Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of displaying content portal advertisements and programming advertisements in a video delivery network environment is disclosed. The method includes providing a content portal to a plurality of viewers, the content portal for use by a viewer in navigating video programming. A content portal advertisement queue and a programming advertisement queue are received. Each programming advertisement is linked with one content portal advertisement of the content portal advertisement queue. A programming advertisement is displayed and, when the content portal is invoked immediately subsequent or concurrent to the displaying, the content portal advertisement is displayed. The content portal advertisement queue is reordered by placing the displayed content portal advertisement at the bottom of the content portal advertisement queue.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of a subscriber device inserting at least one targeted advertisement into a video program is disclosed. The subscriber device receives and stores at least one targeted advertisement, and receives and store at least one video program. At least one existing advertising avail within the recorded video program is identified, the at least one advertising avail having a first duration. The subscriber device modifies the at least one advertising avail to create a customized avail within the recorded video program, the customized avail having a duration not equal to the first duration. The stored at least one targeted advertisement is retrieved, and the at least one targeted advertisement is inserted into the customized avail.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, advertisements may be inserted into a programming stream in a communications network. For example, a programming stream may be transmitted from a first location to one or more receiving nodes. One or more queues may be aggregated at a node of the network. Each queue may be associated with one or more subscribers and/or may comprise a plurality of queue locations forming an ordered list of advertisements. Each advertisement may be matched (e.g., previously matched) to one or more of the subscribers. The aggregated specific individual queue locations may determine the ordered list of the advertisements within the queues. One or more intervals may be detected in the programming stream within which advertisements may be inserted. Advertisements may be inserted from the queues into the programming stream within the detected one or more intervals. The advertisements may be inserted in accordance with the ordered list.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, advertisement identifiers are stored in a queue in memory in the set top box or elsewhere corresponding to individual subscribers of a television service delivery network. The advertisements are retrieved and displayed in the order dictated by the queue as advertisement avails are detected in the particular channel information stream being watched by that subscriber. Accordingly, the subscriber sees the advertisements regardless of what channel or television program is being watched and sees them in the order dictated by the queue. The invention also is applicable to other information streams including Internet advertising, audio/radio advertising and advertising in electronic program guides.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for managing advertisement opportunities in a network environment includes retrieving advertisement parameters supplied by an advertiser; creating at least one program substream by dividing a program stream; identifying avails that are positioned within the program stream and dividing the avails into one or more subavails in the at least one program substream; retrieving subscriber characteristics related to viewers of the at least one program substream; and correlating the subscriber characteristics with the advertisement parameters to determine which advertisement is the optimum advertisement to schedule to display in the one or more subavails.

Abstract: An advertisement system and method of identifying targeted advertisements for presentation to one or more viewers. In one aspect, the invention may be a method of identifying targeted advertisements for presentation to one or more viewers, the method comprising: receiving a map based on one or more advertising groups and characterization information derived from at least one of the viewers; and transmitting to equipment associated with the viewers, one or more advertisements each having one or more advertising group identifier, wherein an advertising group identifier matches an advertising group within the map.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of managing advertisements in a digital program stream is disclosed. One or more advertisements are obtained, each advertisement associated with characterization data that facilitates targeting each of the advertisements to a subscriber and an ad bit rate. One or more avails are recognized in the digital program stream, each avail having a characterization and the digital program stream having a program stream bit rate. At least one of the advertisements is identified for insertion into the at least one avail based in part on comparing the characterization data and a characterization of the at least one avail and comparing the ad bit rate for the respective advertisement and the program stream bit rate. The at least one advertisement is inserted into one of the avails, the ad bit rate for the received advertisement being less than or equal to the program stream bit rate.

Abstract: Method and system for managing advertising in program streams. Advertisement opportunities (avails) in a program stream may be divided into sections (subavails) with the goal of directing advertising at a particular target audience (group). A program stream is split into one or more sub-streams to produce additional advertising avail sections (subavails) able to be targeted to a subgroup of subscribers. Subavails may also refer to various advertisement opportunities in different presentation streams (sub-streams). Each sub-stream may be targeted at a subgroup of subscribers with demographic and product preference characteristics. By correlating the subscriber characteristics with advertisement parameters supplied by an advertiser, the system/method determines which advertisement is best to display in the one or more subavails. Accordingly, such a subavail, or group of subavails may be sold to an advertiser, e.g., via an auction.

Abstract: An Ad Management System (AMS) for managing sales and insertion of targeted advertisements into advertising opportunities (“avails”). The AMS provides advertisers an ability to describe their advertisements (ad characteristics) in terms of target market demographics, required ad bandwidth, ad duration, and other ad specific parameters. The AMS receives the ad characteristics and matches the ads to the avails. The AMS tracks different avails including duration and bandwidth of the avail, and uses a number of schemes to determine if the ad can be placed in the avail including comparing bandwidth requirements. The AMS targets advertisements by correlating subscriber characteristics to the ad characteristics. The subscriber characteristics may be associated with groups of subscribers (e.g. nodes in cable television environments) or to individual subscribers.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering addressable or targeted advertising to subscribers during programming that the subscribers have recorded identifies the timing and characterization of programs to be recorded and the probable subscriber of those programs. Using the subscriber profiles of those subscribers, either already developed or generated on-the-fly based on program selection, and ad characterizations/profiles, the system generates a schedule of advertisements to be inserted into the avails (advertising opportunities) of the programming as it is recorded. The schedule generated can depend on correlations or matching between the ad profiles and the subscribers' profile, scheduling requirements (i.e., contracts and sales with advertisers) and timing. This system allows for targeted advertising to be delivered to subscribers during recorded programming and thus provides for additional opportunities for advertisers to reach subscribers in a highly addressable fashion.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, advertisement identifiers are stored in a queue in memory in the set top box or elsewhere corresponding to individual subscribers of a television service delivery network. The advertisements are retrieved and displayed in the order dictated by the queue as advertisement avails are detected in the particular channel information stream being watched by that subscriber. Accordingly, the subscriber sees the advertisements regardless of what channel or television program is being watched and sees them in the order dictated by the queue. The invention also is applicable to other information streams including Internet advertising, audio/radio advertising and advertising in electronic program guides.

Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating emotional states, moods, affects of an individual and providing feedback to the individual or others are disclosed. Systems and methods that provide real time detection and monitoring of physical aspects of an individual and/or aspects of the individual's activity and means of estimating that person's emotional state or affect and change to those are also disclosed. Real time feedback to the individual about the person's emotional change, change or potential change is provided to the user, helping the user cope, adjust or appropriately act on their emotions.

Abstract: Method and system for creating one or more advertising avail sections (subavails) and thereupon aggregating the subavails to form one or more groups of subavails. The advertisement opportunities (avails) may be divided into sections (subavails) with each section being directed at a particular target audience (group). The subavails are then aggregated into one or more groups of subavails so that the groups of subavails can be sold to the advertisers. The grouping of subavails is generally based on a correlation wherein the subavails are characterized based on one or more characteristics. The groups of subavails are formed based on one or more shared characteristics. The advertiser has an option to buy a group of subavails (rather than an avail in prior art), whereby the advertiser may reach a targeted group of an audience.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, advertisement identifiers are stored in a queue in memory in the set top box or elsewhere corresponding to individual subscribers of a television service delivery network. The advertisements are retrieved and displayed in the order dictated by the queue as advertisement avails are detected in the particular channel information stream being watched by that subscriber. Accordingly, the subscriber sees the advertisements regardless of what channel or television program is being watched and sees them in the order dictated by the queue. The invention also is applicable to other information streams including Internet advertising, audio/radio advertising and advertising in electronic program guides.

Abstract: An Ad Management System (AMS) for managing sales and insertion of targeted advertisements into advertising opportunities (“avails”). The AMS provides advertisers an ability to describe their advertisements (ad characteristics) in terms of target market demographics, required ad bandwidth, ad duration, and other ad specific parameters. The AMS receives the ad characteristics and matches the ads to the avails. The AMS tracks different avails including duration and bandwidth of the avail, and uses a number of schemes to determine if the ad can be placed in the avail including comparing bandwidth requirements. The AMS targets advertisements by correlating subscriber characteristics to the ad characteristics. The subscriber characteristics may be associated with groups of subscribers (e.g. nodes in cable television environments) or to individual subscribers.

Abstract: Integrated consumer products including an article of footwear that provides for correction, mitigation or prevention of hallux valgus or bunion. The footwear is constructed such that forces generated by a wearer's foot while standing or walking are directed or redirected to provide support and forces on selective bone and soft tissues of the foot thereby providing corrective forces to counter the development or progression of a bunion. The mechanism of force redirection may include compliant type mechanisms.

Abstract: Method and system for creating one or more advertising avail sections (subavails) and thereupon aggregating the subavails to form one or more groups of subavails. The advertisement opportunities (avails) may be divided into sections (subavails) with each section being directed at a particular target audience (group). The subavails are then aggregated into one or more groups of subavails so that the groups of subavails can be sold to the advertisers. The grouping of subavails is generally based on a correlation wherein the subavails are characterized based on one or more characteristics. The groups of subavails are formed based on one or more shared characteristics. The advertiser has an option to buy a group of subavails (rather than an avail in prior art), whereby the advertiser may reach a targeted group of an audience.

Abstract: Method and system for creating one or more advertising avail sections (subavails) and thereupon aggregating the subavails to form one or more groups of subavails. The advertisement opportunities (avails) may be divided into sections (subavails) with each section being directed at a particular target audience (group). The subavails are then aggregated into one or more groups of subavails so that the groups of subavails can be sold to the advertisers. The grouping of subavails is generally based on a correlation wherein the subavails are characterized based on one or more characteristics. The groups of subavails are formed based on one or more shared characteristics. The advertiser has an option to buy a group of subavails (rather than an avail in prior art), whereby the advertiser may reach a targeted group of an audience.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering addressable or targeted advertising to subscribers during programming that the subscribers have recorded identifies the timing and characterization of programs to be recorded and the probable subscriber of those programs. Using the subscriber profiles of those subscribers, either already developed or generated on-the-fly based on program selection, and ad characterizations/profiles, the system generates a schedule of advertisements to be inserted into the avails (advertising opportunities) of the programming as it is recorded. The schedule generated can depend on correlations or matching between the ad profiles and the subscribers' profile, scheduling requirements (i.e., contracts and sales with advertisers) and timing. This system allows for targeted advertising to be delivered to subscribers during recorded programming and thus provides for additional opportunities for advertisers to reach subscribers in a highly addressable fashion.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, advertisement identifiers are stored in a queue in memory in the set top box or elsewhere corresponding to individual subscribers of a television service delivery network. The advertisements are retrieved and displayed in the order dictated by the queue as advertisement avails are detected in the particular channel information stream being watched by that subscriber. Accordingly, the subscriber sees the advertisements regardless of what channel or television program is being watched and sees them in the order dictated by the queue. The invention also is applicable to other information streams including Internet advertising, audio/radio advertising and advertising in electronic program guides.