Patent Publication Number: US-2012036527-A1

Title: Electronic device and method for embedding product information in tv programs with product placements

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to advertisement displaying devices and methods, particularly to an electronic device and method for embedding product information in TV programs with product placements. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Product placement is increasingly becoming a more popular form of advertising in today&#39;s media environment, especially with the growing use of digital recording devices such as TIVO and DVR that allow viewers to skip commercials. While there are numerous advantages to this marketing strategy, one major disadvantage is that the viewers have no concrete information on what the product is or even where to purchase it. This lack of information may inhibit sales growth, keeping this kind of advertising from being a better investment of advertising dollars. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of an electronic device including an embedding unit. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of one embodiment of function modules of the embedding unit of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a method for embedding product information in TV programs with product placements. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In general, the data “module,” as used herein, refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in a programming language, such as, for example, Java, C, or assembly. One or more software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. It will be appreciated that modules may comprise connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and may comprise programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors. The modules described herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of an electronic device  1  including an embedding unit  10 . In the embodiment, functions of the embedding unit  10  are implemented by the electronic device  1 ; the embedding unit  10  can embed advertising information of products presented in a TV program, and display the advertising information on a display device  2  that is electronically connected to the electronic device  1  via a wired or wireless connection during the TV program broadcasts. In one embodiment, the products may be cars, watches, or clothes. The advertising information of the products may be presented using, for example, text, audio, advertisement files, Web advertisements, and/or shopping websites. The TV program may be a movie, a TV series, or any other entertainment show. 
     In one embodiment, the electronic device  1  may be a computer, a TV, a portable electronic device, or any other electronic device that includes a storage system  12  and at least one processor  14 . 
     The embedding unit  10  is configured to receive keywords and advertising information of presented products, and define keyword appearance time along with the product presentation time of a TV program from a user  3 . When a viewer  4  taps any keyword displayed on the TV program (e.g., using a finger or a stylus) displayed on the display device  2  to select a presented product, the embedding unit  10  can export the advertising information of the selected product, and display the advertising information of the selected information on the display device  2 . Details of these operations are shown below. 
     The display device  2  receives a selection operation of the product from the viewer  4 , and displays the advertising information of the selected product. In the embodiment, the display device  2  is a touch-sensitive display or a 3D display, and can receive an input operation of the viewer  4  using a finger or a stylus pen. For example, if the electronic device  1  is a TV, the viewer  4  can use a remote control to operate (i.e., select a product) the electronic device  1 . 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of one embodiment of function modules of the embedding unit  10  of  FIG. 1 . In one embodiment, the embedding unit  10  includes a definition module  100 , a recording module  102 , a displaying module  104 , a receiving module  106 , an export module  108 , and an output module  110 . Each of the modules  100 - 110  may be a software program including one or more computerized instructions that are stored in the storage system  12  and executed by the processor  14 . 
     In one embodiment, the storage system  12  may be a magnetic or an optical storage system, such as a hard disk drive, an optical drive, or a tape drive. 
     Before the display device  2  broadcasts a TV program, the definition module  100  defines keywords and advertising information of the presented products on the TV program. Furthermore, the definition module  100  defines the appearance times of the keywords according to the product presentation times, so the each keyword is displayed concurrently with the corresponding product during the TV program broadcasting. In the embodiment, the TV program may be a movie, a TV series, or any other entertainment shown. Each of the appearance times includes a start time and an end time of the keywords to be presented on the TV program. 
     The recording module  102  records the keywords, the advertising information, and the appearance times of the keywords in an image file or a movie file that is compatible with the TV program. In one embodiment, the movie file may be in format of a MPEG-2, MPEG-4, or an AVC format. 
     The displaying module  104  currently displays the keywords and the presented products on the display device  2  according to the appearance times. In the embodiment, the keywords can be displayed in the periphery of a display screen of the display device  2 , such as an upper left corner, an upper right corner, a lower left corner, or a lower right corner of the display device  2 . 
     When the display device  2  displays the TV program, the receiving module  106  receives a selection operation of a product from the viewer  4 . For one example, if the display device  2  is a touch-sensitive display, the viewer  4  may use a finger or a stylus to tap the keyword of the presented product to select the product, and then the receiving module  106  receives the selection operation. For another example, the selection of the keywords is a taping of a mouse, or a depression of a button of a remote control. 
     The export module  108  exports the advertising information of the selected product from the image file or the movie file. 
     The output module  110  displays the advertising information of the selected product on the display device  2 , so that the viewer  4  can browse the advertising information of the selected product. 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a method for embedding product information in TV programs with product placements. Depending on the embodiment, additional blocks may be added, others removed, and the ordering of the blocks may be changed. 
     In block S 300 , the definition module  100  defines keywords and advertising information of presented products of a TV program. Furthermore, the definition module  100  defines the keyword appearance time according to the product presentation time. In the embodiment, the advertising information may be delivered using texts, audio, advertisement files, web advertisement, and/or shopping websites. Each keyword appearance time includes a start time and an end time of the keywords to be presented on the TV program. 
     In block S 302 , the recording module  102  records the keywords, the advertising information, and the appearance times of the keywords in an image file or a movie file that is compatible with the TV program. In the embodiment, the movie file may be in format of a MPEG-2, MPEG-4, or an AVC format. 
     When the display device  2  displays the TV program, in block S 304 , the displaying module  104  currently displays the keywords and the presented products on the display device  2  according to the appearance times. In the embodiment, the keywords can be displayed in the periphery of a display screen of the display device  2 , such as an upper left corner, an upper right corner, a lower left corner, or a lower right corner of the display device  2 . 
     In bock S 306 , the receiving module  106  determines whether any keyword presented on the TV program has been tapped by the viewer  4 . In one example, the viewer  4  may touch the display device  2  with a finger or a stylus to select the keyword of a presented product, to select the presented product. If any keyword has been tapped, block S 308  is implemented. If no keyword is tapped, the flow ends. 
     In block S 308 , the export module  108  exports the advertising information of the selected product from the image file or the movie file. 
     In block S 310 , the output module  110  displays the advertising information of the selected product on the display device  2 , so that the viewer  4  can browse the advertising information of the selected product. 
     Although certain inventive embodiments of the present disclosure have been specifically described, the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.