Methods and apparatus to provide an electronic agent

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to provide an electronic agent are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a media receiver to receive media to present via a display device. A media monitor is to determine an identity of the media. A keyword handler is to, in response to identity of the media, retrieve a list including a keyword associated with the identified media. The keyword handler is to access a first database using the keyword to retrieve an advertisement associated with the keyword. An agent generator is to present an interactive electronic agent on the display device to present the advertisement. The presentation of the interactive electronic agent including presentation of spoken audio corresponding to text presented on the display device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, via a processor, a media for presentation via a display device associated with a first consumer;   determining, via the processor, content information of the media;   retrieving, via the processor in response to the content information of the media, a buddy list including at least one second consumer; and   presenting, via the processor, an electronic agent on the display device to present an option to setup a chat session with the at least one second consumer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content information including at least one keyword is further used to access a first database to retrieve at least one advertisement associated with the at least one keyword, and the presenting includes presenting the at least one advertisement. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one advertisement comprises a first advertisement and a second advertisement, wherein the presenting the at least one advertisement selects either the first advertisement or the second advertisement based on a proximity of a first business represented in the first advertisement or a second business represented in the second advertisement that is closest to a location identified in user profile information of the first consumer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic agent is an animated character displayed on the display device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media is an internet protocol television program. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving a user input to retrieve additional information associated with the at least one advertisement that is presented.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the additional information is received from the first database. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first database is maintained by a content distributor of the media. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first database is maintained locally with the processor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one advertisement is presented as a visual presentation or an audible presentation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content information includes at least one of: information about an entity associated with the media, information about a location depicted in the media, information about a character depicted in the media, or a product review associated with a product depicted in the media. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an input from the first consumer to initiate the chat session; and   sending a request to a chat controller to initiate the chat session.   
     
     
         13 . A device comprising:
 a processing system including at least one processor; and   a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving a media for presentation via a display device associated with a first consumer; 
 determining content information of the media; 
 retrieving, in response to the content information of the media, a buddy list including at least one second consumer; and 
 presenting an electronic agent on the display device to present an option to setup a chat session with the at least one second consumer. 
   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the content information including at least one keyword is further used to access a first database to retrieve at least one advertisement associated with the at least one keyword, and the presenting includes presenting the at least one advertisement. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one advertisement comprises a first advertisement and a second advertisement, wherein the presenting the at least one advertisement selects either the first advertisement or the second advertisement based on a proximity of a first business represented in the first advertisement or a second business represented in the second advertisement that is closest to a location identified in user profile information of the first consumer. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the electronic agent is an animated character displayed on the display device. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving a user input to retrieve additional information associated with the at least one advertisement that is presented.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the content information includes at least one of: information about an entity associated with the media, information about a location depicted in the media, information about a character depicted in the media, or a product review associated with a product depicted in the media. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 13 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving an input from the first consumer to initiate the chat session; and   sending a request to a chat controller to initiate the chat session.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processing system including at least one processor, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving a media for presentation via a display device associated with a first consumer;   determining content information of the media;   retrieving, in response to the content information of the media, a buddy list including at least one second consumer; and   presenting an electronic agent on the display device to present an option to setup a chat session with the at least one second consumer.