Method to encourage digital video recording users to view advertisements by providing compensation offers

BACKGROUND

00011. Technical Field

0002The present application relates to advertising in streaming media and, in particular, to television advertising. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for encouraging users of digital video recording devices to view advertisements by providing compensation offers.

00032. Description of Related Art

0004Some forms of television and other forms of streaming media, such as radio, Internet radio, Internet video, and the like, include advertisements to subsidize the cost of the content and, more importantly, to increase the revenue stream associated with various types of programming. Many owners of digital video recorders (DVR) or personal video recorders (PVR), which are devices that record streaming media onto solid state recordable media, such as hard disks, random access memory (RAM), or the like, use options, such as fast forward, skip, and other commands, commonly provided with the recorders to skip or advance through advertisements. While advancing through an advertisement is convenient for the user of the recorder, skipping advertisements is a source of frustration for the advertiser who purchased the advertisement. Moreover, the increased likelihood that users of such devices will not view advertisements decreases the amount of money that the advertisers are willing to spend on advertising since the cost/benefit analysis weighs against advertising on television broadcasts.

0005As a result, advancing through recorded advertisements impacts the business of network providers, such as cable companies and satellite networks, as well as the television networks. While network providers are working to stop DVR manufacturers from allowing the advancement feature, the DVR manufacturers are coming up with alternative means to allow viewers to view commercials at their pleasure. For example, DVR manufacturers are providing banner ads that run continuously at the bottom of the screen.

0006Additionally, some advertisers attempt to entice viewers to watch their advertisements by providing secret codes embedded in the advertisements that a user must look for. Then, the user has to use the code on the advertiser's Webpage to learn what benefit the user has earned. However, looking for a secret code may require the user to use a frame-by-frame advancement to find the secret code. Although these efforts assist advertisers in getting their message across to DVR users, these efforts also require the viewers to go through a great deal of effort, which in turn may not work for many viewers.

SUMMARY

0007The illustrative embodiments provide a means to enable a user of a television device to view an advertisement at an appropriate and convenient speed while providing compensation offers to the user to watch the entire advertisement. Thus, the advertiser is able to present their message to the user and the user benefits from watching the advertisement by receiving the compensation offer.

0008The illustrative embodiments provide a method, computer program product, and system for encouraging users to view advertisements. The illustrative embodiments receive an incoming signal that includes an advertisement, determine if the advertisement includes a compensation offer descriptor, determine if a user views the advertisement on a display in its entirety in response to a presence of the compensation offer descriptor, and issue a compensation offer to the user in response to the user viewing the advertisement in its entirety.

0009Other illustrative embodiments deny the issuance of the compensation offer to the user in response to the user advancing through the advertisement. While other illustrative embodiments display a compensation offer identifier with the advertisement on the display responsive to the presence of the compensation offer descriptor. Still other illustrative embodiments identify a promotion code associated with the compensation offer descriptor, determine if the compensation offer descriptor has been previously received based on the promotion code, determine if a restriction exists that restricts issuing the compensation offer in response to the compensation offer descriptor being previously received, and issue the compensation offer to the user in response to the absence of the restriction. Responsive to the existence of the restriction, other illustrative embodiments deny the issuance of the compensation offer to the user.

0010Yet other illustrative embodiments prompt the user to determine if the user desires the compensation offer to be issued, and issue the compensation offer to the user in response to the user desiring the compensation offer. Responsive to the user failing to indicate the desire for the compensation offer, the illustrative embodiments deny the issuance of the compensation offer to the user. The illustrative embodiments may store an electronic version of the compensation offer in a storage device. Also, the illustrative embodiments indicate that the incoming signal is received by at least one of a digital video recorder, a personal video recorder, a cable television receiver, or a satellite television receiver.

0011In other illustrative embodiments, a computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program is provided. The computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to perform various ones, and combinations of, the operations outlined above with regard to the method illustrative embodiment.

0012In yet another illustrative embodiment, a system is provided. The system may comprise a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory may comprise instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform various ones, and combinations of, the operations outlined above with regard to the method illustrative embodiment.

0013These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in, or will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of, the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0014The invention, as well as a preferred mode of use and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

0015<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> depicts a block diagram of a data processing system in which the illustrative embodiments may be implemented;

0016<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> depicts a pictorial representation of a network of data processing systems in which the illustrative embodiments may be implemented;

0017<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> depicts a functional block diagram of a television device in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;

0018<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> depicts exemplary coupon coding data in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;

0019<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> depicts exemplary stored coupon data in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;

0020<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> depicts an exemplary coupon identifier in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;

0021<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> depicts an exemplary coupon prompt in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;

0022<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref> depicts a flow diagram of the operation performed by a television device in obtaining a coupon in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; and

0023<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref> depicts a flow diagram of the operation performed by a television device in administering earned coupons in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

0024The illustrative embodiments provide mechanisms for encouraging users of digital video recording devices to view advertisements by providing compensation offers. With the illustrative embodiments, a data processing device used to present the advertisements and present the compensation offer may be a single-processor computing device, a multiprocessing data processing system, or a virtual processor environment in which multiple processors and multiple layers of software may be utilized to perform various aspects of the illustrative embodiments. Therefore, <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 and 2</figref> are provided as exemplary diagrams of data processing environments in which the illustrative embodiments may be implemented. It should be appreciated that <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 and 2</figref> are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the environments in which the illustrative embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the depicted environments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application.

0025With reference now to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, a block diagram of a data processing system is shown in which the illustrative embodiments may be implemented. Television device <b>100</b> is an example of a television device, such as a digital video recorder (DVR), personal video recorders (PVR), cable television receiver, satellite television receiver, or the like, in which code or instructions implementing the processes of the illustrative embodiments may be located. However, television device <b>100</b> may also be a computer that is capable of streaming video from television broadcasters who provide online television programs. In the depicted example, television device <b>100</b> employs a bus architecture through which processor <b>102</b> connects to other components of the device. Main memory <b>104</b> is connected to processor <b>102</b>.

0026Television tuner/receiver <b>106</b> is connected to processor <b>102</b> through bus <b>108</b>. Television tuner/receiver <b>106</b> may be, for example, a National Television System Committee (NTSC), Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) over the air (OTA) tuner. Alternatively, television tuner/receiver <b>106</b> may be a digital cable or digital satellite receiver. In yet another embodiment, television tuner/receiver <b>106</b> may be a television input port that receives an audio/video signal from an external tuner/receiver. Other receivers may also be used in place of television tuner/receiver <b>106</b>, such as a satellite radio receiver, for example.

0027Bus <b>108</b> also connects audio processor <b>110</b>, video processor <b>112</b>, read-only memory (ROM) <b>114</b>, disk <b>116</b>, and input device adapter <b>118</b> to processor <b>102</b>. Audio processor <b>110</b> may provide audio processing, such as Dolby® Pro Logic® II or Dolby® Digital surround sound decoding. Video processor <b>112</b> may perform processing, such as MPEG2 or MPEG4 decoding. Disk <b>116</b> may be a hard disk drive (HDD) for storing media content streams. Input device adapter <b>118</b> may be, for example, an infrared (IR) remote control receiver, a keyboard/mouse adapter, or the like.

0028Television device <b>100</b> may also include optical disk reader <b>120</b>, which may be, for example, a compact disk (CD) drive, digital video disk (DVD) drive, or the like. Modem <b>122</b> may be used to dial into a server to access the Internet, retrieve program guide information, or the like. Universal Serial Bus (USB) and other ports <b>124</b> may be connected to processor <b>102</b> through bus <b>108</b>. These ports may allow peripheral devices, such as printers, network adapters, etc., to be connected to television device <b>100</b>. Local area network adapter (LAN) <b>126</b> may allow television device <b>100</b> to, connect to the Internet, share media content to other devices, or to acquire program guide data.

0029An operating system runs on processor <b>102</b> and is used to coordinate and provide control of various components within television device <b>100</b> in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. The operating system may be a commercially available operating system such as Linux™. “LINUX” is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. Instructions for the operating system and applications or programs are located on storage devices, such as hard disk drive <b>116</b> or ROM <b>114</b>, and may be loaded into main memory <b>104</b> for execution by processor <b>102</b>. The processes of the illustrative embodiments may be performed by processor <b>102</b> using computer implemented instructions, which may be located in a memory such as, for example, main memory <b>104</b>.

0030Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> may vary depending on the implementation. Other internal hardware or peripheral devices, such as flash memory, equivalent non-volatile memory, or optical disk drives and the like, may be used in addition to or in place of the hardware depicted in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. The depicted example in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> and above-described examples are not meant to imply architectural limitations. For example, television device <b>100</b> also may be a desktop computer, laptop computer, or telephone device in addition to taking the form of a television device.

0031Television device <b>100</b> may store media streams, including advertising, on disk <b>116</b>. In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, television device <b>100</b> provides a means to enable the user of television device <b>100</b> to be able to view an advertisement at an appropriate and convenient speed while providing a compensation offer, such as a coupon, to the user to watch the entire advertisement. Thus, the advertiser is able to present their message to the user and the user benefits from watching the advertisement by receiving the compensation offer. The following description uses the term coupon in place of compensation offer; however, any type of compensation offer may be provided to the user.

0032<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> depicts a pictorial representation of a network of data processing systems in which the illustrative embodiments may be implemented. Network data processing system <b>200</b> is a network of computers in which the present invention may be implemented. Network data processing system <b>200</b> contains network <b>202</b>, which is the medium used to provide communications links between various devices and computers connected together within network data processing system <b>200</b>. Network <b>202</b> may include connections, such as wire, wireless communication links, fiber optic cables, or satellite.

0033In the depicted example, television device <b>204</b>, such as television device <b>100</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, is connected to network <b>202</b> and is also connected to television <b>206</b>. In addition, desktop computer <b>208</b>, laptop computer <b>210</b>, provider server <b>212</b>, mobile device <b>214</b>, and network printer <b>216</b> may be connected to network <b>202</b>. Television device <b>204</b> may access desktop computer <b>208</b>, laptop computer <b>210</b>, provider server <b>212</b>, mobile device <b>214</b>, or network printer <b>216</b> through network <b>202</b>. For example, once a user has viewed an entire advertisement, a coupon may be issued to the user which may be sent to the user via an electronic message to desktop computer <b>208</b>, laptop computer <b>210</b>, provider server <b>212</b>, mobile device <b>214</b>, or network printer <b>216</b>.

0034The advertisements may include coupon descriptors that are digitally embedded in the advertisements. When television device <b>204</b> receives an advertisement, an opportunity to receive a coupon may be presented on television <b>206</b>. When a user sees the opportunity and views the entire advertisement, television device <b>204</b> may send the earned coupon through network <b>202</b> to desktop computer <b>208</b>, laptop computer <b>210</b>, provider server <b>212</b>, mobile device <b>214</b>, or network printer <b>216</b>.

0035Network data processing system <b>200</b> may include additional servers, clients, and other devices not shown. In the depicted example, network data processing system <b>200</b> is embodied within the Internet. Of course, network data processing system <b>200</b> also may be implemented as a number of different types of networks, such as for example, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN). <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is intended as an example, and not as an architectural limitation for the present invention.

0036<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> depicts a functional block diagram of a television device in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. Television device <b>300</b> may be a television device, such as television device <b>204</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>. Television device <b>300</b> receives incoming signals <b>302</b> that are broadcast signals from a network provider over communication connections, such as wire, wireless communication links, fiber optic cables, or satellite. It should be appreciated that the various communication connections are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the communication connections the illustrative embodiments may use. Television device <b>300</b> may be set up to store incoming signals <b>302</b> in long term program storage <b>304</b>, delay incoming signals <b>302</b> using delayed program storage <b>306</b>, or present incoming signals <b>302</b> in real time as real-time signal <b>308</b>.

0037Whether incoming signals <b>302</b> are stored, delayed or real-time, television device <b>300</b> includes coupon encoding detector <b>310</b> that determines if advertisements within incoming signals <b>302</b> include coupon descriptors, which are digitally embedded in the advertisements. If coupon encoding detector <b>310</b> detects a coupon descriptor within an advertisement and user preferences <b>312</b> indicates a desire of the user to obtain coupons, coupon encoding detector <b>310</b> may determine whether a promotion code associated with the coupon descriptor has been previously recorded in coupon coding data <b>314</b>.

0038User preferences <b>312</b> and coupon coding data <b>314</b> may be stored in storage <b>316</b>, which may be data storage such as main memory <b>104</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. If the promotion code associated with the coupon descriptor has not been previously recorded, coupon encoding detector <b>310</b> records the promotion code information in coupon coding data <b>314</b>. Using the coupon coding data <b>314</b>, coupon encoding detector <b>310</b> determines if the advertiser has placed a restriction on obtaining the coupon. Exemplary restrictions may include that the user is capable of earning only one coupon per month, only one coupon per day, or a specific number of coupons in a specific time period. Other exemplary restrictions may be based on geographic location or services subscribed. Coupon encoding detector <b>310</b> uses coupon coding data <b>314</b> associated with the coupon descriptor to determine if a coupon restriction exists. If a restriction exists, coupon encoding detector <b>310</b> uses coupon coding data <b>314</b> and stored coupon data <b>318</b> to determine if the current coupon conflicts with a previously stored coupon.

0039If no restriction exists or the current coupon does not conflict with a previously stored coupon, coupon encoding detector <b>310</b> uses user preferences <b>312</b> to determine if the user desires coupons of this type. That is, the user simply may not want coupons and has indicated in user preferences <b>312</b> that no coupon information should be displayed. Additionally, the user may indicate in user preferences <b>312</b> that only certain types of coupons are desired, such as those for food and dining, but not automobiles. However, if the user indicates that coupons of this type are desired, coupon encoding detector <b>310</b> adds an identifier to outgoing display signal <b>320</b> which is concurrently displayed with the advertisement with which a coupon is associated. Display device <b>322</b> displays both the identifier and the advertisement.

0040Once coupon encoding detector <b>310</b> adds the identifier to outgoing display signal <b>320</b>, coupon encoding detector <b>310</b> sends a coupon acknowledgement to coupon generator <b>324</b>. Upon receiving the acknowledgement, coupon generator <b>324</b> determines if the user has indicated in user preferences <b>312</b> a coupon storage preference. Coupon generator <b>324</b> waits until signal advancement detector <b>326</b> acknowledges that the advertisement associated with the coupon has been viewed without advancement. If the user advances through the advertisement, no coupon is generated and the user's television viewing continues uninterrupted.

0041If signal advancement detector <b>326</b> acknowledges that the advertisement associated with the coupon has been viewed without advancement, coupon generator <b>324</b> determines, using the previously determined coupon storage preference, to either immediately store the earned coupon in stored coupon data <b>318</b> or prompt the user for their preference to store the earned coupon.

0042On the initial set up of coupon usage in television device <b>300</b>, coupon administering module <b>330</b> prompts the user to configure user preferences <b>312</b> for retrieving coupons. Once an earned coupon is generated by coupon generator <b>324</b> and stored in stored coupon data <b>318</b>, coupon administering module <b>330</b> determines how the earned coupons will be retrieved using user preferences <b>312</b>. If the user has indicated an electronic means to retrieve the earned coupon, then coupon administering module <b>330</b> may send the earned coupon using network connection <b>332</b> based on the preferred electronic means. Network connection <b>332</b> may be the same communication medium as is used by incoming signals <b>302</b> or a separate communication medium.

0043An exemplary electronic method may be for the coupon administering module <b>330</b> to send the coupon to a predefined email inbox residing on the user's desktop computer or laptop computer, such as desktop computer <b>208</b> or laptop computer <b>210</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>. Another exemplary electronic method may be for the coupon administering module <b>330</b> to immediately display the coupon on display device <b>322</b> for immediate redemption in the case where the coupon is for a pay-per-view event. Other exemplary electronic methods may include coupon administering module <b>330</b> sending the earned coupon to a network printer, such as network printer <b>216</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, to a user's electronic folder that is associated with the user's billing account for the provider of the user's television service on a network server, such as provider server <b>212</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, or to a mobile device, such as mobile device <b>214</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>.

0044For all electronic methods, coupon administering module <b>330</b> may send the coupons immediately or at a specific time or specific day, depending on the preferences set by the user in user preferences <b>312</b>. It should be appreciated that the various methods of retrieving coupons are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to other means of retrieving coupons the illustrative embodiments may use.

0045In an alternative embodiment, if the user has not indicated an electronic means to retrieve the earned coupon, then coupon administering module <b>330</b> determines, based on information provided by the network service provider, if the network service provider is performing billing. Billing may be at whatever interval the network service provider performs billing, for example, monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, yearly, or the like. If the network service provider has not indicated that billing is being performed, then coupon administering module <b>330</b> waits for an indication from the network service provider that billing is being performed. However, if coupon administering module receives notification from the network service provider that indicates billing is being performed, coupon administering module <b>330</b> may upload the earned coupon to the network service provider's server.

0046Then, as the network service provider performs billing, the network service provider may print a paper copy of the coupon to include with any billing documentation. Providing paper copies of a coupon may be for users who have television service from the provider but do not have an electronic means by which to obtain the earned coupon. The predetermined schedule may be stored in user preferences <b>312</b> for coupon administering module <b>330</b> to reference. Coupon administering module <b>330</b> may also monitor stored coupon data <b>318</b> to discard coupons that have expired based on the expiration date associated with the coupon that is stored in stored coupon data <b>318</b>.

0047In another alternative embodiment, television device <b>300</b> may be configured as a network server. As depicted in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, television device <b>204</b> may be connected to network <b>202</b>. Thus, television device <b>300</b> may be configured to receive requests via network connection <b>332</b> from an external device, such as desktop computer <b>208</b> or laptop computer <b>210</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>. Therefore, instead of coupon administering module <b>330</b> distributing the stored coupons to an external device, the external device may communicate directly with coupon administering module <b>330</b> to retrieve stored coupons from stored coupon data <b>318</b> on storage <b>316</b> of television device <b>300</b>. Using an external device to retrieve any stored coupons allows the user flexibility in timing the retrieval of the stored coupons. That is, the user may only want to retrieve any stored coupons just prior to a shopping event, thereby not losing any coupons that may have been printed days earlier.

0048<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> depicts exemplary coupon coding data in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. Coupon coding data <b>400</b>, such as coupon coding data <b>314</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, may include promotion code <b>402</b> and restriction <b>404</b>. For each advertisement with a coupon descriptor, coupon coding data <b>400</b> stores the associated promotion code <b>402</b> and any restriction <b>404</b>. Exemplary restrictions <b>404</b> may be that the user is capable of earning only one coupon per month, only one coupon per day, or a specific number of coupons in a specific time period. It should be appreciated that the various restrictions are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the restrictions the illustrative embodiments may use.

0049<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> depicts exemplary stored coupon data in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. Stored coupon data <b>500</b>, such as stored coupon data <b>318</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, may include coupon earned date <b>502</b>, coupon descriptor <b>504</b>, coupon expiration date <b>506</b>, advertiser identifier <b>508</b>, and coupon product information <b>510</b>. Coupon earned date <b>502</b> is the date the coupon was earned by the user who watched an associated advertisement, in its entirety, which had associated coupon encoding. Coupon descriptor <b>504</b> is a unique identifier associated with the specific coupon. Coupon descriptor <b>504</b> may be used for restriction comparison. Coupon expiration date <b>506</b> is the last date the coupon may be validly redeemed with the advertiser. Advertiser identifier <b>508</b> is the name or identification of the advertiser who issued the coupon. Coupon product information <b>510</b> is information associated with the product that the coupon is for. Such as, an identifier of the product the coupon can be used for and what the coupon offers e.g. “Buy One, Get One Free”, which is the “encouragement.” It should be appreciated that the above examples of the various information that is stored are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the information the illustrative embodiments may store.

0050<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> depicts an exemplary coupon identifier in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. Coupon identifier <b>602</b> may be presented, for example, as a pop-up on top of advertisement <b>604</b> which is displayed on display device <b>606</b>, such as display device <b>322</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>. Other examples of presenting coupon identifier <b>602</b> may be to present coupon identifier <b>602</b> as a banner, a picture-in-picture, or a split screen. Coupon identifier <b>602</b> may indicate to the user that a coupon is associated with advertisement <b>604</b> and that advertisement <b>604</b> must be viewed in its entirety to obtain the coupon.

0051<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> depicts an exemplary coupon prompt in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. Coupon prompt <b>702</b> may be presented, for example, as a pop-up on top of advertisement <b>704</b> which is displayed on display device <b>706</b>, such as display device <b>322</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>. Other examples of presenting coupon prompt <b>702</b> may be to present coupon prompt <b>702</b> as a banner, a picture-in-picture, or a split screen. Coupon prompt <b>702</b> may indicate to the user that a coupon has been earned and ask the user if the user would like to keep the coupon. If the user selects “Yes” button <b>708</b> using the remote control, then the coupon generator stores the earned coupon in the stored coupon data. If the user selects “No” button <b>710</b> using the remote control, then no coupon is generated and the user's television viewing continues uninterrupted.

0052<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref> depicts a flow diagram of the operation performed by a television device in obtaining a coupon in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. The operation described in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref> is performed by a television device such as television device <b>300</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>. As the operation begins, a television device receives incoming signals from a network provider over a communication connection, such as wire, wireless communication links, fiber optic cables, or satellite (step <b>802</b>). A coupon encoding detector within the television device determines if a current advertisement within the incoming signals includes a coupon descriptor that is digitally embedded in the advertisement (step <b>804</b>). If at step <b>804</b> the coupon encoding detector does not detect a coupon descriptor included with the current advertisement, the operation returns to step <b>802</b>. If at step <b>804</b> the coupon encoding detector detects a coupon descriptor within the advertisement, coupon encoding detector identifies a promotion code within the coupon descriptor (step <b>806</b>).

0053Based on the identified promotion code, the coupon encoding detector determines whether the promotion code is recorded within the coupon coding data that is stored for all coupon descriptors (step <b>808</b>). If at step <b>808</b> the promotion code associated with the coupon descriptor has not been previously recorded, the coupon encoding detector records the promotion code information in the coupon coding data (step <b>810</b>). If at step <b>808</b> the promotion code associated with the coupon descriptor has been previously recorded or after the promotion code has been recorded in step <b>810</b>, the coupon encoding detector references the coupon coding data to determine if the advertiser has placed a restriction on obtaining the coupon (step <b>812</b>).

0054If at step <b>812</b> the coupon coding data indicates that a restriction on the current coupon exists, the coupon encoding detector uses the coupon coding data and stored coupon data to determine if the coupon associated with the current advertisement conflicts with a previously stored coupon (step <b>814</b>). If at step <b>814</b> the current coupon conflicts with a restriction of a previously stored coupon, the operation returns to step <b>802</b>. If at step <b>814</b> the current coupon does not conflict with a restriction of a previously stored coupon or if at step <b>812</b> the coupon coding data fails to indicate that a restriction on the current coupon exists, the coupon encoding detector determines if the user desires coupons of this type using the user preferences (step <b>816</b>). If at step <b>816</b> the user does not desire coupons of this type, the operation returns to step <b>802</b>.

0055However, if at step <b>816</b> the user indicates that coupons of this type are desired, the coupon encoding detector adds an identifier to an outgoing display signal which is concurrently displayed with the advertisement that a coupon is associated with (step <b>818</b>). A signal advancement detector within the television device then determines if the advertisement associated with the coupon has been viewed without advancement (step <b>820</b>). If at step <b>820</b> the user advances through the advertisement, no coupon is generated and the operation returns to step <b>802</b>. If at step <b>820</b> the signal advancement detector acknowledges that the advertisement associated with the coupon has been viewed without advancement, a coupon generator within the television device determines, using the user's preferences, if the user has previously indicated a coupon storage preference e.g., store all coupons, store only restaurant coupons, or do not store auto coupons (step <b>822</b>).

0056If at step <b>822</b> the user has indicated a coupon storage preference, the coupon generator stores the coupons as indicated by the user's preference (step <b>824</b>). If at step <b>822</b> the user does not indicate a storage preference, coupon generator prompts the user for a desire to store the earned coupon (step <b>826</b>). The coupon generator uses user input to determine whether or not to store the earned coupon (step <b>828</b>). If at step <b>828</b> the user indicates the coupon is desired, the coupon generator stores the coupons as indicated by the user's preference (step <b>824</b>). However, if at step <b>828</b> the user does not indicate the coupon is desired, the operation returns to step <b>802</b>.

0057<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref> depicts a flow diagram of the operation performed by a television device in administering earned coupons in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. As the operation begins, a coupon administering module receives an indication from the coupon generator that a coupon has been stored locally (step <b>902</b>). As a general clean-up procedure, the coupon administering module analyzes the expiration date of each coupon in the stored coupon data to determine if the coupon has expired (step <b>904</b>). If at step <b>904</b> a coupon has expired, the coupon administering module discards the coupon (step <b>906</b>), with the operation returning to step <b>902</b>. If at step <b>904</b> no coupon in the stored coupon data has expired, the coupon administering module determines if the coupon is an online redemption coupon for a television event (step <b>908</b>).

0058If at step <b>908</b> the coupon is an online redemption coupon for a television event, the coupon administering module prompts the user to redeem the online redemption coupon and schedule the television event (step <b>910</b>). The coupon administering module determines if the user indicates redemption of the online redemption coupon (step <b>912</b>). If at step <b>912</b> the user fails to indicate the redemption of the online redemption coupon, the coupon administering module determines if the user has configured coupon retrieval preferences (step <b>916</b>). If at step <b>912</b> the user indicates the redemption of the online redemption coupon, then the television device schedules the television event (step <b>914</b>), with the operation proceeding to step <b>916</b>. If at step <b>908</b> the coupon is not an online redemption coupon for a television event, the operation proceeds to step <b>916</b>.

0059If at step <b>916</b> the user has not configured coupon retrieval preferences, the coupon administering module prompts the user to configure the coupon retrieval preferences within the user's preferences (step <b>918</b>). If at step <b>916</b> the user has previously configured coupon retrieval preferences or once the user configures coupon retrieval preferences at step <b>920</b>, coupon administering module analyzes the coupon retrieval preferences to determine the method desired by the user to retrieve the earned coupon (step <b>920</b>).

0060Then, the coupon administering module determines, based on the coupon retrieval preferences, if the user indicates an electronic means of retrieving the earned coupon (step <b>922</b>). If at step <b>922</b> the user has indicated an electronic means to retrieve the earned coupon, then the coupon administering module initializes the desired electronic method of sending the earned coupon (step <b>924</b>). Exemplary electronic methods are described above in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>. For all electronic methods, the coupon administering module may send the coupons immediately or at a specific time or specific day, depending on the preferences set by the user in the user's preferences.

0061If at step <b>922</b> the user has not indicated an electronic means to retrieve the earned coupon, then the coupon administering module determines, based on information provided by the network service provider, if the network service provider is performing billing (step <b>926</b>). If at step <b>926</b> the network service provider does not indicate that billing is being performed, the operation returns to step <b>926</b>. However, if at step <b>926</b> the network service provider indicates that billing is being performed, the coupon administering module may upload the earned coupon to the network provider's server (step <b>928</b>). Then, as the provider performs billing, the provider prints a paper copy of the coupon to include with any billing documentation (step <b>930</b>), with the operation returning to step <b>902</b>.

0062Thus, the illustrative embodiments provide for encouraging users to watch advertisements by providing coupons to the user if the user watches the entire advertisement. The illustrative embodiments also provide numerous means for the user to obtain their earned coupon.

0063It should be appreciated that the illustrative embodiments may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment containing both hardware and software elements. In one exemplary embodiment, the mechanisms of the illustrative embodiments are implemented in software, which includes but is not limited to firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.

0064Furthermore, the illustrative embodiments may take the form of a computer program product accessible from a computer-usable or computer-readable medium providing program code for use by or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system. For the purposes of this description, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium can be any apparatus that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

0065The medium may be an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or a propagation medium. Examples of a computer-readable medium include a semiconductor or solid state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a rigid magnetic disk and an optical disk. Current examples of optical disks include compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk-read/write (CD-R/W) and DVD.

0066A data processing system suitable for storing and/or executing program code will include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to memory elements through a system bus. The memory elements can include local memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulk storage, and cache memories which provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution.

0067Input/output or I/O devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening I/O controllers. Network adapters may also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to become coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices through intervening private or public networks. Modems, cable modem and Ethernet cards are just a few of the currently available types of network adapters.

0068The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.