Audience determination for monetizing displayable content

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the measurement of the audience characteristics or demographics which is or can be exposed to displayed interactive content depicted on a screen. The audience can include persons who are engaged in interacting with the interactive content as well as persons who are observers of the interactive content and/or the active participants. The content can include one or more targeted advertisements contained in or associated with interactive content, and can be varied based on the audience characteristics or demographics. The audience characteristics or demographics can be used to accurately charge advertisers for the impressions created by the content displayed and can also or alternatively be used to determine and/or trigger what content is actually displayed.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A system for providing advertisements for inclusion in the presentation of interactive video content comprising:
 a plurality of detectors, the detectors being arranged to collect information about a first number of persons using an independently-determined second number of input devices to interact with the interactive video content;   a software executable arranged to insert advertising into the interactive video content in response to a signal; and,   a signaler, the signaler being arranged to generate the signal in response to the first number of persons being exposed to the interactive video content as determined by one or more of the detectors.   
     
     
         12 . A computer-readable memory encoded with instructions operable to cause a computer to:
 initiate operation of a computer game on a client computer;   receive one or more signals from one or more peripheral detectors to ascertain a first number of persons using an independently-determined second number of input devices to provide input to the computer game and capable of observing the computer output events caused by operation of the computer game;   select defined responsive actions to be performed in response to the first number, the defined responsive actions being distinct from the computer output events and including output of advertising material by the client computer; and   cause the client computer to perform the defined responsive actions to thereby cause video output of the advertising material from the client computer during operation of the computer game.   
     
     
         13 . A method for detecting persons capable of observing the content displayed during operation of a computer game comprising:
 monitoring a first set of peripheral devices to ascertain a first number of persons who are actively interacting with a computer game via an independently-determined second number of game input devices;   monitoring a second set of peripheral devices to ascertain a third number of persons who are exposed to computer output caused by operation of a computer game, exclusive of the first number of persons;   selecting defined responsive actions to be performed in response to respective detected first or third numbers of persons, the defined responsive actions causing responsive output that is distinct from the computer output caused by operation of the computer game; and,   causing the client computer to perform the defined responsive actions to thereby cause video output of modifiable advertising material from the client computer during operation of the computer game.   
     
     
         14 . A system for providing independently-defined alteration of output from a software executable, comprising:
 a software executable encoded in a computer-readable memory and operable to determine computer game output responsive to user inputs;   one or more peripheral devices for ascertaining a first number of persons who are using an independently-determined second number of input devices to interact with the computer game, and for ascertaining a third number of persons exposed to the computer game output exclusive of the first number of persons; and,   an event-monitoring executable encoded in the computer-readable memory with the software executable adapted to cooperate with the software executable, and operable to receive input from the one or more peripheral devices responsive to the first number and the third number and to cause independent computer output different from what is determined by the software executable in response to such input.   
     
     
         15 . A method for modifying displayed video content including a series of video images and associated audio content, comprising:
 detecting, during presentation of first interactive video content on at least one display device, one or more characteristics of one or more persons who are exposed to the first interactive video content, using at least one sensor in communication with a processor; and,   selecting second video content for display to the one or more persons in response to the one or more of the characteristics detected, wherein the second video content is different from the first interactive video content and wherein the characteristics include a first count of persons using input devices to interact with the first interactive video content detected independently of a second count of the input devices.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second video content selected for display comprises at least one advertisement. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising determining a charge for the advertisement based on the first count of persons having the detected characteristic.