Patent ID: 8775254

Claim:
A method for placing targeted advertisements, said method comprising the steps of: receiving, at a subscription module of an electronic device, enrollment information from a user of the electronic device; determining, at a user identification module of the electronic device, an identity of the user of the electronic device; selecting, at an advertisement selection module of the electronic device, a targeted advertisement linked to the identity of the user, wherein a centralized management system controls which targeted advertisement is selected based on direction provided by an advertisement source; storing the targeted advertisement in a storage medium for storing the targeted advertisement, said storage medium being included within the electronic device; recognizing, at an opportunity detection module of the electronic device, a targeted advertisement placement opportunity in relation to a content stream, comprising the step of monitoring the content stream; identifying a provider of the content stream; determining whether permission from an owner of the content stream to insert the targeted advertisement has been obtained; identifying when the user is actually using the electronic device; causing, at a switching module of the electronic device, the targeted advertisement's rendering on an output module of the electronic device in accordance with the targeted advertisement placement opportunity by displacing an advertisement in the content stream; causing a targeted advertisement to be sent to the user over a platform other than the electronic device, wherein said platform is enrolled, wherein the platform other than the electronic device is selected by the advertisement source from the group consisting of a television, a computer, the internet, a cell phone, a direct mailer, an email message, an outbound call center, an aftermarket box for attaching to a television, a DVD, a VHS tape, a gaming platform, a personal video recorder, an IPTV stream, and a digital music player; managing, at a campaign management module of the centralized management system, a campaign of targeted advertisements sent to a user, wherein the campaign comprises a plurality of phases, each phase comprising an advertisement using a different platform; generating a report regarding the rendering of the targeted advertisements on the electronic devices.