Method and apparatus for providing electronic coupons

Abstract

Electronic coupons are provided for items comprising products and services. The coupon information is received along with broadcasts of associated television programs. Selected coupon modes alert a viewer when coupon information is available for an item. The viewer alert comprises displayed marks superimposed over the broadcast of the television program. The displayed marks comprise indicators for each item for which coupon data is available, and the indicators may be representative of the items to which the indicators correspond. The coupon 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 coupon information is displayed along with the broadcast of the currently selected television program. Coupon information may be selected for storage on a removable recording medium along with data corresponding to the television program with which the coupon information is associated. The coupon information is redeemed by the viewer by a merchandise retailer or dealer.

1 . (canceled) 
   
   
       2 . A computer implemented method comprising:
 using a computer to carry out the method of   receiving advertising information for an item along with a broadcast of a program, wherein the item is associated with the program;   providing an alert during a portion of the broadcast of the program if an advertisement mode is enabled and not providing the alert if a non-advertisement mode is enabled;   storing the advertisement if a stored advertisement mode is enabled; and   displaying a summary comprising the advertising information for the item on a display.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , 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.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the alert comprises at least one of a tone and a displayed advertising mark. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the broadcast of a program comprises currently displayed scenes, previously displayed scenes, and scenes that are to be displayed in the future. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the summary comprises an indicator for each item for which the advertising information is available, wherein the indicator is representative of the item to which the indicator corresponds. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising receiving a viewer selection of an indicator corresponding to an item and displaying the advertising information associated with the item. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the stored advertisement mode causes all of the advertising information for the program to be stored, wherein the stored advertising information is recalled and viewed at a time that is different from a display time of a scene in which an advertised item appears. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the advertising information is received simultaneously with a portion of the broadcasted program in which the advertised item appears. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the advertising information is received prior to receipt of the broadcasted program, and wherein the prior received advertising information is stored. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising receiving timing data that links the advertising information to a portion of the broadcasted program in which the advertised item appears. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the program comprises live television programs, prerecorded television programs, live television commercials, prerecorded television commercials, movies, and pay-per-view programming. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the item comprises at least one of a product and a service. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising controlling presentation of the advertising information using an electronic program guide. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the advertising information comprises electronic links to at least one of a manufacturer and dealer of the item, wherein the electronic links comprise links to at least one of Web pages and electronic catalogs. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving a request from the viewer for electronically ordering the item using the advertising information. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising storing advertising information for the item for a prespecified period of time after the corresponding broadcasted program ends. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving coupon information along with the broadcasted program;   providing an alert to the viewer indicating that the coupon information is available; and   displaying the coupon information in the summary.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 receiving a request from the viewer for electronically redeeming the coupon information.   
   
   
       20 . A broadcasting system comprising:
 a processor coupled to a display device, the processor configured to control the system to provide on-demand advertising by,
 receiving advertising information for an item along with a broadcast of a program, wherein the item is associated with the program; 
 providing an alert during a portion of the broadcast of the program if an advertisement mode is enabled and not providing the alert if a non-advertisement mode is enabled; 
 storing the advertisement if a stored advertisement mode is enabled; and 
 displaying a summary comprising the advertising information for the item on a display. 
   
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the system by:
 storing received advertising information on at least one smart card; and   storing information on the smart card regarding the associated broadcasted program in association with the advertising information.   
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the alert comprises at least one of a tone and at least one displayed mark. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the broadcast of a program comprises currently displayed scenes, previously displayed scenes, and scenes that are to be displayed in the future. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the summary comprises an indicator for each item for which the advertising information is available, wherein the indicator is representative of the item to which the indicator corresponds. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the system by receiving a viewer selection of an indicator corresponding to an item and displaying the advertising information associated with the item. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the stored advertisement mode causes all of the advertising information for the program to be stored, wherein the stored advertising information is recalled and viewed at a time that is different from a display time of a scene in which an advertised item appears. 
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the advertising information is received simultaneously with a portion of the broadcasted program in which the advertised at least one item appears. 
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the advertising information is received prior to transmission of the broadcasted program, and wherein the prior received advertising information is stored. 
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the system to receive timing data that links the advertising information to a portion of the broadcasted program in which the advertised item appears. 
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the system to provide at least one electronic link to at least one of a manufacturer and a dealer of the at least one item using the advertising information, wherein the electronic links comprise links to at least one of Web pages and electronic catalogs. 
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the system to electronically order the at least one item using the advertising information. 
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the system by:
 receiving coupon information along with the broadcasted program;   providing an alert to the viewer when the coupon information is available; and   displaying the coupon information on a display along with the broadcasted program.   
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the system by:
 receiving a request from the viewer for electronically redeeming the coupon information.   
   
   
       34 . A computer readable storage medium storing executable instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
 receiving advertising information for an item along with a broadcast of a program, wherein the item is associated with the program;   providing an alert during a portion of the broadcast of the program if an advertisement mode is enabled and not providing the alert if a non-advertisement mode is enabled;   storing the advertisement if a stored advertisement mode is enabled; and   displaying a summary comprising the advertising information for the item on a display.   
   
   
       35 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , the method 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.   
   
   
       36 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , wherein the alert comprises at least one of a tone and a displayed advertising mark. 
   
   
       37 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , wherein the broadcast of a program comprises currently displayed scenes, previously displayed scenes, and scenes that are to be displayed in the future. 
   
   
       38 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , wherein the summary comprises an indicator for each item for which the advertising information is available, wherein the indicator is representative of the item to which the indicator corresponds. 
   
   
       39 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 38 , the method further comprising:
 receiving a viewer selection of an indicator corresponding to an item and displaying the advertising information associated with the item.   
   
   
       40 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , wherein the stored advertisement mode causes all of the advertising information for the program to be stored, wherein the stored advertising information is recalled and viewed at a time that is different from a display time of a scene in which an advertised item appears. 
   
   
       41 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , wherein the advertising information is received simultaneously with a portion of the broadcasted program in which the advertised item appears. 
   
   
       42 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , wherein the advertising information is received prior to receipt of the broadcasted program, and wherein the prior received advertising information is stored. 
   
   
       43 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 42 , the method further comprising:
 receiving timing data that links the advertising information to a portion of the broadcasted program in which the advertised item appears.   
   
   
       44 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , wherein the program comprises live television programs, prerecorded television programs, live television commercials, prerecorded television commercials, movies, and pay-per-view programming. 
   
   
       45 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , wherein the item comprises at least one of a product and a service. 
   
   
       46 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , the method further comprising controlling presentation of the advertising information using an electronic program guide. 
   
   
       47 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , wherein the advertising information comprises electronic links to at least one of a manufacturer and dealer of the item, wherein the electronic links comprise links to at least one of Web pages and electronic catalogs. 
   
   
       48 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , the method further comprising receiving a request from the viewer for electronically ordering the item using the advertising information. 
   
   
       49 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , the method further comprising storing advertising information for the item for a prespecified period of time after the corresponding broadcasted program ends. 
   
   
       50 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , the method further comprising:
 receiving coupon information along with the broadcasted program;   providing an alert to the viewer indicating that the coupon information is available; and   displaying the coupon information in the summary.   
   
   
       51 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 50 , the method further comprising:
 receiving a request from the viewer for electronically redeeming the coupon information.