Patent Publication Number: US-2013238426-A1

Title: Providing advertisements via multiple devices

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Television viewers increasingly utilize a variety of technologies (e.g., Video on Demand (VOD), a digital video recorder (DVR), etc.) that allow them to enjoy programs without viewing advertisements that are traditionally displayed between portions of the programs. Consequently, content service providers (e.g., cable companies) are increasingly showing advertisements before the television viewers begin viewing the programs. However, the television viewers have the ability to dismiss (i.e., cancel) the advertisements before having an opportunity to consider and/or take advantage of promotions that are being offered via the advertisements. Additionally, television viewers are increasingly multi-tasking, by using other devices (e.g., a mobile telephone device) while watching television. Thus, the television viewers may miss or ignore advertisements that are displayed on television screens because they are looking at screens of the other devices while the advertisements are displayed. 
     As a result, content service providers are losing opportunities to show advertisements to television viewers. Furthermore, showing the advertisements only on television screens limits the types of advertisements that can be shown to the television viewers and/or the ease with which the television viewers can take advantage of promotions that are being offered via the advertisements. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  are diagrams that illustrate an overview of an implementation described herein; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of an example environment in which systems and/or methods described herein may be implemented; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of example devices associated with a video provisioning system of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of example components that correspond to one or more of the devices of  FIGS. 2  and/or  3 ; 
         FIGS. 5-7  are flow charts of an example process for providing advertisements via multiple devices; and 
         FIGS. 8A-8F  are diagrams of example advertisement information that may be provided to multiple devices. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. 
     An implementation described herein may provide advertisements to multiple devices via screens or displays associated with the devices. For example, an advertisement server may transmit a first advertisement to a client device (e.g., a set-top box (STB)) of a user. The client device may display the first advertisement on a display screen, such as a television. Thereafter, the advertisement server may receive a request for information from a user device, such as a mobile telephone device, of the user. In response to the request, the advertisement server may select a second advertisement for the user device. The second advertisement may advertise, for example, the same item (e.g., movie) as the first advertisement. The advertisement server may transmit the second advertisement to the user device, and the user device may display the second advertisement on a screen of the user device. 
     As a result, the user may view the second advertisement on the screen of the user device even if the user dismisses the first advertisement or ignores the display screen while the first advertisement is displayed. Furthermore, the second advertisement may provide additional information about a promotion being offered via the first advertisement. In addition, the user may use the user device to immediately take advantage of the promotion (e.g., purchase the item) being offered via the first advertisement and/or the second advertisement. 
     As used herein, the terms user, viewer, subscriber, and/or customer may refer interchangeably to a client device and/or a user device, or a user of a client device and/or a user device. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are diagrams that illustrate an overview of an implementation described herein.  FIG. 1A  is a diagram  100  of a television screen  110  that is displaying an advertisement  115 .  FIG. 1B  is a diagram  120  of a mobile device  130  that is displaying an advertisement  135 . 
     In this example, assume that a user operates a client device (e.g., a STB), associated with television screen  110 , and also operates mobile device  130 . Further assume that the user uses the client device to select particular content to view on television screen  110 . In response to the selection, the client device may transmit a request to an advertisement server that provides advertisements. The request may indicate that the client device may display an advertisement, on television screen  110 , before playing the particular content. In response to the request, the advertisement server may select advertisement  115  that is for a particular movie, and may transmit advertisement  115  to the client device. The client device may display advertisement  115  on television screen  110 . 
     Simultaneously, or after advertisement  115  is displayed on television screen  110 , the advertisement server may receive a request for information from mobile device  130 . The request may indicate that mobile device  130  is ready to display another advertisement if an advertisement was previously transmitted to the client device that is associated with mobile device  130 . In response to the request, the advertisement server may determine that advertisement  115  was transmitted to the client device, and may select advertisement  135 , which is also for the particular movie. Additionally, or alternatively, as described further below, advertisement  135  may be for a different movie and/or for any other type of product or service. The advertisement server may transmit advertisement  135  to mobile device  130 , and mobile device  130  may display advertisement  135 . Accordingly, the user may view advertisements for the particular movie on television screen  110  and/or mobile device  130 . 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram of an example environment  200  in which systems and/or methods, described herein, may be implemented. As shown in  FIG. 2 , environment  200  may include a group of user devices  210 - 1 , . . . ,  210 -J (where J≧1) (hereinafter referred to collectively as “user devices  210 ” and individually as “user device  210 ”), a video provisioning system (VPS)  220 , a group of content providers  230 - 1 , . . . ,  230 -K (where K≧1) (hereinafter referred to collectively as “content providers  230 ” and individually as “content provider  230 ”), a service provider network  240 , and a network  250 . The number of devices, systems, and/or networks, illustrated in  FIG. 2 , is provided for explanatory purposes only. In practice, there may be additional devices, systems, and/or networks; fewer devices, systems, and/or networks; different devices, systems, and/or networks; or differently arranged devices, systems, and/or networks than illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     Also, in some implementations, one or more of the devices of environment  200  may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another one or more of the devices of environment  200 . Devices, systems, and/or networks of environment  200  may interconnect via wired connections, wireless connections, or a combination of wired and wireless connections. 
     User device  210  may include a computation or communication device that is capable of communicating with service provider network  240 . For example, user device  210  may include a radiotelephone, a personal communications system (PCS) terminal (e.g., that may combine a cellular radiotelephone with data processing and data communications capabilities), a personal digital assistant (PDA) (e.g., that can include a radiotelephone, a pager, Internet/intranet access, etc.), a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a set top box, a digital video recorder (DVR), a personal gaming system, a smart phone, or another type of computation or communication device. 
     User device  210  may host a media manager application (hereinafter referred to as “media application”) that enables user device  210  to communicate with VPS  220  and/or to perform certain operations to obtain video content from VPS  220 . For example, the media application may enable user device  210  to access a portal (e.g., a website, a user interface, an IMG, etc.) associated with VPS  220 , to browse, search, select, and/or obtain a video asset in exchange for payment (e.g., as a purchase, rental, pay-per-view, subscription, etc.). The media application may manage information associated with DRM with respect to the video asset and may use license information, obtained from VPS  220 , to decrypt the video asset for playing on user device  210 . The media application may bookmark a location at which user device  210  stopped playing the video asset and may transmit the bookmarked location to VPS  220 . Another user device  210 , associated with the user, may obtain a copy of the video asset from VPS  220  and may resume playing the video asset based on the bookmarked location obtained from VPS  220 . 
     The media application may permit a particular type of user device  210  (e.g., a wireless mobile handset device associated with user device  210 -J) to obtain the video asset from another type of computer device  210  (e.g., a computer device associated with user device  210 - 3 ) via a side loading operation (e.g., via a wired and/or wireless connection) instead of, or in addition to, obtaining the video asset from VPS  220 . 
     VPS  220  may include one or more devices that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide information in a manner similar to that described herein. VPS  220  may be capable of communicating with content providers  230  via network  250  and/or user devices  210  via service provider network  240 . VPS  220  may perform operations associated with video content ingestion, processing, and distribution for one or more types of user devices  210 , associated with a user, within environment  200 . 
     Content provider  230  may include any type or form of content provider. For example, content provider  230  may include free television broadcast providers (e.g., local broadcast providers, such as NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, etc.), for-pay television broadcast providers (e.g., TNT, ESPN, HBO, CNN, etc.), and/or Internet-based content providers that stream content from web sites and/or permit content to be downloaded (e.g., via progressive download, etc.). Content provider  230  may include on-demand content providers (e.g., VOD, PPV, etc.). A media stream, as used herein, may refer to a stream of content that includes video content (e.g., a video stream), audio content (e.g., an audio stream), and/or textual content (e.g., a textual stream). 
     Service provider network  240  may include one or more wired and/or wireless networks via which user devices  210  communicate with and/or receive video content from VPS  220 . For example, service provider network  240  may include a cellular network, the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), a second generation (2G) network, a third generation (3G) network, a fourth generation (4G) network (e.g., a long term evolution (LTE) network), a fifth generation (5G) network, and/or another network. Additionally, or alternatively, service provider network  240  may include a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, a general packet radio services (GPRS) network, or a combination of CDMA, GSM, and/or GPRS networks. Additionally, or alternatively, service provider network  240  may include a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), an ad hoc network, an intranet, a fiber optic-based network (e.g., a fiber optic service (FiOS) network), a television network, and/or a combination of these or other types of networks. 
     Network  250  may include one or more wired and/or wireless networks. For example, network  250  may include a cellular network, the PLMN, a 2G network, a 3G network, a 4G network (e.g., an LTE network), a 5G network, and/or another network. Additionally, or alternatively, network  250  may include a WAN, a MAN, a telephone network (e.g., the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)), an ad hoc network, an intranet, the Internet, a fiber optic-based network, and/or a combination of these or other types of networks. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram of example devices associated with VPS  220 . VPS  220  may include an application server  315 , an interactive media guide (IMG) server  320 , a video on-demand (VOD) server  325 , a content delivery network (CDN) server  330 , a catalog server  335 , a video content management (VCM) server  340 , a profile server  345 , a billing server  350 , and an advertisement server  360 . Although  FIG. 3  shows example devices of VPS  220 , in other implementations, VPS  220  may include fewer devices, additional devices, different devices, or differently arranged devices than depicted in  FIG. 3 . Additionally, or alternatively, one or more devices of VPS  220  may perform one or more tasks described as being performed by one or more other devices of VPS  220 . 
     In the description below, VOD server  325  is described as provisioning video services for a type of user device  210  (e.g., a set top box) and CDN server  330  is described as provisioning video services for another other type of user device  210  (e.g., a computer device, a wireless mobile device, etc.) for explanatory purposes. In another implementation, the video services may be provisioned for the set top box and/or the other types of user devices in a number of ways. For example, VOD server  325  and/or CDN server  330  may be combined into a single device that provisions the video services for each type of user device  210 . In another example, the video services may be provisioned, for each type of user device  210 , by another device and/or network instead of, or in combination with, VOD server  325  and/or CDN server  330 . Additionally, IMG server  320  is described as providing an a store front portal (i.e., via an IMG), that can be accessed by the set top box, and application server  315  is described as providing another store front portal (e.g., via a web page, a user interface, an interactive program guide, etc.), that can be accessed by the other types of user devices, for explanatory purposes. In another implementation, the store front portal may be provisioned for the set top box and/or the other types of user devices in a number of ways. For example, IMG server  320  and/or application server  315  may be combined into a single device that provisions the store front portal for each type of user device  210 . In another example, the store front portal may be provisioned, for each type of user device  210 , by another device and/or network instead of, or in combination with, IMG server  320  and/or application server  315 . Thus, the examples below are provided for explanatory purposes only. 
     Application server  315  may include one or more server devices, or other types of computation or communication devices, that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide information in a manner similar to that described herein. Application server  315  may receive metadata that has been published by catalog server  335 . The metadata may be associated with video assets that are to be made available and/or offered (e.g., for sale, rent, subscription, etc.) to user devices  210 . Application server  315  may host a portal (e.g., a VPS store front), such as a private website (e.g., for subscribing user devices  210 ), a public website (e.g., for non-subscribing user devices  210 ), a user interface (UI) (e.g., that is accessible by wireless mobile handset-type user devices  210 , etc.), an interactive program guide (e.g., an IMG for set top box-type user devices  210 ) and/or other types of user interfaces. The portal may enable single sign-on (SSO) portal access, to a user of one or more user devices  210 , based on the same login credentials (e.g., username, password, personal identification number (PIN), etc.). Application server  315  may publish all or a portion of the metadata to the portal that permits any of user devices  210  to browse, perform searches, process payment, etc. for video assets based on the metadata that is published to the portal. 
     Application server  315  may perform a session management operation that authenticates user device  210  when user device  210  attempts to access the store front portal. Application server  315  may retrieve, from profile server  345 , information relating to a profile associated with a user of one or more user devices  210 . Application server  315  may obtain, from the information associated with the profile, information associated with a type of user device  210 , a video format (e.g., screen size, bit rate, frame size, a frame reset rate, etc.) supported by user device  210 , parental controls specified by the user, a transaction history associated with the user, a bookmark associated with a video asset, etc. 
     Application server  315  may permit user device  210  to browse and/or search video assets provided by VPS  220 . Application server  315  may permit user device  210  to preview a trailer associated with a video asset and/or to select a video asset via the portal. Application server  315  may store information associated with the selected video asset in a logical shopping cart and/or electronic invoice. Application server  315  may recommend other video assets based on information associated with the transaction history and/or the parental controls. Application server  315  may perform an electronic transaction that permits user device  210  to purchase, rent, etc. a selected video asset (e.g., that was stored in the logical shopping cart), purchase a subscription for one or more video assets, bundles, etc. Application server  315  may, in one example, process payment information obtained from the information associated with the profile. Application server  315  may, in another example, send a notification, to billing server  350 , that includes information associated with the transaction and which enables billing server  350  to include a cost of the transaction in an account associated with user device  210 . 
     Application server  315  may send a notification to catalog server  335  that identifies the selected video content. The notification may include an indication of the type of user device  210  and/or information associated with the video format that user device  210  supports. Application server  315  may send an indication, to profile server  345 , that the transaction associated with the selected video content was executed. The indication may enable other user devices  210 , associated with the user, to obtain a copy of the selected video (e.g., in a video format supported by the other user devices  210 ) content at no additional cost to the user. 
     IMG server  320  may include one or more server devices, or other types of computation or communication devices, that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide information in a manner similar to that described herein. IMG server  320  may, for example, process metadata, that has been published by catalog server  335  and/or VOD server  325 , in a manner similar to that described above (e.g., with respect to application server  315 ). The metadata may be associated with video content that may be obtained by a particular type of user device  210 , such as a set top box user device  210 . 
     IMG server  320  may publish all or a portion of the metadata to an IMG user interface (UI) that the set top box user device  210 , associated with the user, may render for display on a video display device. IMG server  320  may permit the set top box user device  210  to access information associated with video assets, stored by VOD server  325 , and access the actual video assets. IMG server  320  may, in another example implementation, communicate with application server  315 , which may permit the set top box user device  210  to access the metadata associated video assets that are stored in CDN server  330 . 
     IMG server  320  may receive a selection of a video asset (e.g., via the IMG) and may communicate with application server  315  in order to perform a session management operation, an electronic transaction, and/or a billing operation in a manner similar to that described above. IMG server  320  may communicate with VOD server  325  that causes the selected video asset to be transmitted (e.g., as a video stream) to the set top box user device  210 . IMG server  320  may send an indication, to profile server  345 , that the transaction associated with the selected video content was executed. The indication may enable other user devices  210 , associated with the user, to obtain a copy of the selected video asset (e.g., in a video format supported by the other user devices  210 ) at, for example, no additional cost to the user. 
     VOD server  325  may include one or more server devices, or other types of computation or communication devices, that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide information in a manner similar to that described herein. VOD server  325  may, for example, perform operations to receive, store, process, and/or distribute video content in a format that is supported by set top box user devices  210 . 
     VOD server  325  may receive published video assets and/or metadata from VCM server  340 . VOD server  325  may store the published video assets in a memory associated with VOD server  325 . VOD server  325  may manage a catalog that includes metadata associated with video assets received from VCM server  340 . VOD server  325  may publish a portion of the metadata, associated with video assets (e.g., that are available for release and/or not subject to a blackout, etc.), to IMG server  320  that enables the catalog to be accessed, via the IMG, by set top box user devices  210 . 
     VOD server  325  may respond to requests for selected video assets. VOD server  325  may receive, from IMG  320 , an indication that a set top box user device  210  has selected a video asset via the IMG. VOD server  325  may, in response to the indication, forward information associated with the selected video asset, such as, for example, an identifier associated with the selected video asset (e.g., a title asset identifier (PAID)), information associated with content provider  230  (e.g., a provider identifier (PID)) from which the selected video asset was obtained, etc., to the set top box user device  210  via IMG server  320 . VOD server  325  may receive, from the set top box user device  210 , a request for the selected video asset and may transmit (e.g., via streaming video) the selected video asset to the set top box user device  210 . The request may include the information associated with the selected video asset, the information associated with content provider  230 , etc. The selected video asset may be encrypted (e.g., based on CAS-based encryption techniques) as the VOD server  325  is streaming the selected video asset to the set top box. The selected asset may be transmitted to the set top box in a manner that conforms to a particular QoS. 
     CDN server  330  may include one or more server devices, or other types of computation or communication devices, that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide information in a manner similar to that described herein. CDN server  330  may, for example, perform operations to receive, store, process, and/or distribute video content in a format that is supported by one or more types of user devices  210  (e.g., a computer device, a wireless mobile device, a gaming device, etc.) other than, or in addition to, a set top box user device  210 . CDN server  330  may actually represent a content delivery network that includes multiple routing and/or storage devices. 
     CDN server  330  may receive published video assets in multiple video formats from VCM server  340 . CDN server  330  may store the published video assets in a memory associated with CDN server  330 . CDN server  330  may identify a respective storage location and/or URL for each format of each video asset that are stored within the memory and may send information associated with the storage locations and/or the URLs to catalog server  335 . 
     CDN server  330  may respond to requests for selected video assets. CDN server  330  may receive, from user device  210 , a request for a video asset based on a URL associated with the request. CDN server  330  may retrieve the video asset that is based on a particular video format that corresponds to the URL and may transmit the retrieved video asset to user device  210 . CDN server  330  may transmit the video asset, that has been pre-encrypted by VCM server  340  (e.g., based on DRM-based encryption techniques), to user device  210 . The selected asset may be transmitted (e.g., based on a progressive download protocol, adaptive bit rate streaming protocol, and/or some other protocol) to user device  210  in a manner that conforms to another QoS (e.g., best efforts). 
     Catalog server  335  may include one or more server devices, or other types of computation or communication devices, that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide information in a manner similar to that described herein. Catalog server  335  may, for example, receive, from VCM server  340 , published metadata associated with video content that has been published to VOD server  325  and/or CDN server  330 . Catalog server  335  may process and/or package the metadata in order to merchandize the video content to which the metadata corresponds. 
     Catalog server  335  may, for example, obtain metadata for a video asset that includes, for the video asset, an identifier (e.g., a title, etc.), a description, a genre, casting information (e.g., actors, directors, producer, etc.), ratings, reviews, etc. Catalog server  335  may merchandize the video asset by associating one or more prices to the metadata for the video asset. The prices may include a rental price (e.g., a price per single viewing, a price per day, per week, etc.), a sale price, a subscription price, etc. Catalog server  335  may associate the metadata, for the video asset, with other metadata, for other video assets, to create a service bundle (e.g., that includes the video asset and one or more other video assets and/or services) and may associate another price for the sale, rental, subscription, etc. of the service bundle. Catalog server  335  may identify a price to cover costs associated with the video asset (e.g., a settlement cost to be paid to content provider  230  who provided the video asset, costs associated with service provider network  240 , expected profit, etc.). 
     Catalog server  335  may identify, from the metadata, information associated with the availability of the video asset based on a date on which the video asset is released, blacked out, etc. Catalog server  335  may publish the metadata, associated with the merchandized video assets, to the store front portal associated with VPS application  315 . Catalog server  335  may not publish metadata associated with video assets that are identified as not yet being available. Catalog server  335  may publish other metadata associated with service bundles, promotions, recommendations, etc. to the store front portal. 
     Catalog server  335  may associate information associated with DRM with the metadata associated with the merchandized assets. For example, catalog server  335  may associate information associated with a license and/or a key (e.g., a private key, a public key, a CODEC, etc.) with the metadata for the merchandized video asset and may store the information associated with the license and/or the key in a memory associated with catalog server  335 . The key may enable the video asset to be decrypted (e.g., by user device  210 ) when the information associated with the license indicates that the video asset can be decrypted and/or is otherwise available. Catalog server  335  may store the metadata for the video asset in the memory. Catalog server  335  may include, with the metadata, a URL associated with a location at which the video asset is stored within CDN server  330 . 
     VCM server  340  may include one or more server devices, or other types of computation or communication devices, that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide information in a manner similar to that described herein. VCM server  340  may, for example, communicate with content providers  230  to ingest video content to be processed by VPS  220 . VCM server  340  may ingest high quality video content (e.g., associated with a resolution level and/or bit rate that is greater than a threshold). The video content may include one or more video assets, metadata associated with the video assets, and/or information associated with DRM that corresponds to the video assets. 
     VCM server  340  may process the high quality video content using one or more video profiles, in order to generate one or more copies of the video content. The video profiles may identify a type of user device  210  for which the video asset is intended (e.g., a set top box, a computer device, a wireless handheld device, a gaming device, etc.), type of format supported by user device  210  (e.g., a bit rate, a resolution level, a frame refresh rate, a CODEC, etc.), an encryption technique, etc. The copies may correspond to one or more formats that are supported by one or more types of user devices  210 . VCM server  340  may, for example, use a video profile to generate a video format associated with a frame rate, a resolution level, a screen size, a frame refresh rate, a bit rate, etc. that enables user device  210  (such as, for example, a smart phone) to receive, process, display, and/or store the video asset. In another example, VCM  340  may use another video profile to generate another video format associated with another frame rate, another resolution level, a different screen size, another frame refresh rate, another bit rate, etc. that enables another user device  210  (e.g., a computer device) to receive, process, display, and/or store the video asset. 
     VCM server  340  may perform a quality control operation (e.g., by reducing periods of black screen, within the video assets, that are greater than a threshold, etc.) on the formatted video assets to ensure that the formatted video asset can be transmitted to and/or played on user device  210  at a QoS that is greater than a threshold. VCM server  340  may encrypt the one or more formats and/or may publish the one or more formats, associated with the processed video assets, to VOD server  325  and/or CDN server  330 . 
     VCM server  340  may process the metadata associated with the video assets to ensure that the metadata is supported by different types of user devices  210 . For example, VCM server  340  may adapt image sizes (e.g., associated with cover art of a video asset, etc.) to one or more sizes that can be supported by the different types of user devices  210 . VCM server  340  may publish the processed metadata and/or the information associated with the DRM to catalog server  335 . 
     Profile server  345  may include one or more server devices, or other types of computation or communication devices, that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide information in a manner similar to that described herein. Profile server  345  may, for example, store information associated with a profile that includes information regarding the user and each user device  210  with which the user has registered with VPS  220 . For example, information associated with the profile may further include information associated with the user (e.g., a username, password, PIN, etc.), information associated with each user device  210 , such as a respective identifier (e.g., a mobile directory number (MDN), an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address, a CODEC identifier, etc.), and/or information associated with a type of user device  210 , such as a computer device (e.g., a lap top computer, a tablet computer, etc.), a wireless mobile device (e.g., a Droid®, a Blackberry®, an iPhone®, etc.), a set top box, a gaming device, etc. 
     The information associated with the profile may also include a respective user history (e.g., prior purchases, prior URLs accessed, prior downloads, etc.) associated with each user device  210 ; information associated with services for which user device  210  has subscribed; information associated with a location (e.g., an address, a zip code, a city, etc.) of the user and/or user device  210 ; information associated user account limits, restrictions, etc.; information associated with a language spoken by the user; etc. 
     The information associated with the profile may include a bookmark that identifies a location at which user device  210  stopped a video asset. The bookmark may permit another user device  210 , associated with the user, to resume playing the video asset (e.g., that has been downloaded on the other user device  210 ) at the location at which the video asset was stopped by user device  210 . 
     Billing server  350  may include one or more server devices, or other types of computation or communication devices, that gather, process, search, store, and/or provide information in a manner similar to that described herein. Billing server  350  may, for example, perform billing operations associated with accounts that correspond to each user device  210  associated with a user. For example, billing server  350  may receive an indication that user device  210  (e.g., a computer device), associated with the user, downloaded a video asset (e.g., via a broadband service associated with service provider network  240 ) as a result of a transaction via the store front portal. Billing server  350  may generate billing information that identifies the video asset, the type of transaction (e.g., a purchase, rental, subscription, etc.), a price associated with the transaction, a time at which the transaction occurred, etc. Billing server  350  may associate the billing information with an account that corresponds to the user and/or user device  210 . Billing server  350  may generate other billing information regarding another transaction with another user device  210  (e.g., a set top box) with which the user is associated. Billing server  350  may associate the other billing information with another account that corresponds to the user and/or the other user device  210 . In yet another example, billing server  350  may process payment information (e.g., based on credit card information, debit card information, etc.) associated with a transaction with a further user device  210  to purchase, rent, subscribe to, etc. another video asset. 
     Advertisement server  360  may include a single server device or a collection of multiple server devices and/or computer systems. In one implementation, advertisement server  360  may store, or have access to, advertisements for various items (e.g., movies) and/or services. Furthermore, advertisement server  360  may store, or have access to, information associated with a user of two or more user devices  210 . For example, the information may indicate a relationship of the user with user device  210 - 1  and/or user device  210 - 2 . Advertisement server  360  may provide an advertisement to user device  210 - 2  based on the relationship. The information may further include profile information associated with the user, user device  210 - 1 , and/or user device  210 - 2 . Advertisement server  360  may use the profile information to select, and/or customize, advertisements that are provided by advertisement server  360  to user device  210 - 1  and/or user device  210 - 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram of example components of a device  400  that may correspond to user device  210 , content provider  230 , application server  315 , IMG server  320 , VOD server  325 , CDN server  330 , catalog server  335 , VCM server  340 , profile server  345 , billing server  350  and/or advertisement server  360 . Alternatively, each of user device  210 , content provider  230 , application server  315 , IMG server  320 , VOD server  325 , CDN server  330 , catalog server  335 , VCM server  340 , profile server  345 , billing server  350  and/or advertisement server  360  may include one or more devices  400 . Device  400  may include a bus  410 , a processor  420 , a memory  430 , an input component  440 , an output component  450 , and a communication interface  460 . Although  FIG. 4  shows example components of device  400 , in other implementations, device  400  may contain fewer components, additional components, different components, or differently arranged components than depicted in  FIG. 4 . For example, device  400  may include one or more switch fabrics instead of, or in addition to, bus  410 . Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of device  400  may perform one or more tasks described as being performed by one or more other components of device  400 . 
     Bus  410  may include a path that permits communication among the components of device  400 . Processor  420  may include a processor, microprocessor, or processing logic that may interpret and execute instructions. Memory  430  may include any type of dynamic storage device that may store information and instructions, for execution by processor  420 , and/or any type of non-volatile storage device that may store information for use by processor  420 . 
     Input component  440  may include a mechanism that permits a user to input information to device  400 , such as a keyboard, a keypad, a button, a switch, etc. Output component  450  may include a mechanism that outputs information to the user, such as a display, a speaker, one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), etc. Communication interface  460  may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables device  400  to communicate with other devices and/or systems via wireless communications (e.g., radio frequency, infrared, and/or visual optics, etc.), wired communications (e.g., conductive wire, twisted pair cable, coaxial cable, transmission line, fiber optic cable, and/or waveguide, etc.), or a combination of wireless and wired communications. For example, communication interface  460  may include mechanisms for communicating with another device or system via a network, such as service provider network  240  and/or network  250 . In one alternative implementation, communication interface  460  may be a logical component that includes input and output ports, input and output systems, and/or other input and output components that facilitate the transmission of data to other devices. 
     As will be described in detail below, device  400  may perform certain operations relating to video content provisioning. Device  400  may perform these operations in response to processor  420  executing software instructions (e.g., computer program(s)) contained in a computer-readable medium, such as memory  430  or a secondary storage device (e.g., hard disk, CD-ROM, etc.). A computer-readable medium may be defined as a non-transitory memory device. A memory device may include space within a single physical memory device or spread across multiple physical memory devices. The software instructions may be read into memory  430  from another computer-readable medium or from another device. The software instructions contained in memory  430  may cause processor  420  to perform processes described herein. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement processes described herein. Thus, implementations described herein are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software. 
       FIGS. 5-7  are flow charts of an example process  500  for providing advertisements via multiple devices. In one implementation, process  500  may be performed by advertisement server  360 . In another implementation, some or all of process  500  may be performed by a device or collection of devices separate from, or in combination with, advertisement server  360 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , process  500  may include receiving a request from a client device (block  510 ) and transmitting a first advertisement to the client device based on the request (block  520 ). For example, assume that a user uses a remote control, associated with user device  210 - 1 , to select to view particular content. Before displaying the particular content on a screen of user device  210 - 1 , user device  210 - 1  may transmit a request for an advertisement to advertisement server  360 . The request may include a client device identifier associated with user device  210 - 1  and a content identifier associated with the particular content. Advertisement server  360  may receive the request from user device  210 - 1 , and may select a first advertisement based on the request. Advertisement server  360  may transmit the first advertisement to user device  210 - 1 , and may update an indicator to indicate that the first advertisement has been transmitted to user device  210 - 1 . User device  210 - 1  may display the first advertisement on a screen of user device  210 - 1 . 
     Process  500  may further include receiving another request from a user device (block  530 ). For example, user device  210 - 2  may transmit a request to advertisement server  360 , and advertisement server  360  may receive the request. The request may include a user device identifier associated with user device  210 - 2 , a user identifier associated with the user, and/or a type of user device  210 - 2 . 
     Process  500  may also include identifying the client device and retrieving profile information (block  540 ). For example, based on the user device identifier and/or the user identifier, advertisement server  360  may identify that the user of user device  210 - 2  is also the user of user device  210 - 1  that is associated with the client device identifier. Advertisement server  360  may further retrieve profile information associated with the user, based on the client device identifier, the user device identifier, and/or the user identifier. 
     The profile information may include, for example, personal information associated with the user, service information associated with types of multimedia services provided to the user via user device  210 - 1 , and/or information associated with capabilities of user device  210 - 2 . The personal information may include, for example, a geographic location associated with the user (e.g., a city and/or a state where user device  210 - 1  is located), type(s) of advertisements preferred by the user, types of content preferred by the user, types of multimedia services preferred by the user, etc. The service information may specify, for example, types of multimedia services, such as VOD services, DVR services, etc., that are provided to the user via user device  210 - 1 . The capabilities information may include information that specifies types of advertisements that can be displayed by user device  210 - 2 , including, for example, the type of user device  210 - 2 , a size of a screen of user device  210 - 2 , whether the screen is a touch screen, graphics capabilities of user device  210 - 2 , an amount of bandwidth supported by user device  210 - 2 , etc. 
     Process  500  may also include determining that the first advertisement has been transmitted to the client device (block  550 ). For example, after identifying that user device  210 - 1  is associated with the user, advertisement server  360  may determine whether the first advertisement has been transmitted to user device  210 - 1 . Advertisement server  360  may determine that the first advertisement has been transmitted to user device  210 - 1  based on an updated indicator that indicates that the first advertisement has been transmitted to user device  210 - 1  of the user. If advertisement server  360  does not determine that the first advertisement has been transmitted to user device  210 - 1 , advertisement server  360  may end process  500 . 
     Process  500  may also include selecting and customizing a second advertisement, for the user device, based on the profile information (block  560 ). In one implementation, when advertisement server  360  determines that the first advertisement has been transmitted to user device  210 - 1 , advertisement server  360  may select and customize a second advertisement, for user device  210 - 2 , based on the profile information. In one example, the second advertisement may advertise the same item, service, and/or promotion as the first advertisement. Alternatively, or additionally, the second advertisement may advertise a different item, service, and/or promotion than the first advertisement. 
     In one example, the second advertisement may be a version of the first advertisement for user devices of the type of user device  210 - 2 . Alternatively, or additionally, the second advertisement may include additional information, such as a video trailer for a movie, that is not included in the first advertisement. The second advertisement may include the additional information when the personal information indicates that the user prefers advertisements with videos and/or the capabilities information indicates that user device  210 - 2  supports advertisements with videos. 
     Alternatively, or additionally, the second advertisement may include user interface elements that allow the user to initiate transaction(s) associated with the same item, service, and/or promotion that is also advertised by the first advertisement. For example, when the services information specifies that the user receives VOD service via user device  210 - 1 , the second advertisement may include a mechanism to purchase/rent the movie via the VOD service. Herein, a button may refer to any other type of mechanism, such a link, a menu item, etc. that can be used to perform an action. 
     Alternatively, or additionally, the second advertisement may include an additional advertisement, which is not included in the first advertisement. Advertisement server  360  may select the additional advertisement based on the personal information of the user. The additional advertisement may include, for example, a promotion to purchase tickets for a movie screening at a movie theater located within the geographic location associated with the user. 
     Process  500  may also include transmitting the second advertisement to the user device (block  570 ). In one example implementation, advertisement server  360  may transmit the second advertisement user device  210 - 2 , and user device  210 - 2  may display the second advertisement on the screen of user device  210 - 2 . Alternatively, or additionally, advertisement server  360  may determine a delay period (e.g., a particular number of seconds, minutes, etc.) based on the type of user device  210 - 2  and/or a type of user device  210 - 1 . In one example, the delay period may equal a period of time that is between 0 seconds and a maximum delay period, which is a constant (e.g., 5 seconds), in length. Advertisement server  360  may measure the delay period from a time when the first advertisement is transmitted to user device  210 - 1 . Advertisement server  360  may transmit the second advertisement to user device  210 - 2  at an end of the delay period. 
     In one example implementation, process block  570  may include the process blocks depicted in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , process block  570  may include transmitting a notification to the user device (block  610 ), receiving a message regarding a selection of the notification (block  620 ), and transmitting the second advertisement to the user device based on the selection of the notification (block  630 ). For example, the personal information of the user may include a preference that indicates that the user prefers for user device  210 - 2  to receive notifications, regarding advertisements, instead of the advertisements (e.g., in order to prevent a disruption of the user&#39;s activity on user device  210 - 2 ). Based on the preference, advertisement server  360  may generate a notification for the second advertisement, and may transmit the notification to user device  210 - 2 . User device  210 - 2  may display the notification in a portion (e.g., top-left corner) of the screen of user device  210 - 2 . The notification may indicate that the second advertisement is available to be viewed by the user via user device  210 - 2 . The user may use user device  210 - 2  to select the notification, and user device  210 - 2  may transmit a message regarding the selection of the notification to advertisement server  360 . Advertisement server  360  may receive the message regarding the selection of the notification, and may transmit the second advertisement to user device  210 - 2  in response to the selection of the notification. 
     Returning to  FIG. 5 , process  500  may also include receiving, from the user device, a message regarding a selection of a user interface element (block  580 ) and performing an action based on the selection (block  590 ). In one example implementation, as discussed above, the second advertisement may include a user interface element (e.g., a button) for initiating a financial transaction associated with an item/promotion advertised in the second advertisement. Assume that the user, via user device  210 - 2 , selects the user interface element in order to perform the financial transaction. User device  210 - 2  may transmit a message regarding the selection of the user interface element to advertisement server  360 . Based on the selection of the user interface element, advertisement server  360  may identify the financial transaction, and may retrieve a user interface required to complete the financial transaction. The user interface may include, for example, a form for purchasing the movie. Advertisement server  360  may transmit the user interface to user device  210 - 2 , and user device  210 - 2  may display the user interface. The user may use the user interface to complete the financial transaction. 
     Alternatively, or additionally, the selection may include a request to receive additional information associated with an aspect of the item/promotion. The user may use user device  210 - 2  to select, for example, an option to receive additional information associated with a movie, such as a description of the movie, reviews for the movie, ratings by critics for the movie, etc. User device  210 - 2  may transmit a message regarding the selection of the option to receive the additional information to advertisement server  360 . Based on the selection of the option, advertisement server  360  may retrieve the additional information, and may transmit the additional information to user device  210 - 2 . User device  210 - 2  may display the additional information. 
     In one example implementation, process block  590  may include the process blocks depicted in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , process block  590  may include determining that the selection is to dismiss the second advertisement (block  710 ), determining an amount of time that passed before the second advertisement was dismissed (block  720 ), and updating statistics related to the client device and the user device (block  730 ). For example, assume that the user, via user device  210 - 2 , selects to dismiss the second advertisement. In response to the selection to dismiss the second advertisement, user device  210 - 2  may remove the second advertisement from the screen of user device  210 - 2 , and may transmit the selection to advertisement server  360 . Based on the selection, advertisement server  360  may determine that the selection is to dismiss the second advertisement. When advertisement server  360  determines that the selection is to dismiss the second advertisement, advertisement server  360  may determine an amount of time that passed before the second advertisement was dismissed. The amount of time may equal, for example, a time period between when the second advertisement was transmitted to user device  210 - 2  and when the selection to dismiss the second advertisement was received from user device  210 - 2 . 
     Advertisement server  360  may store or have access to statistics that specify average amounts of times that pass, for example, before various advertisements, such as the second advertisement, are dismissed. The average amounts of times may correspond to different types of user devices, including the type of user device  210 - 2 ; different types of client devices, including the type of user device  210 - 1 ; and/or different types of advertisements, including a type associated with the second advertisement. Advertisement server  360  may update one or more of the average amounts of times based on the amount of time that passed before the second advertisement was dismissed. 
     Advertisement server  360  may use the statistics to select and/or customize advertisements in the future, as described above with reference to block  560  of  FIG. 5 . Additionally, or alternatively, an operator of advertisement server  360  may use the statistics to identify types of user devices and/or types of client devices that are best for providing advertisements. 
     Alternatively, or additionally, advertisement server  360  may receive requests from two or more user devices  220 , such as user device  210 - 2  (e.g., a mobile device) and user device  210 - 3  (e.g., tablet computer), of a user. Advertisement server  360  may provide an advertisement to each of the two or more user devices  220  after providing an original advertisement to user device  210 - 1 . As a result, a screen of user device  210 - 1  and each screen of the two or more user devices  220  may display advertisements for a particular item, service, or promotion. Accordingly, the user may have an opportunity to view one or more of the advertisements on multiple screens, such as on the screen of user device  210 - 1 , on a screen of the user device  210 - 2 , and on a screen of user device  210 - 3 . 
       FIGS. 8A-8F  are diagrams of an example advertisement information that may be provided to multiple user devices  220 . As shown in  FIG. 8A , user device  210 - 2 , associated with a user  805  ( FIG. 8A ), may display an initial interface  802  on a screen of user device  210 - 2 . Initial interface  802  may include, for example, an interface of a particular application of user device  210 - 2 , such as a web browser, an email application, etc., or a home interface of an operating system of user device  210 - 2 . 
     Assume that user  805  uses remote control  807  to turn on user device  210 - 1  of user  805 . User device  210 - 1  may display a menu (not shown) on a screen  809 , such as a television display, of user device  210 - 1 . Further assume that user  805  uses remote control  807  to select content  820  ( FIG. 8B ) from the menu. Content  820  may include, for example, a television program or a movie. Before displaying content  820 , user device  210 - 1  may transmit a request for a first advertisement  810  ( FIG. 8A ) to advertisement server  360 . Advertisement server  360  may select and retrieve first advertisement  810  based on the request, and may transmit first advertisement  810  to user device  210 - 1 . As further shown in  FIG. 8A , user device  210 - 1  may display first advertisement  810  on screen  809  of user device  210 - 1 . 
     Also assume that user  805  uses remote control  807  to select to dismiss first advertisement  810 . As shown in  FIG. 8B , when user  805  selects to dismiss first advertisement  810 , user device  210 - 1  may remove first advertisement  810  from screen  809  of user device  210 - 1 , and may begin playing content  820  on the screen of user device  210 - 1 . Meanwhile, user device  210 - 2  may transmit a request to advertisement server  360 . Advertisement server  360  may receive the request from user device  210 - 2 , and may determine that first advertisement  810  has been transmitted to user device  210 - 1  of user  805 , who is also associated with user device  210 - 2 . Accordingly, advertisement server  360  may select a second advertisement  840  ( FIG. 8C ) for user device  210 - 2  based on first advertisement  810  and profile information associated with user  805 , user device  210 - 1 , and/or user device  210 - 2 . First advertisement  810  and second advertisement  840  may include a promotion to purchase or rent the same item, such as a movie. 
     Advertisement server  360  may also generate a notification  830  ( FIG. 8B ) for second advertisement  840 . Advertisement server  360  may transmit notification  830  and second advertisement  840  to user device  210 - 2 . As further shown in  FIG. 8B , user device  210 - 2  may display notification  830  in a portion of the screen of user device  210 - 2 . 
     Assume that user  805  selects notification  830 . As shown in  FIG. 8C , in response to the selection of notification  830 , user device  210 - 2  may display second advertisement  840  on the screen of user device  210 - 2 . As further shown in  FIG. 8C , second advertisement  840  may include, for example, a purchase button  842 , a more information button  844 , and a cancel advertisement button  846 . 
     Assume that user  805  selects purchase button  842  in order to perform a transaction for purchasing the item advertised by second advertisement  840 . User device  210 - 2  may transmit information regarding the selection of purchase button  842  to advertisement server  360 . In response to receiving the information, advertisement server  360  may retrieve a transaction interface  850  ( FIG. 8D ) that is required to complete the transaction, and may transmit transaction interface  850  to user device  210 - 2 . As shown in  FIG. 8D , user device  210 - 2  may display transaction interface  850  on the screen of user device  210 - 2 . Transaction interface  850  may include one or more forms for completing the transaction. User  805  may use transaction interface  850  in order to purchase the item. 
     Alternatively, or additionally, assume that user  805  selects more information button  844  in order to view additional information about the item advertised by second advertisement  840 . User device  210 - 2  may transmit information regarding the selection of more information button  844  to advertisement server  360 . In response to receiving the information, advertisement server  360  may retrieve the additional information about the item, may generate an additional information interface  860  ( FIG. 8E ) based on the additional information, and may transmit additional information interface  860  to user device  210 - 2 . As shown in  FIG. 8E , user device  210 - 2  may display additional information interface  860  on the screen of user device  210 - 2 . Additional information interface  860  may include the additional information. As further show in  FIG. 8E , additional information interface  860 , like second advertisement  840 , may include purchase button  842  and cancel advertisement button  846 . 
     Additionally, or alternatively, assume that user  805  selects cancel advertisement button  846 , of second advertisement  840  or additional information interface  860 , in order to dismiss second advertisement  840 . As shown in  FIG. 8F , in response to the selection of cancel advertisement button  846 , user device  210 - 2  may remove second advertisement  840  or additional information interface  860  from the screen of user device  210 - 2 , and may, again, display initial interface  802  on the screen of user device  210 - 2 . User device  210 - 2  may also, as described above with reference to  FIG. 7 , transmit information regarding the selection of cancel advertisement button  846  to advertisement server  360 . If the user does not select cancel advertisement button  846  within a particular period of time (e.g., 30 seconds after displaying second advertisement  840 ), user device  210 - 2  may automatically remove second advertisement  840  or additional information interface  860  from the screen of user device  210 - 2 , and may, again, display initial interface  802  on the screen of user device  210 - 2 . 
     Systems and/or methods described herein may display an advertisement, for an item, on a screen of user device  210 - 2  after an original advertisement, for the item, is displayed by user device  210 - 1 . As a result, a user of user device  210 - 2  and user device  210 - 1  may view at least one of the original advertisement or the advertisement. 
     The foregoing description provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. 
     While series of blocks have been described with regard to  FIGS. 4-6  the order of the blocks may be modified in other implementations. Further, non-dependent blocks may be performed in parallel. 
     It will be apparent that systems and methods, as described above, may be implemented in many different forms of software, firmware, and hardware in the implementations illustrated in the figures. The actual software code or specialized control hardware used to implement these systems and methods is not limiting of the invention. Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and methods were described without reference to the specific software code—it being understood that software and control hardware can be designed to implement the systems and methods based on the description herein. 
     Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of the invention. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. Although each dependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one other claim, the disclosure of the invention includes each dependent claim in combination with every other claim in the claim set. 
     No element, act, or instruction used in the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.