Patents by Inventor Michael Cristofalo

Michael Cristofalo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20080301727
    Abstract: A system and associated methodology are disclosed for targeting tags in a broadcast network. The tags may be associated with an ad or programming. In one implementation, the tags to be delivered at a user equipment device are selected at the user equipment device, for example, based on location or other user classification parameters. In this manner, different user equipment devices that are on the same bandwidth segment in the same network subdivision can receive different tags.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Cristofalo, Bruce J. Anderson, Daniel C. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20080184289
    Abstract: The present invention provides targeted asset system implementations in contexts where there is limited or no ability to use a real-time return channel for communications from user equipment devices (e.g., STB) to the network. In one arrangement, a household classifier is generated and delivered to user equipment devices. The household classifiers are generated based on third party data and/or network usage information associated with the household. The system and method allow for generating highly accurate household classifications that may be forwarded to individual households where the user equipment device may implant the classifiers to select appropriate assets for delivery to the household.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Cristofalo, Patrick M. Sheehan
  • Patent number: 7305691
    Abstract: A system and method for providing targeted programming to a user outside of the user's home. The method of receiving at least one of a user identification and a user profile, selecting a program based at least in part on the at least one of the user identification and the user profile, and providing a program for presentation to a user outside of the user's home is disclosed. A system including presentation device connected to a controller is also disclosed. The controller receives at least one of a user identification and a user profile, obtains a program based at least in part on the at least one of the user identification and the user profile and provides a program to a presentation device for presentation to a user outside of the user's home.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: ACTV, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Cristofalo
  • Publication number: 20020194589
    Abstract: A technique for optimizing the delivery of a multiplicity of advertisements and other programming is provided by trading off full-motion video for other forms of high quality still images, text, graphics and audio. By creating a group of synchronized digital programming components, for example, still-frame video, audio, graphics, text, animation, and media objects, which combined utilize less bandwidth than a standard digital programming segment of full-motion video with CD quality audio, a greater number of differentiable programming content options can be made available in the digital transmission stream. Because of the greatly expanded amount of differentiable content that can be created using the bandwidth tradeoff techniques, greater precision in targeting particular content, such as advertisements, to particular users is possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Michael Cristofalo, Patrick M. Sheehan
  • Publication number: 20020166119
    Abstract: A system and method for providing targeted programming to a user outside of the user's home. The method of receiving at least one of a user identification and a user profile, selecting a program based at least in part on the at least one of the user identification and the user profile, and providing a program for presentation to a user outside of the user's home is disclosed. A system including presentation device connected to a controller is also disclosed. The controller receives at least one of a user identification and a user profile, obtains a program based at least in part on the at least one of the user identification and the user profile and provides a program to a presentation device for presentation to a user outside of the user's home.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventor: MIchael Cristofalo