System and method for targeted advertisement display responsive to user characteristics

Abstract

A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement. In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.

1 - 58 . (canceled)  
     
     
         59 . A method for customizing the real time viewing of advertisements displayed on a television system, the method comprising: 
 providing multiple channels of advertising;    monitoring the television signal of a first particular channel;    identifying the time when said signal begins to telecast an advertisement; and    changing channels at said time.    
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein changing channels further comprises changing channels to one of the multiple channels of advertising.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising maintaining a viewer profile based on viewer interactions with an electronic program guide in the television system.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein changing channels further comprises changing channels to one of the multiple channels of advertising based, at least in part, on the viewer profile.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein changing channels further comprises changing channels based, at least in part, on a change channel command in the Vertical Blanking Interval of said signal.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein changing channels further comprises: 
 changing channels from the first particular channel to a second particular channel; and    changing channels from the second particular channel to the first particular channel at the conclusion of the advertisement.    
     
     
         65 . A system for customizing the real time viewing of advertisements displayed on a television system, the system comprising: 
 means to provide multiple channels of advertising;    means to monitor the television signal for a first particular channel;    means to identify the time when said signal begins to telecast an advertisement; and    means to change channels at said time.    
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 65 , wherein the means to change channels further comprise means to change channels to one of the multiple channels of advertising.  
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 65 , further comprising means to maintain a viewer profile based on viewer interactions with an electronic program guide in the television system.  
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 67 , wherein the means to change channels further comprise means to change channels to one of the multiple channels of advertising based, at least in part, on the viewer profile.  
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 65 , wherein the means to change channels further comprise means to change channels based, at least in part, on a channel change command in the Vertical Blanking Interval of said signal.  
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 65 , wherein the means to change channels further comprises: 
 means to change channels from the first particular channel to a second particular channel; and    means to change channels from the second particular channel to the first particular channel at the conclusion of the advertisement.    
     
     
         71 . A machine-readable medium for customizing the real time viewing of advertisements displayed on a television system, comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for: 
 providing multiple channels of advertising;    monitoring the television signal of a first particular channel;    identifying the time when said signal begins to telecast an advertisement; and    changing channels at said time.    
     
     
         72 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 71 , wherein the machine program logic for changing channels further comprises machine program logic for changing channels to one of the multiple channels of advertising.  
     
     
         73 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 71 , further comprising machine program logic for maintaining a viewer profile based on viewer interactions with an electronic program guide in the television system.  
     
     
         74 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 73 , wherein the machine program logic for changing channels further comprises machine program logic for changing channels to one of the multiple channels of advertising based, at least in part, on the viewer profile.  
     
     
         75 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 71 , wherein the machine program logic for changing channels further comprises machine program logic for changing channels based, at least in part, on a change channel command in the Vertical Blanking Interval of said signal.  
     
     
         76 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 71 , wherein the machine program logic for changing channels further comprises machine program logic for: 
 changing channels from the first particular channel to a second particular channel; and    changing channels from the second particular channel to the first particular channel at the conclusion of the advertisement.