Contextual commerce for viewers of video programming

Abstract

An apparatus and method for enabling a viewer to watch television in the usual manner, while providing the viewer with an opportunity to indicate interest in products contextually associated with, but not necessarily displayed, in the television programs viewed, are described. Viewer interest might be indicated, for example, by launching a widget from an icon located on the TV video receiver using a handheld remote controller in communication with a set-top box during the program. The program being viewed may then be identified, for example, by the selected channel, the name of the program, the episode, and the time of the selection, or a combination of these indicators. The selections are transmitted by the set-top box to a remote search server, which returns information to the viewer on a portion of the TV video receiver concerning available products contextually related to the program being viewed at the time the widget was launched by the viewer, as well as purchase information. A selected product may as well be purchased through the set-top box in communication with an e-commerce server. Use of a mobile telephone in combination with a TV set-top box for product purchasing is also described.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates generally to purchasing products electronically and, more particularly, to the purchase by viewers of video programming of products contextually related to a particular program.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The use of commercials interspersed within television programs for marketing products is well known. However, such interruptions are generally perceived as annoying by viewers and, if a particular product of interest to a viewer is advertised in a commercial, the viewer will likely wait until the program is finished before further investigating this product, generally by calling a provided toll-free telephone number on a landline or mobile telephone. From the standpoint of product sales, the time delay often equates to lost sales since the viewer may no longer have an interest in the product.[0003]Further, since the content of the commercials is determined by the advertisers, the viewer has no control over what products...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides an integrated television / web services or a mobile telephone system that allows viewers to purchase products related to a particular TV program during a broadcast. The method includes displaying a widget trigger on a TV video receiver, identifying TV program metadata, searching an electronic database for metadata related to the TV program, transmitting the metadata to a set-top box, displaying an icon for the product on the TV video receiver, and transmitting the icon to a mobile phone for purchase. The invention provides a more convenient and efficient way for viewers to access and purchase products related to a TV program during a broadcast.

Problems solved by technology

However, such interruptions are generally perceived as annoying by viewers and, if a particular product of interest to a viewer is advertised in a commercial, the viewer will likely wait until the program is finished before further investigating this product, generally by calling a provided toll-free telephone number on a landline or mobile telephone.

From the standpoint of product sales, the time delay often equates to lost sales since the viewer may no longer have an interest in the product.

Further, since the content of the commercials is determined by the advertisers, the viewer has no control over what products appear during the commercials and, in fact, may not have any interest in these products.

Many products are advertised on the Internet, but unlike television commercials, advertisements displayed on a website appear on the video receiver simultaneously with the sought-after information, and do not generally prevent the viewer from viewing this information.

Images