Location Based User Aware Video on Demand Sessions

Abstract

A system and a method are described herein for enabling a user with a location-aware mobile device to have at least partial control of a closest set top box associated with a closest television. The closest set top box does not need to be associated with the user's home television but instead can be any set top box that is associated with a television located for instance at a stranger's house, an airport, a bar, or wherever.

1 . A method for generating targeted advertising, comprising:
 receiving, from a location-aware mobile device, a current location of a user of the location-aware mobile device;   retrieving demographics data of the user from a database;   querying a location server to identify a closest television device relative to the current location of the user;   generating a targeted advertisement based on the demographics data of the user; and   displaying the targeted advertisement on the identified closest television device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified closest television device is a set top box or a smart TV device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified closest television device is located outside of a home of the user. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified closest television device is located in a public area. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the demographics data of the user is based upon at least one of past user locations, content rental history, user demographics, rating restrictions, and billing information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a second location-aware mobile device, a current location of a second user;   retrieving demographics data of the second user from a database;   querying the location server to identify a closest television device relative to the current location of the second user;   based on a determination that the closest television device relative to the current location of the second user is the same as the closest television device relative to the current location of the user, generating a second targeted advertisement based on the demographics data of the user and the second user; and   displaying the second targeted advertisement on the identified closest television device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising checking-in or logging-in the user to the identified closest television device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein only demographic data from checked-in and logged-in users are used when generating a targeted advertisement and/or building demographic pictures of a potential audience. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein, if the user moves a predetermined distance away from the closest television device, the user is logged-out or checked-out. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising no longer displaying the targeted advertisement based on a determination that the user is logged-out or checked-out. 
     
     
         11 . A location-aware mobile device comprising:
 a memory that stores processor-executable instructions therein; and   a processor that interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions to:
 send a current location of the location-aware mobile device to a login server; 
 send account information associated with content access for a user of the location-aware mobile device to the login server; and 
 receive a login confirmation from the login server, wherein, upon log-in, a targeted advertisement based on demographics data of the user is generated and displayed on a television device closest to the current location of the location-aware mobile device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The location-aware mobile device of  claim 11 , wherein the closest television device is a set top box or a smart TV device. 
     
     
         13 . The location-aware mobile device of  claim 11 , wherein the closest television device is located outside of a home of the user. 
     
     
         14 . The location-aware mobile device of  claim 11 , wherein the identified closest television device is located in a public area. 
     
     
         15 . The location-aware mobile device of  claim 11 , wherein the demographics data of the user is based upon at least one of past user locations, content rental history, user demographics, rating restrictions, and billing information. 
     
     
         16 . The location-aware mobile device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to send a second current location of the location-aware mobile device to the login server. 
     
     
         17 . The location-aware mobile device of  claim 16 , wherein, if the user moves a predetermined distance away from the closest television device, the user is logged-out or checked-out. 
     
     
         18 . The location-aware mobile device of  claim 17 , wherein, if the user moves a predetermined distance away from the closest television device, the targeted advertisement is no longer displayed. 
     
     
         19 . The location-aware mobile device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to take at least partial control of the closest television device to control content displayed there on. 
     
     
         20 . The location-aware mobile device of  claim 19 , further comprising a user interface configured to enable the user to control the closest television device.