Method and system for allowing viewers to purchase program products

Abstract

To allow viewers to easily purchase products shown in entertainment programs, the viewers call an operator terminal. The operator terminal is networked to a central controller, which is also networked to remote terminals. Remote terminal operators enter data about props used in programs, copies of which are to be offered for sale. These remote terminals transmit this data to the central controller for storage in a database. Operators at the operator terminals can access the data stored at the central controller to respond calls from viewers seeking to purchase products.

1 - 40 . (canceled)  
     
     
         41 . A method, comprising: 
 reviewing an entertainment program to determine that a product used in the entertainment program will be offered for sale;    storing program data associated with the entertainment program, the entertainment data comprising at least one of: a network identifier, a genre identifier, an entertainment program title, a time and date associated with the entertainment program, a plot description of the entertainment program, and a listing of characters associated with the entertainment program;    storing product data associated with the product used in the entertainment program, the product data comprising at least one of: a type of product, an identification of a character that used the product in the entertainment program, a plot description associated with the use of the product in the entertainment program, a price of the product, a vendor associated with he product, and an availability of the product; and    providing the stored program data and the stored product data to a controller that offers the product for sale to viewers of the entertainment program.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the reviewing is conducted during the filming of the entertainment program.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 receiving, from a viewer of the entertainment program, an indication of one of a plurality of products shown in the entertainment program that the viewer desires to purchase, wherein the indication is descriptive of how the one of the plurality of products is used in a plot of the entertainment program;    determining, based on the received indication, a portion of the stored product data;    providing the portion of the stored product data to the viewer;    receiving, after the providing of the stored product data, a verification that the viewer desires to purchase the product; and    selling the product to the viewer.    
     
     
         44 . A method, comprising: 
 reviewing an entertainment program to determine that a prop used in the entertainment program will be offered for sale;    offering the prop for sale to viewers of the entertainment program;    receiving a plurality of bids for the prop, each of the plurality of bids being received from one of a plurality of viewers;    ranking the plurality of bids; and    selling the prop to the one of the plurality of viewers associated with the highest ranked bid.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the plurality of bids are received via telephone calls from each of the plurality of viewers, further comprising: 
 providing a telephone number to the plurality of viewers as part of the entertainment program.    
     
     
         46 . A system, comprising: 
 a processor; and    a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to: 
 perform the method of  claim 41.