Systems and methods are disclosed for providing non-intrusive advertising content to users. The method includes receiving user input reflecting user content preferences for receiving desired content related to specific topics in lieu of standard advertising slots while watching playable media content via a set-top box. The method may further include receiving a request for playable media content and then retrieving desired content based on user content preferences. Thereafter, the method may include choosing non-intrusive advertising content and generating datagrams that include the desired content and the non-intrusive advertising content. The datagrams may be concatenated with the playable media content to generate displayable content. The display content may then be provided for displaying.

Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided herein. A method for providing a shared map interface includes causing display of a shared map interface on a first mobile device and on a second mobile device; receiving a first shape drawing input on the shared map interface displayed on the first mobile device; generating a first circumscribed region on the shared map interface of the first mobile device and the second mobile device; receiving a second shape drawing input on the shared map interface displayed on the second mobile device; generating a second circumscribed region on the shared map interface of the first mobile device and the second mobile device; and determining a search region based on combining the first circumscribed region and the second circumscribed region.

A system for providing mobile advertisement actions may include a memory to store a request, mobile carrier data, mobile advertisement data, and mobile advertisement action data. The system may include an interface operatively connected to the memory to communicate with a mobile device. The system may include a processor operatively connected to the memory and the interface. The processor may receive information and a request from the mobile device via the interface and may determine the mobile carrier data relating to a mobile carrier associated with the mobile device. The processor may identify the mobile advertisement data and the mobile advertisement action targeted to the request and the mobile carrier data. The processor may append the mobile advertisement action data to the mobile advertisement data. The processor may provide the mobile advertisement data with the appended mobile advertisement action data to the mobile device via the interface.

A personalized feed system is described herein that provides feeds that are tailored to the preferences of each user of a real estate website or application. A user signs up to receive a stored profile with the website, and the profile includes information such as what geographical regions the buyer is interested in, what types of homes the buyer is looking for, and so on. The personalized feed system uses this information to provide a feed specific to the buyer that notifies the buyer of listings that are of particular relevance to that buyer. The personalized feed system summarizes other real estate events that are relevant to the user in a single time-oriented feed. Buyers receive information about new and/or modified listings, sales, outstanding offers, status of a transaction, and the like, while sellers receive information about sales, new and/or modified listings, open offers, and so on.

Apparatus' and methods are disclosed for distributing sellers' offerings within an advertising system in which a seller generates a profile containing a list of offerings for mobile buyers and wherein mobile buyer's devices display the seller's offerings based on the buyer's preferred purchases or vendors. At least some of the buyer's preferred profile entries are associated with a geographic area. A mobile network is used to connect the mobile buyers and the sellers. The network further includes a brand sponsor that offers branded content through the network and the seller's offering processes. Branded content may be displayed based on a bidding process. Buyers mobile devices may include a bypass function to allow the display of the branded content on the buyer's mobile device even of that branded content does not meet the criteria of the buyer' preferred offerings.

Method and system consist of a mobile application installed on a mobile device with internet connection and a geographical positioning device; a remote hosting server configured with software and database; an onsite wireless communication hosting apparatus. The mobile application communicates with the remote hosting server and the onsite wireless communication apparatus. The remote hosting server and onsite wireless communication apparatus communicate and transfer data to one another, the remote hosting server communicates with third party databases via secured access and retrieves location related information requested by onsite users of the mobile device. Web users at anywhere may select a location displayed on a digital map over interface of a web application configured to the remote hosting server; access the same information and multimedia programs as onsite users; including data entered by location owners, received from third-party databases via secured connection, and uploaded from onsite wireless communication apparatus.

This invention is an Internet based marketing methodology connecting businesses, communities, and good/service seekers. Small-to-medium-sized business information is posted on a Web page and/or physical outdoor sign board structure, with the website made available as a link on community based websites. The process then utilizes existing technology to create a mobile device downloadable application of the website from the Internet, or from a QR scanning code from the outdoor sign board. The intent is a comprehensive marketing plan utilizing and adapting existing technology and relationship development to create name recognition, and easily accessible local business information for customer/users.

A method and system for planning and running video-on-demand (VOD) advertising includes a planner for planning advertising campaigns and an ad selector for running selected advertisements from selected ones of the campaigns. The campaigns are associated with household demographic classifications, video content category categories, household geographic locations, and/or video viewing times. In response to a viewer requesting a video, the selector selects the campaigns corresponding to the demographic classification associated with the viewer, the content category of the requested video, the geographic location associated with the viewer, and/or the viewing time at which the requested video is viewed. The demographic classification is determined by using an identifier of the viewer's set-top-box. The selector may select the campaigns corresponding to the content categories of the requested video. The content categories are determined by using an identifier associated with the requested video.

A networked system comprises a main controller that allows users to act as customers, promoters or merchants of smart articles that are displayed by promoters who have purchased these articles from the merchants. The customer uses a controller device to access data from the smart article by capturing an identifying marker on the article and transmitting the foregoing data to the main controller which places the customer in communication with a merchant controller associated with the merchant from whom the promoter purchased the article. The merchant can thus provide data regarding the article to the customer via the main controller and depending on how the customer acts, the merchant can allocate a reward to the promoter via a promoter controller associated therewith.

In one implementation a method of transmitting a multimedia file over a data network is provided that involves receiving from a device in a data network a first message in a first protocol that request first data associated with the multimedia file, the first data being useable by the device to establish a streaming session that involves a transmission of the multimedia file. The first message includes identifying data of a referring site. The method also involves transmitting to the device the first data and optionally the identifying data of the referring site and then receiving from the device a second message in a second protocol for the purpose of creating a streaming session associated with the multimedia file. A streaming session is then created for transmitting the multimedia file to the device. In another implementation a method is provided that involves receiving in a computing device from a referring site an identifier of first data associated with a multimedia file and identifying data of the referring site, wherein the first data is useable for establishing a streaming session for downloading the multimedia file. The method further involves transmitting from the computing device a first message in a first protocol that requests the first data associated with the multimedia file and receiving in the computing device the first data. Upon receiving the first data the computing device transmits a second message in a second protocol for the purpose of creating the streaming session associated with the multimedia file, the second message including the first data and the identifying data of the referring site. The computing device then receives via the streaming session, all or a portion of the multimedia file. In some implementations, the first protocol and the second protocol are the same.