Inventors:
- San Carlos CA, US
Stephen Dias - Sharon MA, US
Kenneth S. Hancock - Nashua NH, US
Elsie Y. Leung - South Pasadena CA, US
Douglas B. Macrae - Weston MA, US
Arthur Y. Ng - Waltham MA, US
Shawn P. O'Neil - Danville NH, US
P. Christopher Shoaff - Westford MA, US
Jonathon Sutton - Concord MA, US
Thomas E. Ward - Weston MA, US
Thomas E. Westberg - Stow MA, US
Henry C. Yuen - Pasadena CA, US
International Classification:
H04N 21/431
H04N 21/488
H04N 21/443
H04N 21/45
H04N 21/433
H04N 21/81
H04N 21/482
H04N 21/442
Abstract:
A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement.In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.