Method and apparatus for providing advertising linked to a scene of a program

Abstract

On-demand electronic advertising information is provided for items used in scenes of television programs. The advertising information is received along with broadcasts of associated television programs. Selected advertisement modes alert a viewer when advertising information is available for an item displayed in a scene of the television program broadcast. The viewer alert comprises displayed marks superimposed over the broadcast of the television program. The displayed marks comprise indicators for each item for which advertising data is available, and the indicators may be representative of the items to which the indicators correspond. The advertising information for a particular item is selected when the viewer selects the indicator corresponding to the item in which the viewer is interested. Upon selection, the advertising information is displayed along with the broadcast of the currently selected television program. The advertising information may be used to electronically order the associated item.

In the claims:  
     
         1 . A method comprising: 
 receiving advertising information for an item along with a broadcast of a program, wherein the item is associated with a scene of the program;    receiving data that links the advertising information to the corresponding scene;    displaying an advertising mark for the item on a display along with the corresponding scene to alert a viewer when advertising information is available for the item; and    upon selection of the advertising mark by a viewer, displaying the advertising information on the display along with the broadcast of a program.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the advertising information is received simultaneously with the scene in which the item appears.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the advertising information is received prior to receipt of the broadcasted program, and wherein the prior received advertising information is stored in association with the links to the corresponding scene.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling presentation of the advertising information using an electronic program guide, wherein the electronic program guide provides programming information that can be associated with the links to the corresponding scene.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 storing received advertising information on a smart card; and    storing information on the smart card regarding the associated broadcasted program in association with the advertising information.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing an alert to a viewer when advertising information is available for an item in a displayed scene, wherein the alert comprises at least one of a tone and a displayed advertising mark.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed scene comprises currently displayed scenes, previously displayed scenes, and scenes that are to be displayed in the future.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the advertising information is for a plurality of items, wherein the displayed advertising mark comprises an indicator for each item for which advertising information is available, and wherein the indicator is representative of the item to which the indicator corresponds.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising receiving a viewer selection of an indicator corresponding to an item and displaying the advertising information associated with the corresponding item.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request from the viewer for electronically ordering the item using the advertising information.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing advertising information for the item for a pre-specified period of time after the corresponding broadcasted program ends.  
     
     
         12 . A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 receiving advertising information for an item along with a broadcast of a program, wherein the item is associated with a scene of the program;    receiving data that links the advertising information to the corresponding scene;    displaying an advertising mark for the item on a display along with the corresponding scene to alert a viewer when advertising information is available for the item; and    upon selection of the advertising mark by a viewer, displaying the advertising information on the display along with the broadcast of a program.    
     
     
         13 . The medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform further operations comprising controlling presentation of the advertising information using an electronic program guide, wherein the electronic program guide provides programming information that can be associated with the links to the corresponding scene.  
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform further operations comprising: 
 storing received advertising information on a smart card; and    storing information on the smart card regarding the associated broadcasted program in association with the advertising information.    
     
     
         15 . The medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform further operations comprising providing an alert to a viewer when advertising information is available for an item in a displayed scene, wherein the alert comprises at least one of a tone and a displayed advertising mark.  
     
     
         16 . The medium of  claim 12 , wherein the advertising information is for a plurality of items, wherein the displayed advertising mark comprises an indicator for each item for which advertising information is available, and wherein the indicator is representative of the item to which the indicator corresponds.  
     
     
         17 . The medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform further operations comprising receiving a viewer selection of an indicator corresponding to an item and displaying the advertising information associated with the corresponding item.  
     
     
         18 . The medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform further operations comprising storing advertising information for the item for a pre-specified period of time after the corresponding broadcasted program ends.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising: 
 means for receiving advertising information for an item along with a broadcast of a program, wherein the item is associated with a scene of the program;    means for receiving data that links the advertising information to the corresponding scene;    means for displaying an advertising mark for the item on a display along with the corresponding scene to alert a viewer when advertising information is available for the item; and    means for displaying the advertising information on the display along with the broadcast of a program, upon selection of the advertising mark by a viewer.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the advertising information is received simultaneously with the scene in which the item appears.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the advertising information is received prior to receipt of the broadcasted program, and wherein the prior received advertising information is stored in association with the links to the corresponding scene.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising means for controlling presentation of the advertising information using an electronic program guide, wherein the electronic program guide provides programming information that can be associated with the links to the corresponding scene.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 means for storing received advertising information on a smart card; and    means for storing information on the smart card regarding the associated broadcasted program in association with the advertising information.    
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the advertising information is for a plurality of items, wherein the displayed advertising mark comprises an indicator for each item for which advertising information is available, and wherein the indicator is representative of the item to which the indicator corresponds.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising means for receiving a viewer selection of an indicator corresponding to an item and means for displaying the advertising information associated with the corresponding item.  
     
     
         26 . A receiver system comprising: 
 a storage device having stored therein an advertising routine for the reception, timing and display of advertising marks and associated program broadcasts and    a processor coupled to the storage device for executing the advertising routine by: 
 receiving advertising information for an item along with a broadcast of a program, wherein the item is associated with a scene of the program;  
 receiving data that links the advertising information to the corresponding scene;  
 displaying an advertising mark for the item on a display along with the corresponding scene to alert a viewer when advertising information is available for the item; and  
 upon selection of the advertising mark by a viewer, displaying the advertising information on the display along with the broadcast of a program.  
   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the advertising information is received simultaneously with the scene in which the item appears.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the advertising information is received prior to receipt of the broadcasted program, and wherein the prior received advertising information is stored in association with the links to the corresponding scene.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising controlling presentation of the advertising information using an electronic program guide, wherein the electronic program guide provides programming information that can be associated with the links to the corresponding scene.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the advertising information is for a plurality of items, wherein the displayed advertising mark comprises an indicator for each item for which advertising information is available, and wherein the indicator is representative of the item to which the indicator corresponds.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the processor further executes the routine by receiving a viewer selection of an indicator corresponding to an item and displaying the advertising information associated with the corresponding item.  
     
     
         32 . A method comprising: 
 receiving advertising information for at least one item along with a broadcast of a program;    synchronizing the advertising information with the display of a corresponding at least one item during the broadcast of a program;    providing an alert to the viewer when the advertising information is available; and    displaying the advertising information on a display along with the broadcast of a program upon the receipt of a selection from the viewer.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein providing an alert comprises providing at least one alert to a viewer when at least one advertisement is available, wherein the at least one alert comprises a tone and at least one displayed mark.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the at least one displayed mark is superimposed over the broadcast of a program on the display, and wherein the at least one displayed mark comprises an indicator for each advertisement available.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising enabling a request for the advertising information, wherein enabling a request comprises selecting an advertisement indicator corresponding to an item in which the viewer is interested, and wherein selecting the advertisement indicator results in the display of detailed advertisement information.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein displaying comprises superimposing the advertising information over the broadcast of a program on the display.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the advertising information is received simultaneously with the broadcast of a program.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the advertising information is received prior to the broadcast of a program.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising receiving timing data that links the advertising information to the corresponding broadcast of a program and wherein synchronizing the advertising information comprises using the timing data.  
     
     
         40 . A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 receiving advertising information for at least one item along with a broadcast of a program;    synchronizing the advertising information with the display of a corresponding at least one item during the broadcast of a program;    providing an alert to the viewer when the advertising information is available; and    displaying the advertising information on a display along with the broadcast of a program upon the receipt of a selection from the viewer.    
     
     
         41 . The medium of  claim 40 , wherein the instructions for providing an alert further comprise instructions which, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform further operations comprising providing at least one alert to a viewer when at least one advertisement is available, wherein the at least one alert comprises a tone and at least one displayed mark.  
     
     
         42 . The medium of  claim 40 , wherein the at least one displayed mark is superimposed over the broadcast of a program on the display, and wherein the at least one displayed mark comprises an indicator for each advertisement available.  
     
     
         43 . The medium of  claim 40 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform further operations comprising enabling a request for the advertising information, and enabling the selection of an advertisement indicator corresponding to an item in which the viewer is interested, and wherein selecting the advertisement indicator results in the display of detailed advertisement information.  
     
     
         44 . The medium of  claim 40 , wherein the advertising information is received prior to the broadcast of a program.  
     
     
         45 . The medium of  claim 40 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform further operations comprising receiving timing data that links the advertising information to the corresponding broadcast of a program and wherein synchronizing the advertising information comprises using the timing data.  
     
     
         46 . An apparatus for providing on-demand advertising, comprising: 
 means for receiving advertising information for at least one item along with a broadcast of a program;    means for synchronizing the advertising information with the display of a corresponding at least one item during the broadcast of a program;    means for providing an alert to the viewer when the advertising information is available; and    means for displaying the advertising information on a display along with the broadcast of a program upon the receipt of a selection from the viewer.    
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the means for providing an alert comprises means for providing at least one alert to a viewer when at least one advertisement is available, wherein the at least one alert comprises a tone and at least one displayed mark.  
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the at least one displayed mark is superimposed over the broadcast of a program on the display, and wherein the at least one displayed mark comprises an indicator for each advertisement available.  
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , further comprising means for enabling a request for the advertising information, wherein enabling a request comprises selecting an advertisement indicator corresponding to an item in which the viewer is interested, and wherein selecting the advertisement indicator results in the display of detailed advertisement information.  
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , further comprising means for receiving timing data that links the advertising information to the corresponding broadcast of a program and wherein synchronizing the advertising information comprises using the timing data.  
     
     
         51 . A receiver system comprising: 
 a storage device having stored therein an advertising routine for the reception, synchronizing and display of advertising information and associated program broadcasts and    a processor coupled to the storage device for executing the advertising routine by: 
 receiving advertising information for at least one item along with a broadcast of a program;  
 synchronizing the advertising information with the display of a corresponding at least one item during the broadcast of a program;  
 providing an alert to the viewer when the advertising information is available; and  
 displaying the advertising information on a display along with the broadcast of a program upon the receipt of a selection from the viewer.  
   
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the processor further executes the routine by providing at least one alert to a viewer when at least one advertisement is available, wherein the at least one alert comprises a tone and at least one displayed mark.  
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the advertising information is received simultaneously with the broadcast of a program.  
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the advertising information is received prior to the broadcast of a program.  
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the processor further executes the routine by receiving timing data that links the advertising information to the corresponding broadcast of a program and wherein synchronizing the advertising information comprises using the timing data.