Abstract:
A satellite radio system includes a satellite receiver receiving audio programming and an advertising packet including a plurality of visual advertisements. The satellite radio system further includes a computer controlling the display of the visual advertisements on the display as the audio programming is being played over a speaker. The visual advertisements are displayed one at a time on the display and them marked “used.” When a threshold number of the visual advertisements have been displayed, a new advertising packet is downloaded.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to advertising methods and more particularly to a method of displaying advertisements on a satellite radio. 
         [0002]    Satellite radios are well known. A satellite radio provider, e.g., Sirius or XM Radio, transmits commercial free radio broadcasts to consumers. The providers&#39; satellite radio ground stations route radio signals to an orbiting satellite. The satellite then transmits the signals to individual receivers on the ground. Typically, the receivers are contained within satellite radio units, which are installed in vehicles or operate as handheld units. A consumer purchases the satellite radio units and also pays a monthly subscription fee to the satellite radio provider to receive satellite radio programming. The amount of the monthly fee and the type of subscription determine the satellite radio programming the consumer receives. 
         [0003]    Satellite radio programming includes music channels, talk radio channels, and television station audio. Satellite radio channels typically broadcast commercial free, that is, the programming is uninterrupted by audio advertisements. Some satellite radio channels, e.g., talk radio channels, may incorporate audio advertisements to generate revenue. For example, a corporation may pay the satellite radio provider for a thirty-second block of time in which to advertise. Although audio advertisements are used, satellite radio providers rely primarily on the monthly subscription fee paid by the consumer to generate the majority of their revenue. In addition, a selling point of satellite radios is providing programming uninterrupted by audio advertisements. 
         [0004]    Satellite radios are particularly prevalent in vehicles and may be standard equipment on some vehicle models. Other vehicles choose to include satellite radios as a factory or dealer installed option. The satellite radios typically contain a display screen, which visually indicates the satellite radio station. The display screen may also include interactive controls. For instance, the display screen may be a touch screen and may contain controls for tuning the satellite radio stations or adjusting the volume. Thus, the user may observe and interact with the display screen without interrupting the audio programming. However, the display screen is not used to generate revenue for the satellite radio provider. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A satellite radio system includes a satellite receiver receiving audio programming and an advertising packet including a plurality of visual advertisements. The satellite radio system further includes a computer controlling the display of the visual advertisements on the display as the audio programming is being played over a speaker. The visual advertisements are displayed one at a time on the display and them marked “used.” When a threshold number of the visual advertisements have been displayed, a new advertising packet is downloaded. 
         [0006]    These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a satellite radio system. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a typical satellite radio display screen. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a schematic of the revenue flow between the advertiser and the satellite radio provider. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0011]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a satellite radio  38  includes a receiver  30  for receiving satellite signals, a computer  34  for converting, storing and processing the satellite signals, a speaker  16  for playing audio programming, and a display  50  as part of a user interface for controlling the satellite radio  38 . The satellite radio  38  is shown (schematically) installed in a vehicle  10 , but the present invention would be applicable to handheld, portable or home satellite radio  38  as well. 
         [0012]    The satellite receiver  30  receives a transmission  14  from a satellite  18 . The transmission  14  includes the satellite radio audio programming and a data pack  22  having a multitude of banner ads  26 . The receiver  30  accepts the transmission  14  from the satellite  18  and communicates the transmission  14  to the computer  34  within the satellite radio  38 . The computer  34  routes the banner ads  26  to the display  50  whereupon a person, such as a driver or passenger in the vehicle  10 , may view the banner ad  26 . 
         [0013]    Although the present example discloses the data pack  22  having the multitude of banner ads  26 , those skilled in the art and having the benefit of this disclosure will understand that the data pack  22  may include a single ad. Such an example requires the transmission  14  between the satellite  18  and the receiver  30  before displaying a different ad. Thus, the satellite  18  may stream the communication of the multitude of banner ads  26  to the receiver  30  instead of the multitude of banner ads  26  arriving in the data pack  22 . 
         [0014]    In addition to the banner ads  26 , the receiver  30  of the satellite radio  38  also receives programming from the satellite  18 . The user controls the programming by tuning the satellite radio  38  to a desired station. The computer  34  within the satellite radio  38  controls the display of the banner ads  26  either independently or dependently upon the programming selected by the user. 
         [0015]    The computer  34  may control the display of the banner ads  26  in various ways. In one embodiment, the computer  34  displays banner ads  26  based upon the satellite radio stations selected by the user. For example, when the user tunes the satellite radio  38  to a country music station, advertisements are played which appeal to that demographic. In another embodiment, the computer  34  displays the banner ads  26  sequentially, such that, the banner ads  26  are displayed independently of current station. For example, the user will view the same sequence of banner ads  26  regardless of the station the user is tuned to. 
         [0016]    Referring to the data pack  22  of  FIG. 1 , when first stored on the computer  34 , the banner ads  26  are all classified as unused banner ads  26 . As each banner ad  26  is displayed, the computer  34  reclassifies the banner ad  26  as a used banner ad  42 . Thus, the computer  34  tracks the banner ads  46  that have been displayed. In so doing, the computer  34  allows only the banner ads  26  classified as unused banner ads  46  to be displayed. 
         [0017]    The computer  34  also tracks the percentage of used banner ads  42  within the data pack  22 . In the presently preferred embodiment, the satellite radio  38  receives the data pack  22  of unused banner ads  46  when approximately 90% of the banner ads  26  in the existing data pack  22  are classified as used banner ads  42 . This approach prevents a delay in displaying unused banner ad  46  due to interruptions in the transmission  14  of the data pack  22  from the satellite  18 . 
         [0018]    Once an unused banner ad  46  is transmitted to the display  50  the unused banner ad  46  is reclassified as a used banner ad  42 . The computer  34  displays the unused banner ad  46  on the display for a period of time before removing the banner ad  26  from the display  50 . Alternatively, the computer  34  may display the banner ad  26  until the user prompts the computer  34  to remove the banner ad  26  from the display  50 . Also, the computer  34  ensures that each of the banner ads  26  is displayed only when the system is on (and, presumably, the user is present). Unlike normal audio advertisements, which will play whether or not the user&#39;s radio is on, the banner ads  26  wait until the satellite receive 30 and display  50  is on to display each banner ad  26 . 
         [0019]    The data pack  22  is typically transmitted to the receiver  30  when the user starts the vehicle  10 . When a data pack  22  is being transmitted from the satellite  18  or otherwise cannot be accessed, the display  50  will display a message indicating that the data pack  22  is loading. 
         [0020]    The computer  34  accepts the data pack  22  and transmits unused banner ads  46  to a display area  54  of the display  50 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The display  50  also displays source ID  56  indicating a selected satellite-programming channel (or radio station, or CD track information, etc. for a display  50  that provides information for multiple systems). The display  50  may also display touch-screen buttons  57  that control the operation of the satellite receiver  30  ( FIG. 1 ) and/or other entertainment/communication systems. The banner ad  26  is a visual advertisement which may include some motion. As the banner ad  26  is visual, the audio programming may continue uninterrupted from the satellite radio  38  while the banner ad  26  is displayed. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the banner ad  26  is displayed in an advertising area  54  of the display  50 . The advertisers  58 , such as major corporations, pay a fee to a satellite provider  66 , generating revenue  62  for the satellite provider  66  who then includes an advertisement  70  from the advertiser  58  within the banner ads  26  in the data pack  22 . Thus, the satellite provider  66  generates revenue  62  without interrupting audio programming or increasing user fees. 
         [0022]    In addition to the advertising area  54  of the display  50  displaying the banner ads  26 , the advertising area  54  as shown in  FIG. 2  may also display other information. For instance, news organizations may utilize the advertising area  54  to display news or sports updates. These updates would be delivered via data pack  22  from the satellite  18 . The news organizations would display their information after paying a fee to the satellite provider  66 . Thus, the satellite provider  66  generates additional revenue  62  without increasing an user&#39;s monthly subscription cost. 
         [0023]    Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.