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`HAMILTON, BROOK, SMITH & REYNOLDS, P.C.
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`3 ”X29W
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`flit” PROVISIONAL APPLICATION FOR PATENT COVER SHEET 93 2
`GE .
`This is a request for filing a PROVISIONAL APPLICATION FOR PATENT under 37 C.F.R. 1.53(c)
`32E
`7%“:
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`3'0 E
`Express Mail Label Number
`2657.2003-000 '3 =
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`EL552571191US
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`Docket Number
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`Given. Name
`(first and mlddle (lf any))
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`Family Name or Surname
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`Residence
`(Street Address, city and either state or Foreign Country)
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`INVENTOR(S)
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`33 Willow Road
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`[X ] Additional inventors are being named on the separately numbered sheet(s) attached hereto
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`, ‘
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`TITLE OF THE INVENTION (280 characters max)
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`SING VIEWERSHIP PROFILES FOR TARGETED PROMOTION DEPLOYMENT
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`CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS
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`TwoMilitiaDrive
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`Lexington
`USA
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`STATE _ ZlP CODE
`TELEPHONE
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`02421-4799
`(781)861-9540
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`ENCLOSED APPLICATION PARTS (check all that apply)
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`Specification NumberOfPages
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`[18 ]
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`[
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`] Other (specify)
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`Drawing(s) Numberof Sheets
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`[6 ]
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`METHOD OF PAYMENT OF FILING FEES FOR THIS PROVISIONAL APPLICATION FOR PATENT (Check one)
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`A check or money order is enclosed to cover the filing fees
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`’
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`The Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge filing fees or credit
`any overpayment to Deposit Account Number 08-0380
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`AMQIENITIIE)
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`$150
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`The invention was made by an agency of the United States Government or under a contract with an agency of the United
`States Government.
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`[X] No
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`[
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`] Yes, the name of the US. Government agency and the Government contract number are:
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`NOVE’flgée 2?) 2000
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`Signature
`Submitted b
`Typed or Printed Name
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`‘
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`Rev. August 4, 1999
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`'
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`D
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`-
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`Date
`‘ Reg. Number
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`31,671
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`BBiTV EX2175
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`DISH V. BBiTV
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`IPR2020-01267
`A
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`BBiTV EX2175
`DISH v. BBiTV
`IPR2020-01267
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`i..
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`PROVISIONAL APPLICATION COVER SHEET
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`Additional Page
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`Docket Number
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`2657.2003-000
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`Given Name
`(first and middle (if any))
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`~
`Family Name or Surname
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`Residence
`(Street Address, city and either state or Foreign Country)
`
`Fagnani
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`Whitinsville, Ma. 01588
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`17 Frank Street
`Watertown, Ma. 02472
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`::ODMA\MHODMA\IMANAGE;180913;1
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`Number 2 of 2
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`::ODMA\MHODMA\iManage;180661 ;l
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`DJT/JMC
`11/28/00
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`PATENT APPLICATION
`Docket No.2 2657.2003-000
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`Date: [/'9~J>"w Express Mail Label Nofz—Jgggfz [Z é! a S
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`Inventor(s): Felix Yen, Kirk Cameron, and Mark Fagnani
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`Attorney's Docket No.: 2657.2003-000
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`USING VIEWERSHIP PROFILES
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`FOR TARGETED PROMOTION DEPLOYMENT
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`At the present time, most data network devices located in the residences include
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`some type of personal computer. Typically, these personal computers are used to
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`connect to Internet Service Providers over dial-up connections to execute application
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`programs such as email clients and Web browsers that utilize the global Internet to
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`access text and graphic content. Increasingly, the demand is for multimedia content,
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`including audio and video, to be delivered over such networks. However, the backbone
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`architecture of purely data networks, especially those designed for use with the
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`telephone network, were not originally designed to handle such high data rates.
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`The trend is towards a more ubiquitous model where the network devices in the
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`home will be embedded systems designed for a particular function or purpose. This has
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`already occurred to some degree. Today, for example, cable television (CATV) network
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`set—top boxes typically have limited data communication capabilities. The main
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`function of the data devices is to handle channel access between residential users and a
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`head end or server on the cable TV network.
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`However, it is estimated that the worldwide market for Internet appliances such
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`as digital set—top boxes and Web-connected terminals will reach $17.8 billion in 2004,
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`and millions of such digital set—top boxes have already been deployed. Increasingly,
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`advertisers and content providers view the cable set-top as the first platform of choice
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`for widespread delivery of a suite of intelligent content management and distribution
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`services.
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`In the future, the functionality offered by these set-top boxes or other embedded
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`platforms, such as a game system, will be expanded. For example, they may offer
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`Internet browsing capabilities and e-commerce serving capabilities. Moreover, it is
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`anticipated that common-household appliances will also have network functionality, in
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`which they will be attached to the network to automate various tasks.
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`The digital set top box provides certain interesting functionalities, such as the
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`ability to collect data, such as a log of the channels watched over time, and other events.
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`The set top box can be designed and programed to report this information to a central
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`location. At the central location, this data can be aggregated for many hundreds of
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`thousands of users. This information, when coupled with other information such as
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`demographics, can then be used by advertisers and service providers to target
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`individuals or blanket defined market segments with promotions, advertisements, and
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`content. The digital delivery of promotions can then allow for impulse responses
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`yielding immediate increases in revenues.
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`However, to effectively target specific set top boxes with promotions, the
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`viewership profiles of the set top boxes must be generated. These profiles characterize
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`the viewing behavior of the Viewers associated with the individual set top boxes.
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`The present invention implements a system for generating viewership profiles to
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`facilitate distributing promotions based on the profiles to multiple network devices,
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`such as set top boxes.
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`Specifically, the system includes a promotion agent associated with each
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`network device which collects viewing activity data of the network device. For example,
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`the viewing activity data may include a channel the network device was tuned to, a time
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`when the network device was tuned to the channel, and a time the network device was
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`tuned away from the channel.
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`The collected viewing activity data is then transmitted, for example, every
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`twenty-four hours, to a life-cycle manager server, which also periodically receives a
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`program schedule. The program schedule typically specifies the channel on which a
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`particular program was displayed, as well as the time the program was shown.
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`The life—cycle manager server correlates the viewing activity data with the
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`program schedule to generate the viewership profile of the network device. The life
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`cycle manager server determines the viewing behavior for four, eight, and twelve week
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`periods, for example, or for a time period specified by a user.
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`The implementation of a system for generating viewership profiles in this
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`manner assists network operators to cost effectively support the advanced features of the
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`set top box, such as to provide targeted promotion and digital content distribution
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`services. This enables network operators to generate new revenues and provide a richer
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`interactive environment for consumers.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be
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`apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of
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`the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference
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`characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not
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`necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the
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`invention.
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`Fig. 1A is a block diagram illustrating a set top box attached to a television
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`displaying a promotion in a full-screen electronic program guide according to one
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`embodiment of the present invention.
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`Fig. 1B is a block diagram illustrating the television of Fig. 1A displaying a
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`promotion in a partial-screen electronic program guide.
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`Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interaction between a server system
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`and an embedded client system according to the invention.
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`Fig. 3A is a process flow diagram illustrating a process for generating
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`viewership profiles.
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`Fig. 3B is a process flow diagram illustrating a process for determining the type
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`of individual tuned into a set top box at a given time.
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`Fig. 4 is a process flow diagram illustrating a process for targeting network
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`devices.
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`Fig. 5 is a process flow diagram illustrating the interaction of the system of Fig.
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`2 with multiple network devices.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
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`A description of preferred embodiments of the invention follows. Embodiments
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`of the targeted promotion delivery system allow advertisers and service providers the
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`ability to effectively utilize a multimedia network for targeting promotions at viewers
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`through network devices. Network devices are targeted for promotion delivery based
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`on device usage statistics collected fiom these devices and on demographic data. The
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`promotion delivery system can target network devices in varying degrees of granularity
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`from a single network device to entire market segments. Furthermore, the promotion
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`delivery system is designed to ensure efficient use of network bandwidth when
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`delivering promotions to prevent network congestion. The system can be implemented
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`over a variety of multimedia networks containing large populations of network devices,
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`such as television set top boxes, Internet phones, and other similar network appliances.
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`Fig. 1A is a diagram illustrating a Video display system with an active promotion
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`according to one embodiment. Promotions include promotional content that may be
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`presented in various multimedia formats including audio, video, graphics or icons, and
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`Internet hyperlinks. Promotions are used to advertise goods and services, promote
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`events, or present other commercial or non-commercial information.
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`Referring to Fig. 1A, the video display system 1 includes network device or set
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`top box 10 connected to a respective video display 20, such as a television. Promotions
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`30 typically include promotional content that may be presented in various multimedia
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`formats including standard audio visual clips, but also computer graphics, icons, or
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`Internet hyperlinks. Promotions are used to advertise goods and services, promote
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`events, or present other commercial or non-commercial information. One or more
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`promotions 30 may be simultaneously active within the video display 20 and may be
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`displayed in different ways. For example, promotions 30 can be presented on electronic
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`program guides, channel information bars 40 (Fig. 1B), or by overlaying video
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`broadcast programming. Some active promotions allow user interaction such as linking
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`to e-commerce web-sites via hyperlink connections or direct communication with the
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`server subsystem of the promotion delivery system to obtain additional software, such as
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`device drivers, video games, or other application software.
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`The promotions 30 can be stored locally or in a stream in the network that is
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`viewed as a virtual channel or a dedicated channel and located using a local moniker.
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`The promotions 30 can be displayed as banners, hot spots, or full motion streams, such
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`as personal Video recorders. The promotions 30 could be for a video on demand (VOD)
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`movie, commerce [PPV, an offer for a product, a pay for View event, and walled
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`gardens. Although the promotions 30 in Figs. 1A and 1B cover only a portion of the
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`viewable screen area, the promotions may cover the entire screen area. Further, there
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`may be multiple promotions 30 displayed on the video device 20, each promotion 30
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`being independently selectable. The multiple promotions 30 may cover a portion or the
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`entire Viewing screen area of the Video device 20. Clicking on or accepting the
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`promotion 30 by the viewer may cause the network device 10 to tune away from
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`channel on which the promotion is displayed.
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`Fig. 2 is a high-level system diagram illustrating a targeted promotion delivery
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`system for a multimedia network according to one embodiment. The system 100
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`includes a promotion server subsystem 200 and a promotion agent subsystem 300
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`embedded within each of the network devices. The promotion server subsystem 200
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`and the promotion agent subsystems 300 communicate with each other through a
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`combination of application-level messaging and serialized bulk data transmissions.
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`The promotion server subsystem 200 periodically collects viewer usage data
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`from the promotion agent subsystem 300 of each of the network devices to generate
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`viewership profiles. In television networks, the data collected by the promotion server
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`subsystem 200 may include tuner data (i.e., a history of channels watched) and
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`responses to past promotions. This history is kept on a relatively fine time scale, such
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`as five seconds. In this way, it can be determined how long a particular promotion was
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`deployed, or even which portions of a promotion or video program were viewed.
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`In more detail regarding promotion delivery, the promotion server subsystem
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`200 includes a database 210, a scheduler or promotion manager server 220, a bulk data
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`server 230, and a promotion manager client 240 interfacing with a life-cycle manager
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`server 250. The bulk data server is typically located at a central location in the
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`multimedia network at a data center, head end, or divided between the two depending
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`on the density and population of devices. The other components, the database 210, the
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`promotion manager server 220, and the promotion manager client 240, are located at the
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`data center.
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`The life-cycle manager server 250 of the promotion server subsystem 200
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`generate viewership profiles for each of the network devices from the collected data
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`using a variety of statistical models. The viewership profiles are then used to associate
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`each multimedia content viewing device with promotion groups.
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`Promotion groups are collections of network devices whose individual
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`viewership profiles match membership criterion describing a particular demographic or
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`viewership history. For example, a promotion group may be demographically based,
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`i. e., “married women in their 30's with more than one school age child and a household
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`income of at least $100,0000,” or based on viewership history, z'.e., “tends to watch the
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`Golf Channel on Sunday afternoon.” The membership criterion for a promotion group
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`may be specified broadly to target an entire market segment (e.g. , sports enthusiasts) or
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`narrowly to target a niche portion of a market segment (e.g., badminton sport
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`enthusiasts). Furthermore, membership within a promotion group can change over time
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`in response to updates to the viewership profiles. Therefore, the promotion delivery
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`system is adaptable to changes in viewer usage or viewership patterns by making
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`adjustments to promotion groups.
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`Promotions are then scheduled for delivery to specific promotion groups. A
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`promotion is scheduled for delivery to a promotion group by an advertiser or service
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`provider entering a scheduling request for a promotion Via the promotion manager client
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`240. The promotion manager server 220 packages the promotion for delivery and stores
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`it in the database 210. Later, the package information is read from the database 210 and
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`used to create customized transmission schedules that specify when and how each of the
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`network devices that is associated with a promotion group is to receive it.
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`The promotion agent subsystem 300 embedded in each of the network devices
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`includes a promotion agent 310 and a bulk data agent 320. Upon receipt of the
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`transmission schedule messages, the promotion agent 310 processes each schedule entry
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`and waits for the bulk data agent 320 to deliver each promotion identified in the
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`transmission schedule. The bulk data agent 320 then handles the reception of the
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`promotions from the scheduled data transmission as specified in the promotion
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`download requests. In one embodiment, the bulk data agent 320 tunes into a multicast
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`data transmission stream at a specified time and channel or network address specified in
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`the transmission schedule.
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`The promotion manager server 220 extracts the promotion package from the
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`database 210 and converts it into a transmission request that is sent to the bulk data
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`server 230. The bulk data server 230 fetches the promotions from the database 210 that
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`are identified in the transmission request message, and transmits them via multicast or
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`broadcast transmission depending on transmission control data specified in the
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`transmission request. The promotions can also be stored in the bulk data server 230 or
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`in a cache.
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`Once the promotions have been successfully delivered, the promotions are
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`activated at the network devices as specified in promotion control data of the
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`transmission schedules. Promotion activation may be event, time, or channel driven. In
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`addition, Navic triggers or triggers embedded in broadcast streams such as ATVEF,
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`VBI, or in MPEG data streams may activate the promotions. Promotion activation may
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`also occur because of some series of viewer events, for example, some pattern of
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`channel surfing by the viewer may activate a promotion.
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`Fig. 3A illustrates a generalized process diagram 400 for creating a viewership
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`profile of a viewer 15 who has tuned to a program channel on the set-top box 10. In a
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`first step 402, the promotion agent 310 of the promotion agent subsystem 300 embedded
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`in the set top box 10 creates an event log of the viewer’s activities. The event log
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`records the channel to which the this set top box is tuned to, the time the channel was
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`tuned in, and the time the it left the channel. In the described embodiment, the event is
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`recorded only if the period between the time the viewer tuned in the channel and the
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`time the viewer tuned away from the channel is greater than about five seconds. By
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`logging events that have only been watched for a period greater than five seconds, the
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`promotion agent is able to distinguish shows that are actually watched from channel
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`“surfing” by the viewer.
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`After the promotion agent 310 has logged viewer activities for a period time,
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`such as twenty four hours, the logged activities are transmitted through messages, in a
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`state 404, to the life cycle manager server 250. The messages are transmitted through a
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`messaging protocol for unicast transmission, such as TCP/IP. The messaging protocol
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`is described in more detail in the US. Application Attorney Docket 265 72002-000,
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`entitled “PROTOCOL FOR THROTTLING HIGH VOLUME MESSAGES,” filed
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`herewith. In a state 406, the life cycle manager receives the event log from the
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`promotion agent 310. Also, in the state 406 a program schedule 260 is periodically
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`transmitted to the life cycle manager server 250. Such program schedule data for
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`broadcast network is typically available from commercial services.
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`After receiving the logged viewership activities and the program schedule 260,
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`the life cycle manager server 250 correlates the data in the state 406. Then in a state
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`408, the life cycle manager determines the viewer behavior associated with set top box
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`10. In this step, the life cycle manager determines what programs were watched and the
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`percentage of time each program was watched during its scheduled time slot. Further,
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`the life cycle manager determines the genre of programs watched and the percentage of
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`time each genre were Viewed. The genres may be collections of programs associated
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`with sports, news, comedies, or health shows. Note, that the total percentage of genres
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`watched can exceed 100% because some shows may belong to multiple genres. The life
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`cycle manager server determines the viewer behavior for four, eight and twelve week
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`periods, for example, or for a time period specified by a user. Finally, the viewership
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`profile of the viewer associated with the top box 10 is generated.
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`Next, in a state 410, the Viewer behavior data generated by the life cycle
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`manager server is matched with group profiles 270 provided by third parties, such as
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`advertisers, to the life cycle manager server 250. These group profiles 270 may include
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`age, gender, residence and other demographic data.
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`Subsequently, in a state 412, the matched viewership behavior data and group
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`profiles 270 is used to determine the class of the Viewer associated with the set top box
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`10.
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`In a state 414, this viewership profile is transmitted to and stored in the database
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`2 1 0.
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`Referring to Fig. 3B, the system 100 is also able in real time to compare short
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`term viewership activity 420 associated with the set top box 10 with long term activity
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`430 as obtained in the process just described above. The short term activity 420 is
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`collected by the promotion agent 310, and a compressed version of the long term
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`activity is transmitted from the life cycle manager server 250 to the promotion agent
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`310. In a state 440, the promotion agent 310 then correlates the short term activity 420
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`with the long term activity 430 to establish the type of individual watching a program on
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`a given set top box at a given moment.
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`After the viewership profiles of the set top box 10 in a network is generated, an
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`advertiser, or anyone else interested in paying for the data, is able to make many uses of
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`such data. For example, the advertiser may target certain promotion groups which are
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`collections of network devices whose individual viewership profiles are matched to
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`membership criteria. The membership criteria is usually based on demographics or
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`geographic locations.
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`Referring to Fig. 4, a process for generating promotion groups is illustrated in
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`detail. In a particular network, the set top box 10 is associated with the viewer 15. The
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`viewership profile for the set top box 10 is obtained as described above. The data for
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`the set top box 10 is then transmitted to the database 210, in a state 502, which in turn is
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`transmitted to the promotion manager server 220 in a state 504 . In the state 504, the
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`promotion manager server 220 matches the viewership profile with the membership
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`criteria 505 provided by third parties, for example, through the promotion manager
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`client 240 (Fig. 2). The membership criteria may be based, for example, on
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`demographics, geographic locations of the network devices, or channel and promotion
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`history data of the network devices.
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`In a state 506, promotion groups are generated by the promotion manager server
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`220. Next, in a state 508, based on these promotion groups, the promotion manager
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`server 220 determines which promotions to send to the set top box 10. As such, the
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`promotion manager server 220 generates promotion schedules which specify when each
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`promotion is to be shown on a particular set top box. The scheduling information is
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`transmitted to the promotion agent 320 through the messaging protocol discussed above.
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`The actual content or promotions is downloaded from the bulk manager server 230 to
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`the bulk server agent 320 embedded in the set top box 10 when instructed by the
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`promotion manager server 220. The bulk manager server 230 does not transmit the
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`content through the messaging protocol discussed earlier. Rather, it employs a protocol,
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`such as UDP, which is capable of efficiently transmitting multicast and broadcast
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`media. The bulk data protocol is described in more detail in the US. Application
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`Attorney Docket 2657.2001-005, entitled “MESSAGE ROUTER,” filed March 16,
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`2000. The scheduled promotions are then displayed on the video display 20 (Fig. 1A)
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`on a particular channel at a specified time. Further, the promotions may be displayed at
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`a designated time independent of What the viewers are watching, or the promotions may
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`be displayed on particular shows the viewers are watching.
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`After the targeted promotions have been displayed, the system 100 is able to
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`determine the success of the these promotions. For example, in a state 510, the
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`promotion agent 310 collects data as to which scheduled promotions were actually
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`watched by the set top box 10. That is, the promotion agent 310 can determine if the
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`viewer watched a particular promotion as intended, or if the viewer to tuned away from
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`the promotion by changing channels, for example. This data is uploaded in a state 512
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`to the life cycle manager 250 which transmits the data to the database 210 in a state 514.
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`Thus, the system 100 is able to provide advertisers information related to the success of
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`the promotions. This information can be provided in a state 516 directly to the
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`advertiser after its scheduled promotion was shown, or the advertiser may make an
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`inquiry of the information stored in the database 210 in a state 518.
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`Although the above discussion has been directed to a single viewer watching
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`programs tuned to by a particular set top box, the present embodiment is able to
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`distinguish viewing patterns of multiple viewers who watch programs delivered to a
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`single set top box.
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`As shown in Fig. 5, multiple viewers, 15—1 through lS-N , can View programs on
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`their respective video display 20, via their set top boxes 10. Thus, by the process
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`described above and as illustrated in Figs. 3A and 3B, the system 100 is able to generate
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`viewership profiles of each viewer associated with an individual set top box 10.
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`Further, once the viewership profiles are generated, the process as described in reference
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`to Fig. 4 enables the system 100 to determine which viewer(s) of viewers 15-1 through
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`15 -N, may be watching their respective video display 20 at a particular time and what
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`channel the set top box 10 is tuned to. As such, the system 100 is able to determine a
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`particular viewer to target, as well as determining the success of the promotion which
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`was targeted at a particular viewer.
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`While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references
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`to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
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`various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the
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`scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.
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`CLAIMS
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`What is claimed is:
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`10
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`15
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`A system for generating viewership profiles to facilitate distributing promotions
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`based on the profiles to multiple network devices, comprising:
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`a promotion agent associated with each network device for collecting
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`viewership activity data of the network device; and
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`a life-cycle manager server for receiving the viewership activity data
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`from the promotion agent and for correlating the viewership activity data with
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`program schedules to generate the viewership profiles.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the viewership activity data of each network
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`device includes a program channel on the network device.
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`The system of claim 2, wherein the viewership activity data includes a time at
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`which the network device was tuned to the channel.
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`The system of claim 3, wherein the viewership activity includes a time at which
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`the network device was tuned away from the channel.
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`The system of claim 4, wherein the viewship activity data is collected only if
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`the difference between the time the network device was tuned to the channel and
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`the time the network device was tuned away from the channel is greater than
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`about five seconds.
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`, 2657.2003—000
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`10
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the viewership activity data is collected by
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`the promotion agent over a twenty—four hour period before the viewership
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`activity data is received by the life—cycle manager.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the viewership activity data includes a
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`program viewed by a viewer.
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`The system of claim 7, wherein the viewership activity data provides a
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`percentage of time the program was viewed by the viewer.
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`The system of claim 8, wherein the percentage of time is precise to within about
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`one percent.
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`10.
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`The system of claim 7, wherein the program belongs to a genre.
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`ll.
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`The system of claim 10, wherein the viewership activity data provides a
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`percentage of time which a genre is Viewed.
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`12.
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`The system of claim 11, wherein the percentage of time is precise to within
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`about one percent.
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`15
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`I3.
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`The system of claim 7, wherein the program belongs to multiple genres.
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`14.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the viewership profile data is matched with a
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`group profile.
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`15.
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`The system of claim 14, wherein the group profile is based on viewer
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`attributes.
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`. 2652.2003-000
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`16.
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`The system of claim 15, wherein the attributes include a geographic location.
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`17.
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`The system of claim 15, wherein the attributes include demographic
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`characteristics.
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`18.
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`The system of claim 15 , wherein the attributes include a genre of programs.
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`19.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein short-term viewership activity is compared
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`with the viewership profile.
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`20.
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`The system of claim 19, wherein the short—term viewership activity spans over
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`a time period of about one minute.
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`21.
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`The system of claim 19, wherein the short—term viewership activity spans over
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`a time period of about one hour.
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`22.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the viewership profile includes viewership
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`activity data spanning a time period of about four weeks.
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`23.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the viewership profile includes viewership
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`activity data spanning a time period of about eight weeks.
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`10
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`24.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the viewership profile includes viewership
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`activity data spanning a time period of about twelve weeks.
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`25.
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`The system of claim 1, wherein the viewership profile includes viewership
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`activity data spanning a time period defined by a user of the system.
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`‘ 2657.2003—000
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`-15-
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`26.
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`A method for generating viewership profiles to facilitate distributing promotions
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`based on the profiles to network devices, comprising the steps of:
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`collecting viewership activity data for each network device;
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`correlating the viewership activity with program schedules; and
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`5
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`generating viewership profiles of each network device based on the
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`correlation.
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`27.
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`The method of claim 26, wherein the step of collecting viewership activity
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`data further includes collecting channels selected on the network device.
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`28.
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`The method of claim 27, wherein the step of collecting viewership activity data
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`10
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`further includes collecting a time at which the network device was tuned to the
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`channel.
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`29.
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`The method of claim 28, wherein the step of collecting viewership activity data
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`further includes collecting a time at which the network device was tuned away
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`from the channel.
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`15
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`30.
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`The method of claim 29, wherein the step of collecting viewership activity data
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`collects viewership activity data only if the difference between the time the
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`network device was tuned to the channel and the time the network device was
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`tuned away from the channel is greater than about five seconds.
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`31.
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`The method of claim 26, wherein the step of collecting viewership activity data
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`20
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`is performed over a twenty-four hour period.
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`32.
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`The method of claim 26, wherein the step of collecting viewership activity data
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`includes collecting a program viewed by a viewer.
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`. 2653.2003—000
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`—16—
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`33.
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`The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of matching the viewership
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`profile of each network device with a group profile.
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`34.
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`The method of claim 33, wherein the step of matching includes matching to the
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`group profile based on viewer attributes.
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`35.
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`The method of claim 34, wherein the step of matching includes matching to
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`viewer attributes based on a geographic location.
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`36.
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`The method of claim 34, wherein the step of matching includes matching to
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`viewer attributes based on demographic characteristics.
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`37.
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`The method of clam 34, wherein the step of matching includes matching to
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`viewer attributes based on a genre of programs.
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`38.
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`The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of comparing the
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`viewership profile with short-term viewership activity.
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`10
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`39.
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`The method of claim 38, wherein the step of comparing includes comparing
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`with short-term activity spanning over a time period of about one minute.
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`40.
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`The method of claim 38, wherein the step of comparing includes comparing
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`with short-term activity spanning over a time period of about one hour.
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`41.
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`The method of claim 26, wherein the step of generating the viewership profile is
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`based on viewership act