Methods and systems for advertising during video-on-demand suspensions

Abstract

Included is a method for an interactive media services system to provide a screen saver utility to a user through an interactive media services client device. The client device may be coupled to a programmable media services server device. The method may include the steps of providing a system operator with an interface to the programmable media services server; and providing control options within the interface to allow the system operator to dictate media to be presented in the screen saver utility, a plurality of parameters that result in activation of the screen saver utility, and a procedure to be followed in exiting the screen saver utility.

1 . A method for an interactive media services system to provide a screen saver utility to a user through an interactive media services client device, said client device coupled to a programmable media services server device, said method comprising steps of: 
 providing a system operator with an interface to said programmable media services server; and    providing control options within said interface to allow said system operator to dictate media to be presented in the screen saver utility, a plurality of parameters that result in activation of the screen saver utility, and a procedure to be followed in exiting the screen saver utility.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of parameters comprise a timeout value denoting a length of time a client device will display a non-variant screen before activating said screen saver utility.  
   
   
       3 . A method for an interactive media services system to provide a screen saver utility to a user through an interactive media services client device, said client device coupled to a programmable media services server device, said method comprising steps of: 
 implementing said client device to present an interactive media guide; and    implementing said client device to activate a screen saver utility if said client device has presented a non-variant screen for longer than a plurality of configured parameters allow.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of parameters comprise a timeout value denoting a length of time a client device will display a stop screen and a timeout value denoting a length of time a client device will display a non-varying screen of said interactive media guide.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein activation of said screen saver utility results in tuning said client device to a promotional channel.  
   
   
       6 . A method implemented by a server coupled to a television set-top terminal (“STT”) via a bi-directional communication network, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a request from the STT for a motion video presentation;    establishing a dedicated network session between the server and the STT;    providing the motion video presentation to the STT via the established network session;    suspending the provision of the motion video presentation responsive to a first user input; and    providing a promotional motion video presentation to the STT responsive to the first user input.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the promotional motion video presentation is provided a predetermined amount of time after the first user input is received.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising suspending the promotional motion video presentation responsive to any of a plurality of user inputs corresponding to a plurality of respective user input keys.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising resuming presentation of the motion video presentation responsive to a second user input.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the promotional motion video presentation is a video-on-demand presentation.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the promotional motion video presentation comprises a portion of a different motion video presentation than the motion video presentation, the different motion video presentation being available for rent via a device that is providing the motion video presentation.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the motion video presentation is a rented video-on-demand presentation.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the STT is uniquely identified by a media access control (MAC) address.  
   
   
       14 . A television set-top terminal (“STT”) coupled to a server via a bi-directional communication network, the STT comprising: 
 memory having program code stored therein; and    at least one processor that is programmed by the program code to enable the STT to: 
 request a motion video presentation;  
 establish a dedicated network session with the server;  
 provide the motion video presentation to a user via the established network session;  
 suspend the provision of the motion video presentation responsive to a first user input; and  
 provide a promotional motion video presentation to the user responsive to the first user input.  
   
   
   
       15 . The STT of  claim 14 , wherein the promotional motion video presentation is provided a predetermined amount of time after the first user input is received by the STT.  
   
   
       16 . The STT of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed by the program code to enable the STT to suspend the promotional motion video presentation responsive to any of a plurality of user inputs corresponding to a plurality of respective user input keys.  
   
   
       17 . The STT of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed by the program code to enable the STT to resume presentation of the motion video presentation responsive to a second user input.  
   
   
       18 . The STT of  claim 14 , wherein the dedicated network session and the promotional motion video presentation are both provided via video-on-demand (VOD) sessions.  
   
   
       19 . The STT of  claim 14 , wherein the promotional motion video presentation comprises a portion of a different motion video presentation than the motion video presentation, the different motion video presentation being available for rent via the STT.  
   
   
       20 . The STT of  claim 14 , wherein the promotional motion video presentation comprises a portion of the motion video presentation.