Sony patents shout-brand-name-to-skip TV ads technology

Posted on Wednesday, August 29 2012 @ 21:05 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
Can you imagine skipping TV ads by jumping out your couch and shooting "McDonalds!" or whatever other brand that's being advertised? This kind of interaction with commercials seems pretty weird to me, but Sony seems to think it can work because the company filed a patent that details such and other interactions with TV ads. Full details at Neowin.
In the image below, taken from the US Patent & Trademark Office filings, the viewer's enjoyment of his favourite show is savagely interrupted by the appearance of a giant burger on screen.

Desperate to return to - err, whatever program that is, the viewer leaps to his feet, waves his hands in the air like he just doesn't care, and shouts "McDonalds!" at the TV. The TV, recognising that the viewer has humiliated himself to an appropriate degree, responds by permitting the viewer to watch a few more precious moments of content before, presumably, repeating the process.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Sony's patent application gives it room to require other interactions, beyond merely calling out a brand name. By tapping into the capabilities of PlayStation peripherals such as the EyeToy or Move, viewers could be required to "shoot" a target on screen, for example, or "drive" the car that's being advertised in the ad. In this example, the TV demands that you "throw pickle in burger to speed up commercial".


About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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