Method and apparatus for television program promotion

Abstract

A computer implemented method and apparatus for determining an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer profile information collects viewer profile information for a viewer and stores it in a computer memory. Definitions of modal segments of viewers in terms of one or more viewer profile information thresholds are also stored and the viewer is assigned to one or more modal segments based on a comparison of the viewer profile information thresholds with the collected viewer profile information. The optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content is determined based on the viewer's assignment to the modal segments, the collected viewer profile information, and promoted program information; and the determined optimal time and channel for delivery of the television advertising content is provided for display.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method of determining an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer profile information, comprising the steps of:
 collecting viewer profile information for a viewer;   storing the viewer profile information in a computer memory;   storing a definition of one or more modal segments of viewers in terms of one or more viewer profile information thresholds in the computer memory;   assigning the viewer to one or more modal segments based on a computer implemented comparison of the one or more viewer profile information thresholds with the collected viewer profile information;   determining with said computer an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer assignment to the one or more modal segments, the collected viewer profile information, and promoted program information; and   providing a computer implemented display indicative of the determined optimal time and channel for delivery of the television advertising content.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the promoted program information includes information selected from the group consisting of: promotion name, owner, promoted program name, program type, Appointment VOD, duration, promoted program air dates, distribution rights holder, VOD availability start date, VOD availability end date, genre, and production details information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the promoted program information includes promoted program name and promoted program air dates information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the promoted program information includes promoted program name, VOD availability start date and VOD availability end date information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of determining an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content is further based on spot information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the spot information includes information selected from the group consisting of: spot owner, indication of national or local spot, network affiliation, channel affiliation, carrier program affiliation, date, time of day, Pod number, Pod position, geography, expected reach, actual reach, and rules governing use information. 
     
     
         7 . A computer implemented method of determining an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer profile information, comprising the steps of:
 collecting viewer profile information for a viewer;   storing the viewer profile information in a computer memory;   storing a definition of one or more modal segments of viewers in terms of one or more viewer profile information thresholds in the computer memory;   assigning the viewer to one or more modal segments based on a computer implemented comparison of the one or more viewer profile information thresholds with the collected viewer profile information;   determining with said computer an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer assignment to the one or more modal segments, the collected viewer profile information, and spot information; and   providing a computer implemented display indicative of the determined optimal time and channel for delivery of the television advertising content.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the spot information includes information selected from the group consisting of: spot owner, indication of national or local spot, network affiliation, channel affiliation, carrier program affiliation, date, time of day, Pod number, Pod position, geography, expected reach, actual reach, and rules governing use information. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the spot information includes network affiliation, channel affiliation, carrier program affiliation, date, time of day, Pod number and Pod position information. 
     
     
         10 . A computer implemented method of determining an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer profile information, comprising the steps of:
 collecting viewer profile information for a viewer;   storing the viewer profile information in a computer memory;   storing a definition of one or more modal segments of viewers in terms of one or more viewer profile information thresholds in the computer memory;   assigning the viewer to assigning the viewer to a first modal segment and to a second modal segment based on a computer implemented comparison of the one or more viewer profile information thresholds with the collected viewer profile information;   determining with said computer an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer assignment to the one or more modal segments and the collected viewer profile information; and   providing a computer implemented display indicative of the determined optimal time and channel for delivery of the television advertising content.   
     
     
         11 . A computer implemented method of determining an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer profile information, comprising the steps of:
 collecting viewer profile information for a viewer;   storing the viewer profile information in a computer memory;   storing a definition of one or more modal segments of viewers in terms of one or more viewer profile information thresholds in the computer memory;   assigning the viewer to (i) one or more modal segments based on a computer implemented comparison of the one or more viewer profile information thresholds with the collected viewer profile information, and (ii) a content preference segment;   determining with said computer an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer assignment to the one or more modal segments, the collected viewer profile information and the viewer assignment to the content preference segment; and   providing a computer implemented display indicative of the determined optimal time and channel for delivery of the television advertising content.   
     
     
         12 . A computer implemented method of determining an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer profile information, comprising the steps of:
 collecting viewer profile information for a viewer;   storing the viewer profile information in a computer memory;   storing a definition of one or more modal segments of viewers in terms of one or more viewer profile information thresholds in the computer memory;   assigning the viewer to one or more modal segments based on a computer implemented comparison of the one or more viewer profile information thresholds with the collected viewer profile information;   receiving spot information for a plurality of television spots; and   receiving promoted program information for a plurality of television program promotions,   determining with said computer an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer assignment to the one or more modal segments, the collected viewer profile information, the spot information and the promoted program information, and said determining comprises determining an optimal one of each of said plurality of television spots for delivery of each one of said plurality of television program promotions; and   providing a computer implemented display indicative of the determined optimal time and channel for delivery of the television advertising content.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said promoted program information comprises content type information. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said promoted program information comprises program duration information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said promoted program information comprises time until a promoted program airs information. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said promoted program information comprises time until a promoted program offering expires information. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said information describing a plurality of television program promotions comprises business impact information. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said promoted program information comprises financial information. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said financial information comprises information indicative of cost for delivery of one of said plurality of television program promotions to the audience segment. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said financial information comprises information indicative of revenue generated for delivery of one of said plurality of television program promotions to the audience segment. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the spot information comprises available time and channel information. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the spot information further comprises content type information for television programs associated with the plurality of television spots. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of:
 receiving ratings information for television programs associated with the plurality of television spots,   wherein the step of determining the optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content is based in part on the ratings information.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the spot information comprises information selected from the group consisting of: owner, national/local, network, channel, carrier program, date, POD, POD position, geography, expected reach, actual reach, and rules governing use information. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the promoted program information comprises information selected from the group consisting of: promotion name, owner, promoted program name, program type, VOD availability, VOD availability start date, VOD availability end date, duration, promoted program starting air date, promoted program ending air date, promoted program distribution rights holder, genre, and production details information.