A METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS
OVER THE INTERNET
Background
This invention relates generally to the Internet and
specifically to techniques for distributing advertising
materials.
Currently, a large number of web sites on the Internet
provide free access to ail comers. Many of these sites are
supported by banner advertisements that are displayed above
the content contained on the web site. The web site owner
earns a license fee for every user who selects the banner
advertisement.
It is possible to provide a wide variety of electronic
content over the Internet, including web site content. In
addition to the content conventionally provided through
access to web sites, users may be afforded opportunities
over the Internet to download software, play games and to
use services. Currently ther is effective way to profit
from such activities other than thr'3ugh the imposition of
banner ads. While banner ads are useful in connection with
web sites, they become awkward in connection with other
types of content such as software games and the like.
Thus, there is a need for better ways to provide
advertising over the Internet to support various services
and content that may be received over the Internet.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for distributing
television advertisements over the Internet, said method comprising the steps
of: detecting an event ; in response to the detection of an event, automatically
accessing an advertisement distributed over a first medium ; accessing content
from a second medium ; displaying said advertisement in association with the
content from said second medium ; interrupting said content and displaying said
advertisement.
The present invention also provides a system for distributing television
advertisements over the Internet, said system comprising : a first interface that
automatically accesses an advertisement distributed over a first medium ; a
second interface that accesses content over a second medium ; and a processor
coupled to said interfaces to provide access to said content, wherein said access
to said content is periodically interrupted by said advertisement.
Brief Description of the Accompanying Drawings
Figure 1 is a schematic depiction of one embodiment of the present
invention ;
Figure 2 is a flow chart showing software implemented on a web site
server in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention ;
Figure 3 is a flow chart for software implemented on a
client in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention; and
Figure 4 is a block diagram of the client in accordance
with one embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed Description
Referring to Figure 1, an advertisement distribution
system 10 may include a web site server 12 coupled to the
Internet 16. The web site server 12 may include an Internet
interface 120 that may be a modem for example. The web site
server 12 may be a processor-based system with a processor
122 coupled to a storage 123 storing advertising

distribution software' 22. The web site server 12 may also
include an advertisement time database 14.
The advertisement time database 14 may store
information about certain advertisements that are to be
broadcast over video distribution systems. For example, the
advertisement time database 14 may store the channels and
times (in particular localities) when certain advertisements
will be broadcast. The advertisements may actually be
broadcast over a video distribution system such as an
airwave broadcast, a satellite distribution or a cable
distribution system.
The web site server 12 may be accessed over the
Internet 16 by one or more client systems 18. The client
system 18 may include an interface such as an antenna or
other port 20 for receiving a video distribution. The
client system 18 may also store software 34 for operating in
conjunction with the web site server 12.
Client systems 18 may be set-top boxes, in accordance
with one embodiment of the present invention.
Conventionally, a set-top box uses a television receiver as
a display and receives television programming through an
interface, such as a television tuner/capture card.
Moreover, the set-top box may also accomplish conventional
computer functions such as accessing the Internet.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention, the client system 18 may access the web site
server 12 and the advertisement time database 14 to obtain
information about when certain commercial advertisements
will be broadcast over a video distribution system. Having
this information, the client system 18 may receive those
advertisements through the port 20 and may record and store
those advertisement broadcasts. The commercial broadcast
may then be replayed in the course of using content
downloaded from the Internet 16, such as content from the
web site server 12.
The type of content that may be downloaded in return
for interposing advertisements is essentially unlimited. It
may include access to a given web site, the provision of
services from a web site, the use of software applications,
and access to games, to name a few examples.
Referring to Figure 2, the software 22 on the web site
server 12, in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention, begins upon receiving a request over the Internet
16 from the client system 18, as indicated in diamond 24.
Once the request is received, a check at diamond 26
determines whether the client system 18 has been configured
to insert advertisements into the content that may be
provided by the web site server 12. The client system 18
may be configured using software, hardware or a port that
receives instructions from a remote location, as examples.
In one embodiment of the invention, the check at
diamond 26, determines whether the software 34 has been
preloaded on the client system 18. If the software 34 has
already been downloaded to the client system 18 requesting
access to the web site server 12, then as shown in block 30,
a schedule of advertisements may be automatically downloaded
to the requesting client system 13. The software 34 may,
for example, be in the form of a plug-in according to one
embodiment of the invention.
If the software 34 has not been downloaded, software 34
may be downloaded to the client system 18, for example, by
an Internet download, as indicated in block 28. The
information for the software 34 may also be downloaded
through a back channel, for example, a telephone network
connection. In one embodiment, the software 34 is a browser
plug-in.
Once the client system 18 has received the software 34,
and in return for accepting the software 34, it is then
authorized to access content or services, as shown at block
32. The software 34 enables advertisements broadcast at
specific times over a video distribution system to be stored
on the client system 18 and replayed at periodic intervals.
The advertisements are replayed in return for continuing
access to the content or services provided through the web
site server 12.
Referring to Figure 3, the software 34, resident on the
client system 18, may be in the form of a plug in to an
Internet browser. However, in some embodiments of the
present invention, the software 34 may also be separate from
the browser. The flow begins by initiating a timer, as
indicated in block 34. At diamond 38, a check determines
whether an advertisement broadcast time has arrived. This
is determined by checking the information downloaded from
the advertisement time database 14 and comparing it to the
current time. If there is a match between the current time
and the broadcast time of an advertisement, the broadcast
A
advertisement is automatically stored on the client system
13, as indicated in block 42. The storage may be
accomplished using a conventional video cassette recorder,
as one example. However, it may be more advantageous to
use a conventional broadcast pause and resume system that
stores video information on a hard disk drive. One
commercially available example of such a system is the
system available from TiVo, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA.
At periodic intervals, determined by a software timer,
the ongoing receipt of content or services through the web
site server 12 may be interrupted, as shown in block 44. At
such times, the broadcast advertisement may be automatically
displayed. In some embodiments of the present invention, it
may be displayed as a reduced size picture-in-picture
display with audio. In other embodiments, it is displayed
full screen. When the broadcast commercial is being
replayed, the content or services provided through the web
site server 12 are automatically interrupted without loss of
content or service. Thus, the advertisement may actually be
played through an Internet browser in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention as shown in block 46.
Once the advertisement has been completely played,
access to the content or services may be resumed, as
indicated in block 48. Thereafter, the timer is again
started. If the ad time had not yet arrived, as determined
at diamond 38, the timer may be incremented as indicated in
block 40 and the flow continues to wait until the
advertisement broadcast time arrives.
Referring to Figure 4, in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention, the client system 18
may be a set-top box. However, in other cases, any of a
variety of other types of processor-based systems may be
utilized.
A processor 78 may be coupled to an accelerated
graphics port (AGP! (see Accelerated Graphics Port Interface
Specification, Rev. 1.0, published July 31, 1996 by Intel
Corporation, Santa Clara, California) chipset 80 for
implementing an accelerated graphics port embodiment. The
chipset SO communicates with the AGP port 82 and the
graphics accelerator 84. A television 85 may be coupled to
the video output of the graphics accelerator 84. The
chipset 80 also accommodates the system memory 86.
The chipset 80 may be coupled to a bus 88. The bus 88
is in turn coupled to an interface, such as a television
tuner/capture card 94. The television tuner/capture card 94
is coupled to an interface such as an antenna or other port
20 including a cable input port, a satellite
receiver/antenna or an airwave broadcast antenna as
examples. The television tuner/capture card 94 selects a
desired television channel and also performs a video capture
function. One suitable video capture card is the ISVR-III
Video Capture Card available from Intel Corporation.
The bus 88 is also coupled to a bridge 90 which may
couple a storage device such as a hard disk drive 92. The
drive 92 may store the software 34 as well as the commercial
advertisements 93. It may also store the browser software
95.
The bridge 90 may also be coupled to another bus 106.
The bus 106 may be in turn coupled to a serial input/output
(SIO) device 110. The SIO device 110 may be coupled to an
Internet interface 118. The SIO device 110 may also be
coupled to an interface 112 such as an infrared interface.
Alternatively, the interface 112 may be implemented by other
airwave communication techniques as well. The interface 112
may communicate via infrared signals with an infrared
interface 114 of a remote control unit 115. The remote
control unit 115 may also include a controller 116.
While the present invention has been described with
respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in
the art will appreciate numerous modifications and
variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended
claims cover ail such modifications and variations as fall
within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.
What is claimed is:
WE CLAIM :
1. A method for distributing television advertisements over the Internet, said
method comprising the steps of:
detecting an event;
in response to the detection of an event, automatically accessing an
advertisement distributed over a first medium ;
accessing content from a second medium ;
displaying said advefjj^Qi§i^i^iifttifition,with the content from said
second medium ;
interrupting said cont#it|and displacing saidjadvertisement.
2. The method as claimed in' claim,T yvh'e'rein automatically accessing the
advertisement comprises accessing over the second medium, information about
when the advertisement is to be distributed over the first medium.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein detecting the event comprises
comparing the current time with the time when the advertisement is to be
distributed over the first medium.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein automatically accessing the
advertisement comprises automatically accessing the advertisement in response
to an elapsed period of time.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein accessing said advertisement
also comprises automatically accessing the advertisement over a television
distribution system.
-8-
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein accessing content also
comprises accessing content over the Internet.
7. A system for distributing television advertisements over the Internet, said
system comprising :
a first interface that automatically accesses an advertisement distributed
over a first medium ;
a second interface that accesses coDtentover a second medium ; and
a processor coupled to -said interfaces to provide access to said content,
wherein said access to said content is periodically interrupted by said
advertisement.
8. The system as claimed Ih claim 7 wherein the first interface comprises'an
interface to a television distributed system.
9. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the second interface comprises
an interface to the Internet.
10. A method for distributing television advertisements over the Internet, said
method comprising the steps of:
determining whether a client is configured to automatically insert and
display advertising material in association with other content; and
providing through a server access to the other content.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10 also comprising configuring the client
to automatically display advertisement material in association with other content.
12. The method as claimed in claim 11 also comprising providing access to
the content after configuring the client.
13. The method as claimed in claim 10 also comprising providing information
about when the advertising material is to be distributed over the first medium.
14. A system for distributing television advertisements over the Internet, said
system comprising :
a server to determine whether a client is configured to automatically
display advertising material in association with other content; and
an interface to provide access to the other content.
15. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the server provides
instructions to configure the client to automatically display advertisement material
in association with other content.
16. The system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the server provides access to
the content after providing the instructions.
17. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the server provides
information about when the advertising material is to be distributed.
18. A method for distributing television advertisements over the Internet,
substantially as herein described, particularly with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
19. A system for distributing television advertisements over the Internet,
substantially as herein described, particularly with reference to and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.

A client processor-based system (18) may receive software from a web site server
(12) as well as information about when commercial advertisements will be distributed over
video distribution systems. This information may be used by the client processor-based
system (18) to automatically record commercial broadcast from a video distribution system.
The recorded commercial broadcast may then be automatically replayed in the course of
using content or services received in return for playing the commercial advertisement.