Using the vertical blanking interval for transporting electronic coupons
US5604542A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 8, 1995 |
| Grant date | Feb 18, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 8, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/812
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for transmitting an electronic advertisement within the vertical blanking interval of a video signal. The system includes an encoder that formats and inserts an electronic advertisement into the vertical blanking interval of the video signal, a transmitter that transmits the video signal and the electronic advertisement, a receiver that receives the video signal and the electronic advertisement, and a decoder which removes the electronic advertisement from the video signal. The electronic advertisement can be consumed by an end user by printing the ad, or by displaying the ad on a monitor. The printed advertisement can be returned to the advertiser by a carrier service. The advertiser may accredit an account of the end user upon receipt of the returned advertisement to provide an inducement to read the ad. The system may further have a demographic server located within a network of computers. The server may correlate demographic data of the end user with demographic data provided with the electronic advertisement so that the advertisement is routed to a targeted end user.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.