MXPA01000836A - Interactive television program guide system with local advertisements - Google Patents

Abstract

A program guide system is provided in which local advertisements may be distributed to interactive television program guides implemented on the user television equipment associated with a television distribution facility such as a cable system headend. The local advertisements contain information that is directed toward the particular users in a local area. The local advertisements may be displayed when a user selects a related global advertisement. The local advertisements may also be displayed automatically by cycling global advertisements and local advertisements. Advertisements may be blocked based on content or time shifted. Policies regarding advertisement usage may be enforced.

Description

SYSTEM OF GUIDE OF TELEVISION PROGRAMMING .INTERACTIVA _ 'WITH LOCAL PUBLICITY ANNOUNCEMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to interactive television programming guides and, more particularly, to advertising techniques * local advertising with interactive television programming guides. Passive television programming guides provide a list organized on pages or scrolling listings of television programming by a dedicated television channel. A television user can view the television programming listings by tuning the dedicated channel. The upper portion of a passive programming guide display can be used to display advertisements videos and associated text descriptions. The content of the text descriptions can be directed to particular regions. US-A-5, 559, 548 (Davis et al.) Describes a system for passive electronic programming guidance that is capable of displaying different contents simultaneously. Interactive television programming guides allow television users to carry out more advanced operations, such as displaying programming listings in formats that are selected by the user, searching for a genre, requesting a pay-per-view program, etc. The interactive programming guides are usually implemented in decoder boxes, based on a microprocessor. The data of programming listings are transmitted to the decoder boxes from a centralized data distribution facility, via the terminal of the user's cable system. The data of programming listings are normally stored in memory in the decoder box, where they can be accessed by means of the interactive programming guide. The interactive programming guides may be used to display advertisements, as described in United States patent application Serial No. 09 / 034,939 of Knudson et al., Filed on March 4, 1998, the application for U.S. Patent Serial No. 09 / 070,604 to Knudson et al., filed April 30, 1998, U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09 / 070,555 to Knudson et al., filed on April 30, 1998 and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09 / 070,700 to Boylan, III et al., filed on April 30, 1998, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The advertisements in the interactive programming guide provide the user with useful information about various products and services. For example, advertisements in the interactive programming guide can be used to promote future television programs. The advertisements in the interactive programming guide can also be used to promote unscheduled products and services. Because the advertisements of the interactive television programming guide can be distributed nationally from a central facility, these ads are suitable to promote products and services on a nationwide basis. If the advertisements of the interactive programming guide are distributed only on a national basis, it will not be donated to the users, however, so much useful information. of local commercials as would be possible, in another way. US-A-5,659,350 (Hendricks, et al.) Discloses a system in which local programming is inserted into a television signal without the use of an interactive television programming guide. Systems such as those shown in the US documents exist. A-5, 600, 364 (Hendricks et al.) And US-A-5,589,992 (Knee et al.), In which a remote processor determines the content - (for example, of advertisements) that will be displayed on the screen of the user. Nevertheless, this arrangement can place a load on the remote processor. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system for interactive television programming guidance where users of the local programming guide can be provided with advertising. It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for the interactive television programming guide wherein the advertisements can be displayed based on their content.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This and other objects of the invention are achieved in accordance with the principles of the present invention, providing a system where local (ie non-global) advertising advertisements are supplied to the interactive television programming guides that are implemented on the user's television equipment, associated with a television distribution facility. Data for local commercials can be distributed to interactive television programming guides in a variety of ways. For example, Pl207 local advertising data may be included in a global data stream that is transmitted from a main facility to multiple television distribution facilities. The global data stream may also contain global advertising data and programming guide data. The facilities for television distribution distribute the global data stream to the user's television equipment. The interactive programming guides on the user's television equipment may extract the local advertising data that is directed to the user television equipment or its associated television distribution facility. Another approach includes inserting local advertising data into the global data stream. Local advertising data can be inserted into a portion of the bandwidth of the global data stream that is reserved for local advertisements. Local advertising data can also be inserted into the global data stream by overwriting certain global advertisements. If desired, the local advertising data can be transmitted from the television distribution facility to the user television equipment using a separate data stream. These advertising distribution schemes are Illustrative Pl207. Any suitable form of digital multiplexing can be used to distribute local and global advertisements or multiple data streams if desired. Local advertisements can be displayed on the user television equipment by the interactive television programming guide. Local ads can be displayed whenever a user selects a deployed global ad. A local ad that is displayed on this form can have content that is related to the content of the selected global commercial ad. If desired, the programming guide may cyclically repeat local and global announcements on the user television equipment. Local ads can also be shown in place of certain global ads, if desired. Additional features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a diagram of a conventional arrangement for providing a channel for the passive television programming guide. Figure 2 is a screen provided by a conventional passive programming guide. Figure 3 is a diagram of a system for distributing data from the conventional interactive programming guide. Figure 4 is a diagram showing how a conventional programming guide can display information to request pay-per-view programs when a user selects a list of programs in a pay-per-view program listing screen of the conventional programming guide. Figure 5 is a diagram of an illustrative system for the interactive television programming guide for providing local advertisements in accordance with the present invention. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which the data can be distributed to multiple television distribution facilities, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which local advertising data can be distributed from the main facility as part of a global data stream, in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 8 is a diagram of a system for the illustrative programming guide in which the television distribution facility cins a filter for filtering all advertisements, except for the local advertisements directed to the television user equipment associated with that. installation of television distribution. Figure 9 is a diagram of an illustrative system for the programming guide in which filters are provided on the user television equipment to filter all advertisements except the local advertisements directed to that user's television equipment. Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which the local advertising data can be inserted into a global data stream, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which local advertising data can be inserted into a data stream in a television distribution facility, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which a separate local data stream can be provided when the local advertisements are transmitted from the television distribution facility to the user's television equipment, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which a local advertisement may be provided when the user selects a global advertisement in accordance with the present invention. Figure 14 is a flow chart of the steps involved in providing the user with local advertising information as shown in Figure 13, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which local advertisements and global advertisements can be repeated cyclically, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 16 is a flowchart of the steps involved in the display of cyclically repeated local and global advertisements, as shown in Figure 15, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 17 is a flow chart of the steps involved in the display of local advertisements, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 18 is a flowchart of the steps involved in the provision of advertisements with Pl207 labels based on their cnt, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 19 is a flow chart of the steps involved in changing the schedules of certain advertisements, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 20 is a flow diagram of the steps involved in the implementation of a policy for the use of an advertisement, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 21 is a flow diagram of the steps involved in the implementation of a policy for the use of an advertisement, using policy signaling, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 22 is a flowchart of the steps involved in the implementation of a policy for the use of an advertisement using a policy message, in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES A system 10 for the conventional passive television programming guide is shown in Figure 10. The data for the television programming listings as: channel, title and information about the transmission schedule are stored on a base of 12 data of programming listings in an installation 14 for the Pl 07 data transmission. The promotional videos are stored in a database 16 of promotional videos. The advertising text associated with the promotional videos is stored in the regional advertising text database 18. Promotional videos are distributed nationwide via satellite, in a global video stream. The associated advertising text is distributed in a global data stream. The programming listings are also distributed in a global data stream. The global data and video streams are transmitted to multiple terminals 20 of the cable system. The terminals of the cable system are normally in different geographical regions. The terminal of the cable system in each region contains a computer that extracts the appropriate advertising text for that region and for the television programming listings for the region. The advertising text appropriate to the region is combined in a single stream with promotional videos and programming listings for that region. The combined current is supplied to the subscribers to the cable system in televisions 22, via cable links 24 through a dedicated television channel. The format of a typical passive programming guide screen is shown in Figure 2. The system for the passive programming guide of Pl207 Figures 1 and 2 provide users with information on the programming guide, promotional information and advertising information by region, without requiring the user to have a special television set other than a standard television. However, because the programming guide of Figures 1 and 2 is a passive programming guide, it can not provide the user with any interactive particularity. A system for the conventional interactive television programming guide is shown in Figure 3. The information of programming listings such as: program titles, channels, descriptions, etc., are stored in the database 26 of the programming guide of installation 28 for data transmission. The programming listings information is distributed nationwide via satellite to multiple terminals 30 of the cable system. Terminals 30 of the cable system are located in different geographic regions throughout the country. Each terminal 30 redistributes the program listings information via cable links 32 to the decoder boxes 34 of the users for that terminal. The program listings information is normally distributed to the decoder boxes 34 using an out-of-band channel, a digital band channel or the vertical extinction interval (VBI -vertical blanking Pl207 interval) of one of the channels in the cable links 32. The decoder boxes 34 contain memory in which the program listings information is stored. The decoder boxes 34 also contain a processor for implementing the interactive television programming guide. The programming guide implemented in each decoder box 34 is capable of displaying several programming listings on an associated television 36. For example, the schedule listings for pay-per-view programs can be displayed, as shown in the upper screen of Figure 4. If the user selects one of the pay-per-view listings 38, the programming guide can display information about the program. of order, as shown in the lower screen of Figure 4. The order information 40 may contain information such as the telephone number 42 that it orders and that is specific to the geographical region of the user. The telephone numbers that order pay-per-view programs are distributed nationwide, but each decoder box 34 extracts only the telephone number for the pay-per-event order appropriate for the user's geographical location. Although the arrangement of Figures 3 and 4 allows users to obtain regionalized telephone number information, the arrangement of Figures 3 and 4 can not provide local advertising information. A system 44 for the illustrative programming guide, in accordance with the present invention, is shown in Figure 5. The main installation 46 contains a database 48 of the programming guide for storing information about the programming guide such as: the data of listings of the television programming guide, information to order pay-per-view programs, promotional information of television programming, etc. The main installation 46 also contains an advertising database 50 for storing advertising information. The information from the databases 48 and 50 can be transmitted to multiple installations for television distribution such as the television distribution installation 52 via communication links such as the communication link 53. The link 53 can be a satellite link, a telephone network link, a high speed telephone link, a cable or fiber optic link, a microwave link, a combination of these links or any other suitable communications route. If it is desired to transmit video signals (for example, for advertising or promotional videos) via link 53 in addition to data signals, a relatively high broadband link such as a satellite link is generally preferred, Pl 07 over a relatively low broadband link such as a telephone line. The television distribution installation 52 is an installation for distributing television signals to users, for example, to a cable system terminal, a broadcasting distribution facility or a satellite television distribution facility. The information on the programming guide transmitted by the main installation 46 to the installation 52 for television distribution includes data of television program listings such as: descriptions, titles, channels, programming schedules, etc. The programming information transmitted also includes programming data by payment such as: price information for individual programs and subscription channels, time windows for ordering programs and channels, telephone numbers for placing orders that can not be ordered by impulses, etc. The advertising information transmitted by the main facility 46 to the television distribution facility 52 may include video advertisements, graphics and text for various products and services. Global commercial ads (for example, national advertisements or advertisements distributed evenly in some other area Pl 07 suitable wide-scale geographic map) can be distributed from the main installation 46 to multiple installations 52 for television distribution, as shown in Figure 6. Only one television distribution installation 52 is shown in Figure 5 to avoid complicating the television broadcasting too much. drawing. Each television distribution facility 52 distributes advertisements to users on the associated user television equipment 54, via communication links 56. If desired, some advertising information may be provided using the advertising database 57 in the television distribution facility 52. For example, local advertising may be provided using the advertising database 57. The advertising database 57 may also be used to temporarily store in the associated memory, national advertising data transmitted from the main installation 46. The advertising database 57 may contain a server capable of handling text, graphics and video. The user television equipment 54 may be any suitable equipment for providing television to the user and which contains sufficient processing capabilities to implement an interactive television programming guide. The trajectories 56 can be Pl 07 cable links, fiber optic links, satellite links, broadcast links or other suitable link or combination of these links. Any suitable communication scheme can be used to transmit data through trajectories 56, including in-band transmissions, vertical extinction range transmissions, out-of-band transmissions, digital transmissions, analog transmissions, cable transmissions, satellite transmissions, transmissions over air, multi-point multi-point distribution service transmissions (MMDS - multichannel multipoint distribution services), etc. The data distribution technique that is used to distribute data along trajectories 56 depends on the type of information that is being distributed. For example, text and graphics are distributed through an out-of-band channel using an out-of-band modulator. Video information can also be distributed in this way, although large amounts of video information can be distributed more efficiently using one or more digital channels through path 56. Digital channels can also be used to distribute text and graphics. Each user has a receiver, which is usually a box decoder like the box Pl 07 decoder 58, but which can be another suitable television equipment such as, for example, an advanced television receiver in which circuitry similar to the circuitry of the decoder box has been integrated, or a personal computer television (PC / TV). Data such as programming guide data can be distributed to decoder boxes periodically. The television distribution facility 52 may also interrogate the decoder boxes 58 periodically regarding certain information (for example, program account information for payment or information regarding programs that have been purchased and viewed using locally generated authorization techniques). . The main installation 46 preferably contains a processor to handle information distribution tasks. Each decoder box 58 preferably contains a processor for handling tasks associated with the implementation of the interactive television programming guide. The installation 52 for television distribution may contain a processor to handle tasks associated with the distribution of data. Each set-top box 58 is normally connected to an optional VCR 60 so that television programs can be recorded. Each of Pl 07 video recorder 60 is connected to a television 62. To record a program, the interactive television programming guide implemented in the decoder box 58 tunes the decoder box 58 to a particular channel and sends control signals to the video recorder 60 (e.g. using an infrared transmitter) that instructs the VCR 60 to start and stop recording at the appropriate times. During the use of the programming guide, listings of television programming, advertisements and other information can be displayed on television 62. Each set-top box 58, VCR 60 and television 62 can be controlled by one or more remote controls 64 or by any other suitable user input interface, such as a wireless keyboard, mouse, trackball, dedicated key set, etc. A typical 64 remote control has pointer keys to position a highlighted region on the programming guide screen and a select button or "OK" to select a highlighted theme on the screen. Other typical remote control buttons include function buttons such as: an engraving button, buttons for up and down movement of channels, buttons for volume control, numeric keys, etc. The communication paths 56 preferably have sufficient bandwidth to allow the television distribution facility 52 to distribute television programming, information about programming listings, advertisements and other information to the user's television equipment 54. Multiple television and audio channels (analog, digital or both digital and analog) can be provided to the user television equipment 54 via the communication paths 56. If desired, certain data such as program listings may be distributed by one or more distribution facilities that are separate from the television distribution facility 52 using communication paths that are, at least partially, separated from the communication paths. Certain functions such as the purchase of programs for payment or the purchase of products or services may require that the user television equipment 54 transmit data to the television distribution facility 52 through communication paths 56. If desired, this data can be transmitted through telephone lines or other separate communication paths. If functions such as these are provided using separate facilities of the television distribution facility 52, some of the communications Pl 07 involving the user television equipment 54 can be made directly with the separate facilities. Users of the interactive television programming guide can order, interactively, information, products or additional services. For example, a user can place an order by selecting an advertisement displayed in the programming guide. These orders can be satisfied by means of compliance facilities 66 and 68. If desired, orders can be transmitted directly to compliance facilities such as, for example, the compliance facility 66 via links 70, which can be telephone links, the Internet or other adequate communications links. Orders can be transmitted to the television distribution facility 52 via links 56 (eg, two-way cable), where the billing system of the television distribution facility can be used. After the television distribution facility 52 has processed the user's order, the television distribution facility 52 can transmit the command to the compliance facility 68 via the link 72. A variety of suitable techniques can be used to distribute related videos. with advertising from the television distribution installation 52 to the user television equipment 54. For example, if each path 56 includes a number of traditional analog television channels, one or more of these channels can be used to support a number of digital channels. The bandwidth of each analog channel that is used to support digital channels can support ten or more of these digital channels. If desired, the videos can be supplied from the television distribution facility 52 in a continuous loop arrangement in these digital channels. The information supplied to the decoder box 58 can then be used to determine which digital channels to tune to when a desired video is displayed. For example, if it is desired to display a local advertisement instead of a national advertisement, the decoder box 58 can be tuned to a digital channel containing the local advertisement at an appropriate time. Alternatively, the videos can be supplied by means of the television distribution installation 52, upon request. With this approach, the decoder box 58 and the television distribution facility 52 can negotiate to determine a channel on which to deliver the desired video. The videos that originate from the main installation 56, a separate installation or from P1207 the television distribution facility 52 (for example, from the advertising database 57) can be distributed to the user television equipment 54 using these or other suitable techniques. If desired, videos and other information can be distributed to the user television equipment 54 using servers located in network nodes between the television distribution facility 52 and the user television equipment 54. The graphic information for the advertisements can be transferred from the television distribution installation 52 to the user television equipment 54 periodically (for example, once every 10 minutes or once a day). The graphic information can be accessed locally when needed, through the programming guide. Alternatively, the graphical information may be supplied in a loop arrangement continuously in one or more digital channels or paths 56. With a continuously looping array like this, a map indicating the location of the most recent graphical information is transferred , preferably, periodically to the decoder boxes 58 (for example, once a day). This allows the content of digital channels to be updated. The programming guides in decoder boxes 58 can Pl207 use the map to locate desired graphic information in the digital channels. Another approach includes the use of the advertising database 57 to provide graphic information after a decoder box 58 and the television distribution facility 52 have negotiated to install a transfer operation. A bitmap or other set of graphic information can then be transferred from the advertising database to the decoder box. If desired, the television distribution facility 52 can transfer instructions informing the decoder box where the desired graphic information can be located in a particular digital channel. The graphic information may be periodically updated if the user television equipment 54 is informed of the current location of the graphic information. The text information for advertisements may be distributed from the television distribution facility 52 to the user television equipment 54 using the same paths used for the data distribution of the programming guide. For example, the advertising data may be distributed through an out-of-band channel on paths 56. The text information may be stored locally in decoder boxes 58 and be updated periodically (for example, once a day).

P1207 Videos, graphics and texts for advertisements may also be distributed from the television distribution facility 52 to the user television equipment 54 using a combination of these techniques or any other suitable technique. The television distribution facility 52 distributes advertisements advertising both global and local to the user television equipment 54. Global advertisements are national advertisements or advertisements that are distributed evenly across some other geographic area of such magnitude. A typical global advertisement could be that of a certain brand of automobiles, since the same automobiles are normally available throughout the country. Local ads are ads whose content is usually designed for a particular region or for a particular group of users. Examples of typical regions to which local advertisements may be provided include: cities, metropolitan areas, states, multi-state regions (eg, New England), etc. A typical local commercial for one of these regions could be that of a car dealer, since car dealers normally serve, only P1207 certain geographic regions. An example of a special user group to which local advertisements can be delivered is the user group that is associated with all the cable systems of a given cable system operator. A typical local commercial for this type of group could be an advertisement for a new channel of the cable system or a promotional offer. The global advertisements are distributed, preferably, to all television distribution facilities 52 in a global area in parallel. For example, if the television distribution facilities 52 are terminals or groups of terminals of the cable system in various locations in the periphery of the country and the link 53 is a satellite link, a national advertisement for a car can be transmitted, for example, to thousands of such satellite cable system terminals, practically at the same time. This large-scale distribution makes the use of the parallel data distribution capabilities of system 44 efficient. The parallel distribution of global data via satellite is, however, only an illustrative way in which the data can be distributed. of global advertising. It can be used, if desired, any other Pl207 adequate data distribution technique, among which are included: serial data distribution schemes and data distribution schemes using other types of communications links 543. The local advertisements can be supplied to television distribution facilities 52 for redistribution to the user equipment 54 using a number of different techniques. As shown in Figure 7, the local advertisement data 74 can be transmitted from the main facility 46 to the television distribution facility 52 as part of the same global data stream where the global advertisement data 76 is transmitted. The local advertising data for each local advertisement has an associated address 78. Each address 78 defines the destination of its associated local advertisement. The destination, typically, is a local geographic area such as a city or a state, but it can be a non-geographic type of destination like all cable systems operated by the same cable system operator, all households with a certain level of income (as determined, for example, by zip code information or by another suitable source), or any other criteria to define a non-global destination. Other data 80 such as data from listings of P1207 programs can also be transmitted in the global data stream. This type of distribution scheme may be best suited for local advertisements that contain text and graphics. Although local ads that contain video can also be distributed in this way if desired. As shown in Figure 8, each television distribution facility such as the television distribution facility 52 may be provided with a corresponding local advertisement 82 filter. When the main facility 46 transmits the global data stream of Figure 7 to the television installation 52 for television distribution, the filter 82 extracts the local advertisements from the data stream that are directed to any other local area where the 52 television distribution facility and its associated user television equipment are located, or to a group of users associated with the television distribution facility 52. Users are therefore provided with local advertisements whose content is customized for the user's geographic location or whose content is customized for the group targeted by recipients of the local advertisement (as in the case of an advertisement directed to All cable customers of a system operator Pl207 cable in particular, etc.). As shown in Figure 9, the filtering can be carried out using a filter 84 which is located in the user television equipment. With the arrangement of Figure 9, the each decoder 58 (Figure 5) or another device like this in the user television equipment 54 of each user. If desired, the filters can be used in both the television distribution facilities 52 and the user television equipment 54. With an arrangement like this, the filter in each television distribution installation 52 can supply a first filter layer and the filters in the user television equipment 54 associated with each television distribution installation 52 can provide a second filter layer . Another way in which local advertisements can be delivered to users is shown in Figure 10. As shown in the upper data stream of Figure 10, the global data stream transmitted from the main facility 46 to the installation 52 of The television distribution may contain data 82 of global advertisements and other data 86 such as program guide data. A portion of the bandwidth of the global data stream can Pl207 be reserved for the subsequent insertion of local advertising data. For example, intervals, such as, for example, interval 88 may be reserved for data insertion. The local advertising data is inserted in the interval 88 in the television distribution installation 52. Local advertising data can also be inserted into the global data stream by overwriting an existing global ad. After the local advertisement has been inserted into the global data stream, the television distribution facility 52 can transmit the lower data stream of Figure 10 to the user television equipment 54, as shown in the Figure 11. As shown in the lower stream of Figure 10, the local advertising data 90 has been inserted by overwriting the global advertisement data 84 and the local advertising data 92 has been inserted in the interval 88 that was reserved for the insertion. of a local commercial. Because the local advertisements are inserted into the data stream at the television distribution facility 52, the local advertisements that are provided to the user television equipment 54 associated with that television distribution facility 52 are Pl207 appropriate for the geographic region of the users and, in general, no filtering is required on the user television equipment 54 if the local advertisements are intended for all users of that region. If local advertisements are intended for a certain set of users in that geographic region (for example, all users with a particular demographic trait such as a given income level), additional filtering can be used on the computer 54 of user television. If desired, local advertisements may be provided to the user in a separate data stream transmitted from the television distribution facility, in parallel with the global data stream, as shown in Figure 12. Figures 11 and 12 show the way in which a computer 94 in the television distribution facility can be used to provide the local data. The computer 94 can be used to implement or manage an advertising database such as, for example, the advertising database 54 of Figure 5. The local advertisements can be retrieved from the advertising database 57 by means of the computer 94, as needed for transmission to a user television equipment 54.

The programming guide implemented in the user television equipment 54 may present local advertisements to the user in a variety of different ways. For example, the programming guide may initially display a programming guide screen, such as a programming guide screen 95 which is shown on the upper screen of Figure 13. Programming guide screen 95 contains region 96 of program listings. that contains a grid, list or table of programming listings. Programming guide screen 95 also contains logos 98 and global panel 100 advertisements. A user can, for example, select one of the global 100 advertisements by placing a highlight, for example highlighting 102 over a desired advertisement with the keys for the pointer of the remote control and pressing a remote control button of OK or selection . In response, the programming guide may display an associated local ad 104, as shown in the lower display of Figure 13. The steps involved in the presentation of the local advertisement 104 of Figure 13 for the user are shown in the Figure 14. In step 106, the programming guide displays a global advertisement in the programming guide on a screen for Pl 07 deployment of appropriate programming guide. In step 108, the scheduling guide provides the user with the opportunity to select the overall advertisement. In step 110, after the user has selected a desired global advertisement, the programming guide displays the content of a corresponding local advertisement that may be related to the content of the selected global advertisement. Another arrangement for displaying local advertisements is shown in Figure 15. The upper programming guide screen of Figure 15 contains the region 112 of program listings and advertisements 114 of global header and 116. Periodically, advertisements locales are deployed in the place of legal header advertisements. For example, as shown in the lower screen of the lower programming guide of Figure 15, the local advertisement 118 has been displayed in the place of the global advertisement 116. The content of the local advertisement 118 may be related to the content of the global advertisement 116, if desired. The steps involved in deploying local ads that use the fix Pl 07 Figure 15 are shown in Figure 16. In step 120, the programming guide displays a global advertisement. In step 122, the programming guide displays a local advertisement. The local advertisement may be displayed in the place of the global advertisement, as shown in Figure 15. In step 124, the cycle repeats (ie, the global advertisement 116 is displayed in the place of the local advertisement 118). of Figure 15, etc.). Alternatively, a different advertisement (global or local) may be displayed in step 124. The arrangements of Figures 13 and 15 are illustrative only. Any suitable arrangement can be used to display local advertisements. For example, you do not need to display local ads in conjunction with global ads. Local publicity announcements can be displayed completely by themselves (for example, in accordance with a predetermined schedule or other suitable means). Moreover, global and local advertisements can be displayed in any desired format, including the panel advertisement form of Figure 13, the header advertisement form of Figure 15 or any other format. They can be selected Pl207 advertisements both global and local. If such advertisements are selectable, the user may be given the opportunity to purchase a product or service advertised. The user can place an order for a product by selecting an advertisement, can request a catalog by selecting an advertisement, can generate a coupon by selecting an advertisement, can request a phone call from a vendor by selecting an advertisement, can request information about the way to contact a seller at a local store by selecting an advertisement, etc. These examples are illustrative only. Any type of suitable product or service can be promoted or ordered using a selectable advertisement, if desired. The user can also be given the opportunity to acquire programming by selecting an advertisement. For example, the user may be given the opportunity to impulsively buy a pay-per-view program. The user can also be given the opportunity to buy a video program on demand or an almost video on demand program. These examples are illustrative. The user can buy any type of suitable programming by selecting a Pl207 selectable ad, if desired. In addition, the user may be given the opportunity to install a reminder for a particular program when the user selects a selectable advertisement from a program. The programming guide can also be instructed to perform other actions in the programming guide when the user selects a selectable advertisement. For example, the programming guide can be instructed to record a certain program when the user selects an advertisement for that program. These examples are illustrative, the programming guide can be instructed to exercise any suitable action in the programming guide when the user selects a selectable advertisement, if desired. As illustrated in Figure 15, a local advertisement may be displayed (in step 126) for which there is no corresponding global advertisement. This type of local advertisement may be particularly suitable for advertising to businesses with a small geographic interest region (eg, Joe's Pizzeria). If you want to advertise a product or service that has more national attraction, but has a corresponding aspect that requires more localized promotion (for example, a car brand) P1207 for which several distributors are desired), then in step 128, a suitable global advertisement may be displayed and a corresponding local advertisement may be displayed by the programming guide in step 130 (after, for example, the user selects the global ad). Another aspect of the invention relates to the provision of advertisements with content labels so that users or operators of television distribution facilities can block certain advertisements based on their content. This can be useful when certain advertisements (for example, adult programming advertisements) offend the sensitivities of a particular user or community. As shown in Figure 18, advertisements with content tags can be provided in step 132 (for example, in advertising database 50 in main facility 46). Appropriate content labels include labels for sexual content, violence and graphic language. If desired, gender labels can be provided (for example, tags that identify the content of advertisements by programming the genre, such as comedy, sports, movies, etc.). They can also Pl207 provide labels that identify the content of advertisements by subject, such as: improvements to the house, automotive, clothing, equipment for sports, shoes, photography, electronics, musical instruments, books, etc. In step 134, the advertisements with content tags are distributed by the system 53. The advertisements with unwanted content are blocked in step 136. If desired, an appropriate global advertisement, a local advertisement or a backup message (eg, an extinguishing screen or an advertisement for a service provider) by means of the programming guide instead of the advertisement blocked in step 138. The advertisement displayed in the place of an advertisement advertising that was blocked because it was considered offensive, preferably contains harmless material. The distribution and blocking of steps 134 and 136 can be effected using any suitable arrangement. For example, advertisements with content labels may be distributed in one or more streams of data to the user television equipment 54 through main facility 46 and television distribution facilities 52 and advertisements not P1207 may be filtered from these streams or data stream in the user television equipment 54. Another approach is that television distribution facilities 52 filter out unwanted advertisements. These approaches are only illustrative. Any suitable approach can be used to block advertisements based on the content, if desired. For example, the user television equipment may block advertisements based on a keyboard search (for example, for words of graphic language in the text of the advertisement or for words based on a topic of interest), and not replacing the content of the labels supplied in the main installation 46. In step 140, the user, system operator or other entity may select blocking criteria (filtered) to be used in step 136. For example, the system operator could block all advertisements for adult programming. The user could block all advertisements with graphic language. The user could also selectively allow ads for electronic equipment to be displayed by selecting the category of electronic equipment. If the user selects a category such as the category of the equipment P1207 electronic, in step 136 all advertisements are blocked, except those with content (as indicated by content labels, keyboard search or other suitable technique) that is related to the equipment. Another aspect of the invention relates to the time change of certain advertisements. In some circumstances it may be desirable for a commercial to be changed, so that it can better reach its intended audience. For example, a network television program can be transmitted to the 8:00 pm. Eastern time and at 7:00 p.m. West time (Even when the eastern time and the western time are two separate time zones). If an advertisement is distributed nationally and aired only before 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (for example, at 7:55 p.m. Eastern Time), that announcement (if no schedule is changed) will be aired at 5:55 p.m. West time. This may be undesirable, because a commercial at 5:55 p.m. for a television show at 7:00 p.m. It can not be as effective as an ad at 6:55 for a 7:00 p.m. television show. Consequently, in this situation it may be desirable to delay (change of schedule) the display of the commercial of 5:55 p.m. West time until 6:55 Pl207 p.m. West time. The steps involved in changing the commercial's schedule are shown in Figure 19. In step 142, the advertisements: global advertising are distributed. In those time zones where it is desirable to change the time to a particular global advertisement, the advertisement may be temporarily stored (for example, in the advertising database 57 of the television distribution facility 52) in step 144. Elsewhere, the global ad can be displayed normally. In step 146, the changed schedule advertisements are displayed by the programming guide (for example, they are transmitted from an advertising database 57 in the television distribution facility 52 to the user television equipment 54 and are displayed. for the programming guide on television 62). Another aspect of the invention relates to the implementation of policies related to the use of advertisements through the television distribution facilities 52. For example, it may be desired to prohibit television distribution facilities 52 from changing the hours of certain advertisements. It may also be desired to prohibit television distribution facilities 52 that P1207 modify a particular advertisement (for example, overwriting that advertisement or supplying a corresponding global advertisement). As shown in Figure 20, system 44 can facilitate compliance with advertising use policies by providing advertisements with information defining the manner in which those advertisements may be used (ie, information on the use of advertisements). of the advertisement) in step 148. The advertising use policies can be fulfilled in step 150, when the television distribution facilities 52 try to change the time of certain advertisements and modify certain advertisements (for example, trying to overwrite these advertisements or trying to supply corresponding local advertisements). An illustrative approach for the implementation of the steps of Figure 20 is shown in Figure 21. In step 152, advertisements are provided with usage policy signage (e.g., in the advertising database 50 in the facility). main 46). Policy signage indicates how advertisements can be used (for example, if you can change the time of the advertisements or if they can be modified overwrite or P1207 supplying a corresponding local advertisement, etc.). In step 154, the advertisements with their usage policy signaling are distributed to the television distribution facilities 52. In step 156, the television distribution facilities 52 distribute the advertisements to be displayed by the programming guide in the user television equipment 54 in accordance with the policies of use of the advertisements defined by the policy signals. For example, if an advertisement has accompanying policy signage indicating that the schedule change is not allowed for that advertisement, a television distribution facility 52 that otherwise would like to change the schedule of the television will not be allowed. that announcement, perform that schedule change operation, but distribute the advertisement to the user television equipment 54 in a normal manner. Another approach to implementing the steps of Figure 20 is shown in Figure 22. In step 158, the main installation 46 distributes an advertisement usage policy message to the 52 facilities for television distribution that defines the usage policies for various advertisements. In step 160, the television distribution facilities 52 distribute the advertisements P1207 to be displayed by the programming guide on the user television equipment 54, in accordance with the advertising use policies defined by the policy message. For example, if the policy message indicates that an advertisement can not be changed, a television distribution facility 52 that would otherwise want to change the time of that advertisement will not be allowed to perform such an exchange operation. of time, but will distribute the advertisement to the user television team 54, in a normal manner. The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications may be made by persons skilled in the art, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

P1207

Claims (60)

1. CLAIMS; A system in which the local advertisements are distributed to the user television equipment (54) where an interactive television programming guide is implemented, comprising hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements to the television equipment (54) of user, characterized by the hardware configured to: use the interactive television programming guide to display local advertisements. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to transmit the local advertisements from a television distribution facility (52) to the television set (54) of the television. user. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to transmit the local advertisements to an installation (52) for television distribution, as part of a global data stream . 4. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the The 07 local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to transmit local advertisements to an installation (52) for television distribution, as part of a global data stream containing global advertisements. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to: transmit the local advertisements to an installation (52) for television distribution, as part of a data stream global and transmitting the local advertisements from the installation (52) for television distribution to the user television equipment (54). The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to: transmit a stream of global data to an installation (52) for television distribution, insert the local advertisements into the global data stream 'in the installation (52) for television distribution; and broadcast the local advertisements Pl207 from the installation (52;) for television distribution to the user television equipment (54), as part of the global data stream. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to: transmit a stream of global data containing global advertisements, to an installation (52) for television distribution, insert the local advertisements in the global data stream in the installation (52) for television distribution; and transmitting the local advertisements from the installation (52) for television distribution to the user television equipment (54), as part of the global data stream. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to: transmit a stream of global data to an installation (52) for television distribution, insert local advertisements into the global data stream in the installation (52) for Pl 07 television distribution, -; 4 ^ transmit the local advertisements from the installation (52) for television distribution to the user television equipment (54), as part of the global data stream. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to: transmit a stream of aggregate data containing a bandwidth reserved for local advertisements to an installation (52). ) for television distribution; insert the local advertisements in the global data stream in the reserved bandwidth in the installation (52) for television distribution; and transmitting the local advertisements from the installation (52) for television distribution to the user television equipment (54), as part of the global data stream. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to: transmit a stream of global data that P1207 contains reserved intervals for local advertisements, to an installation (52) for television distribution; inserting the local advertisements in the global data stream at the intervals reserved in the installation (52) for television distribution; and transmitting the local advertisements from the installation (52) for television distribution to the user television equipment (54), as part of the global data stream. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to: transmit a stream of global data containing global advertisements and having a reserved bandwidth for local advertisements , to an installation (52) for television distribution; insert the local advertisements in the global data stream in the reserved bandwidth in the installation (52) for television distribution; and transmit local advertisements and global advertisements from the installation (52) for television distribution to the equipment (54) P1207 user television, as part of the global data stream. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to: transmit a stream of global data containing local advertisements to an installation (52) for television distribution; transmitting the global data stream from the television distribution facility to the user's television equipment (54); and transmitting the local advertisements from the installation (52) for television distribution to the user television equipment (54), as a separate data stream from the global data stream. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to: transmit local advertisements, in a facility (52) for television distribution; provide local advertisements to the facility (52) for television distribution; Y Pl207 transmitting the global advertisements and the local advertisements from the installation (52) for television distribution to the user television equipment (54). The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured to: transmit global advertisements and information about the programming guide to an installation (52) for television distribution; provide local advertisements in the facility (52) for television distribution; and transmitting the information about the programming guide, the global advertisements and the local advertisements from the installation (52) for television distribution to the user television equipment (54). The system defined in claim 1, wherein the data for the programming guide and the global advertisements are stored in a main facility (46), and wherein the means for distributing the local advertisements further comprises hardware configured for : transmit the data for the programming guide Pl 07 and the global advertisements from the main installation (46) to an installation (52) for television distribution; provide local advertisements in the facility (52) for television distribution; and transmitting the data for the programming guide, the global advertisements and the local advertisements from the installation (52) for television distribution to the user television equipment (54). The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to display the local advertisements with the interactive television programming guide further comprises hardware configured to: display a global advertisement that can be selected by a user with the guidance of interactive television programming; and displaying a corresponding local advertisement with content related to the content of the global advertisement, provided that the user selects the global advertisement. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to display the local advertisements with the programming guide P1207 »* interactive television also includes hardware configured to: display a global advertisement that can be selected by a user with the interactive television programming guide; and display a local advertisement of the entire corresponding screen, provided that the user selects the global advertisement. 18. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to display the local advertisements with the interactive television programming guide further comprises hardware configured to: display global advertisements with the interactive television programming guide; and cyclically repeating the display of global ads and local ads. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to display the local advertisements with the interactive television programming guide further comprises hardware configured to: display a global headline advertisement with the television programming guide P1207 interactive; and cyclically repeat the display of global headline ads and local ads. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to display global advertisements with the interactive television programming guide. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to display a region of programming listings with the interactive television programming guide. 22. The system defined in claim 1, further comprising hardware configured to: display global advertisements with the interactive television programming guide; and deploying regions of programming listings. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the hardware configured to distribute the local advertisements comprises hardware configured to: transmit global advertisements and information about the schedule guide for an installation (52) for television distribution: Pl207 Z r »provide local advertisements in the facility (52) for television distribution; transmitting the information of the programming guide, the global advertisements and the local advertisements from the installation (52) for the television distribution to the user television equipment (54); display global advertisements with the interactive television programming guide; and displaying a region of programming listings containing the information on the programming guide with the interactive television programming guide. 24. A method for using a system in which advertisements are distributed to the user television equipment (54) where an interactive television programming guide is implemented, and which comprises distributing local advertisements to the computer (54) of user television, the system is characterized by: using the interactive television programming guide to display local advertisements. 25. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises transmitting the local advertisements from an installation (52) of Pl207 'television distribution to the user television equipment (54). The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises transmitting the local advertisements to a television distribution facility (52), as part of a global data stream. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises transmitting the local advertisements to a television distribution facility (52), as part of a global data stream containing global advertisements . The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises: transmitting the local advertisements to a television distribution facility (52), as part of a global data stream; and transmitting the local advertisements from the television distribution facility (52) to the user television equipment (54). 29. The method defined in claim 24, P1207 wherein the distribution - the local advertisements further comprises: transmitting a global data stream to a television distribution facility (52); inserting the local advertisements in the global data stream at the television distribution facility (52); and transmitting the local advertisements from the television distribution facility (52) to the user television equipment (54), as part of the global data stream. 30. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises: transmitting a global data stream containing global advertisements, to a television distribution facility (52); inserting the local advertisements in the global data stream at the television distribution facility (52); and transmitting the local advertisements from the television distribution facility (52) to the user television equipment (54), as part of the global data stream. 31. The method defined in claim 24, Pl207 wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises: transmitting a global data stream containing global advertisements to a television distribution facility (52); inserting the local advertisements in the global data stream at the television distribution facility (52), overwriting the global advertisements; and transmitting the local advertisements from the television distribution facility (52) to the user television equipment (54), as part of the global data stream. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises: transmitting a stream of global data containing a bandwidth reserved for local advertisements, to a television distribution facility (52); inserting the local advertisements in the global data stream in the reserved bandwidth the television distribution facility (52); and transmitting the local advertisements from the television distribution facility (52) P1207 to the user television equipment (54), as part of the global data stream. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises: transmitting a stream of global data containing reserved intervals for local advertisements, to a television distribution facility (52); inserting the local advertisements in the global data stream at the intervals reserved in the television distribution facility (52); and transmitting the local advertisements from the television distribution facility (52) to the user television equipment (54), as part of the global data stream. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises: transmitting a stream of global data containing global advertisements and having a bandwidth reserved for local advertisements, towards an installation ( 52) of television distribution; insert the local advertisements in the P1207 data stream g o a es- in the reserved bandwidth in the television distribution facility (52); and transmitting the local advertisements and the global advertisements from the television distribution facility (52) to the user television equipment (54), as part of the global data stream. 35. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises: transmitting a stream of global data containing global advertisements to a television distribution facility (52); transmitting the global data stream from the television distribution facility (52) to the user television equipment (54); and transmitting the local advertisements from the television distribution facility (52) to the user television equipment (54), as a separate data stream from the global data stream. 36. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises: transmitting global advertisements, towards P1207 an installation (52) of television distribution; provide local advertisements in the television distribution facility (52); and transmitting the global advertisements and the local advertisements from the television distribution facility (52) to the user television equipment (54). 37. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises: transmitting global advertisements and information about the programming guide, to a television distribution facility (52); provide local advertisements in the television distribution facility (52); and transmitting the information about the programming guide, the global advertisements and the local advertisements from the installation (52) of television distribution to the user television set (54). 38. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the data of the programming guide and the advertisements. are stored in a main installation (46), and where the distribution of the local advertisements also includes: P1207 transmitting the data of the programming guide and the global advertisements from the main installation (46) to a television distribution installation (52); and providing local advertisements in the television distribution facility (52); and transmitting the data for the programming guide, the global advertisements and the local advertisements from the installation (52) of television distribution to the user television equipment (54). 39. The method defined in claim 24, wherein displaying the local advertisements with the interactive television programming guide further comprises: displaying a global advertisement that can be selected by a user with the interactive television programming guide; and display a corresponding local advertisement, with content related to the content of the global advertisement, provided that the user selects the global advertisement. 40. The method defined in claim 24, wherein displaying the local advertisements with the interactive television programming guide comprises P1207 also: display a global advertisement that can be selected by a user with interactive television programming guide; and display a corresponding local advertisement on the entire screen, provided that the user selects the global advertisement. 41. The method defined in claim 24, wherein displaying the local advertisements with the interactive television programming guide further comprises: displaying global advertisements with the interactive television programming guide; and cyclically repeating the deployment of global ads and local ads. 42. The method defined in claim 24, wherein displaying the local advertisements with the interactive television programming guide further comprises: displaying global headline advertisements with the interactive television programming guide; and cyclically repeating the deployment of the global headline ads and the P1207 local advertising. 43. The method defined in claim 24, further comprising displaying global advertisements with the interactive television programming guide. 44. The method defined in claim 24, further comprising displaying a region of programming listings with the interactive television programming guide. 45. The method defined in claim 24, further comprising: displaying global advertisements with the interactive television programming guide; and display a region of programming listings with the interactive television programming guide. 46. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the distribution of the local advertisements further comprises: transmitting global advertisements and information about the programming guide to an installation (52) for television distribution; provide local advertisements in the facility (52) for television distribution; transmit the information about the programming guide, the global advertisements and the P1207 local advertisements from installation (52) of television distribution to equipment 854) of user television; deploy global advertising with r-interactive television programming guide; and display a region of program listings that contains the information about the programming guide, with the guide of interactive television programming. 47. A system in which advertisements are delivered to the user television equipment (54), where an interactive television programming guide is implemented, and which comprises hardware configured to distribute the advertisements to the computer (54) of user television, the system is characterized in that the hardware is configured to: display only some of the advertisements on the user television equipment (54), using the interactive television programming guide, based on the content of the advertisements . 48. The system defined in claim 47, further comprising hardware configured to deliver the advertisements with content labels indicating the content of the advertisements. 49. The system defined in claim 47, P1207 6 § which further comprises hardware configured to: provide advertisements with content labels indicating the content of advertisements; and display only those ads with the desired content tags. 50. The system defined in claim 47, further comprising hardware configured to select blocking criteria that are used to determine which of the advertisements are displayed. 51. The system defined in claim 47, further comprising hardware configured to distribute advertisements with content labels. 52. The system defined in claim 47, further comprising hardware configured to block advertisements with labels of unwanted content. 53. The system defined in claim 47, further comprising hardware configured to display information in place of those advertisements that are not displayed based on their content. 54. The system defined in claim 47, further comprising hardware configured to display a backup advertisement in place of those advertisements that are not displayed based on P1207 its content. 55. The method for using a system where advertisements are distributed to the user television equipment (54) where an interactive television programming guide is implemented, which comprises distributing advertisements to the television equipment (54) of television. user, and characterized by: displaying only some of the advertisements on the user's television equipment (54), which use the interactive television programming guide based on the content of the advertisements. 56. The method defined in claim 55, further comprising supplying the advertisements with content labels indicating the content of the advertisements. 57. The method defined in claim 55, further comprising: supplying the advertisements with content labels indicating the content of the advertisements; and display only those ads with desired content tags. 58. The method defined in claim 55, further comprising selecting blocking criteria that Pl 07 are used to determine which of the advertisements are displayed. 59. The method defined in claim 55, further comprising distributing advertisements with content labels. 60. The method defined in claim 55, further comprising displaying information in place of those advertisements that are not displayed, based on its content. 62. The method defined in claim 55, further comprising displaying a backup advertisement in place of those advertisements that are not displayed based on their content. 63. A system wherein an installation (52) for television distribution is used to distribute advertisements to the user television equipment (544), where an interactive television programming guide is implemented and which comprises hardware configured to distribute the television sets. advertisements towards the installation (52) of television distribution, the system is characterized by hardware configured to: change the schedule of at least some of the advertisements within the installation (52) of television distribution; and use the television programming guide Pl207 interactive to display the advertisements with time change. 64. A method for using a system in which a television distribution facility (52) is used to distribute advertisements to the user television equipment (54) where an interactive television programming guide is implemented, comprising distributing advertisements to the television distribution facility (52), and characterized by: changing schedules at least some of the advertisements within the television distribution facility (52); and use the interactive television programming guide to display the ads that were changed from time to time. 65. A system in which a television distribution installation (52) is used to distribute advertisements to the user television equipment (54), where an interactive television programming guide is implemented, the system is characterized by configured hardware to: provide advertisements with information on the use of an advertisement; and enforce an ad use policy Pl 07 advertising in the installation (52) of television distribution, based on the information on the use of advertisements. 66. The system defined in claim 65, wherein the hardware configured to supply the advertisements with information on the use of advertisements comprises hardware configured to supply the advertisements with usage policy signage, in a main facility (46) . 67. The system defined in claim 65, wherein the hardware configured to enforce the policy for the use of advertisements comprises hardware configured to distribute and display the advertisements, in accordance with signage of this policy. 68. The system defined in claim 65, wherein the hardware configured to supply the advertisements with information on the use of advertisements comprises hardware configured to distribute a message of the policy for the use of advertisements towards the installation (52 ) of television distribution. 69. The system defined in claim 65, wherein the hardware configured to enforce policies for the use of advertisements comprises Pl 07 hardware configured for X ^ distribute and display the advertisements in accordance with a policy message for the use of advertisements. 70. A method for using a system wherein an installation (52) for "television distribution is used to distribute advertisements to the user television equipment (54) where an interactive television programming guide is implemented, the method is characterized by: providing the advertisements with information on the use of advertisements, and enforcing a policy for the use of advertisements in the installation (52) for television distribution, based on information for the use of advertisements. 71. The method defined in claim 70, wherein providing advertising information for the use of advertisements comprises supplying advertisements for policies for use in a main facility (46). 72. The method defined in Claim 70, wherein enforce policies for the use of advertisements includes distributing and displaying the advertisements, in accordance with signage of this policy. P1207 73. The method defined in claim 70, wherein providing advertisements information on the use of advertisements comprises distributing a policy message for the use of advertisements, to the installation (52) for television distribution . 74. The method defined in claim 70, wherein enforcing policies for the use of advertisements comprises distributing and displaying the advertisements, in accordance with a message about the policy of use of advertisements. P1207