Method and system for allowing viewers to purchase program products
a technology of program products and sales mechanisms, applied in the field of methods and systems for allowing viewers to purchase products shown on television shows, can solve the problems of unsatisfactory demand for these products, unrealized potential lucrative revenue sources, and ineffective present sales mechanisms for selling products
Inactive Publication Date: 2006-09-28
WALKER JAY S +3
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- Summary
- Abstract
- Description
- Claims
- Application Information
AI Technical Summary
Benefits of technology
"The present invention is a system that allows viewers of an entertainment program to purchase products used in the program. The system stores information about products in databases that can be accessed by operators based on viewer supplied information. The system includes means for receiving a request about a product shown in the entertainment program, identifying the product information in the database using the request, and sending the identified information to the viewer. The system also includes a remote terminal for entering product data about a product used in the entertainment program, a central controller, and an operator terminal. The technical effects of the invention include enabling viewers to conveniently purchase products shown in an entertainment program and providing information about the products to them in a timely and efficient manner."
Problems solved by technology
Because entertainment programs are typically not produced with the intent of selling merchandise, a potentially lucrative source of revenue has gone unrealized.
However, the demand for these products has not yet been satisfied.
Present sales mechanisms are not effective for selling products that are related to entertainment programs.
For example, while catalogs are presently used to sell souvenir merchandise such as t-shirts and coffee mugs, they do not sell products similar to television props.
For example, a program viewer cannot buy the Armani suit that Frasier was wearing on the Jun. 30, 1996 episode.
Method used
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Introduction
[0026] Systems consistent with this invention allow viewers of an entertainment program to purchase products seen on these programs. The term “entertainment program,” as used in the specification, refers to programs whose primary purpose is to entertain, and not to sell products or services. Examples of “entertainment programs” include soap operas, sitcoms, dramas, sporting events, and movies. An entertainment program may be transmitted over any transmission media, such as wireless transmission, cable, or the Internet, or stored on a storage media, such as video tape or laser disk. Further, an entertainment program may be displayed on any broadcast media, such as television. The term “prop” refers to an item actually used on an entertainment program. The term “product” refers to merchandise similar to a prop. By similar it is meant that the product is visually and / or functionally indistinguishable from the prop. The product may or not be the same brand and / or make and ...
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To allow viewers to easily purchase products shown in entertainment programs, the viewers call an operator terminal. The operator terminal is networked to a central controller, which is also networked to remote terminals. Remote terminal operators enter data about props used in programs, copies of which are to be offered for sale. These remote terminals transmit this data to the central controller for storage in a database. Operators at the operator terminals can access the data stored at the central controller to respond calls from viewers seeking to purchase products.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a method and system for allowing viewers to purchase products shown on television shows. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and system for allowing television viewers to purchase products which appear on entertainment program-type television shows. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Television programs dedicated solely to selling merchandise, or sales programs, have been broadcast on television and other broadcast media. One example of such sales programs includes, “infomercials,” which are essentially lengthy paid commercials. Also, narrative television programs, in which scenes that showcase products available for sale are intermittently frozen while commercial sales of those products are undertaken, have been broadcast. [0005] In recent years, sales programs have become increasingly commonplace. This is largely attributable to the wide availability o...
Claims
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IPC IPC(8): H04N7/16H04N7/173G06Q30/06H04N21/488
CPCG06Q30/06G06Q30/0601G06Q30/0613G06Q30/0625G06Q30/0633H04N21/4882
InventorWALKER, JAY S.JORASCH, JAMES A.JINDAL, SANJAY K.SPARICO, THOMAS M.
OwnerWALKER JAY S