advertisement information provided in the advertisement summary with formatting information provided in the advertisement template. The receiver employs the combined information to create and display a custom advertisement, which may include hyperlinks to additional produce or service information.