A recently granted
Google patent describes technologies and systems for the distribution of advertisements
through Internet television devices and television advertisement broadcasts.
Microsoft made the trend more apparent Thursday after confirming that it acquired the home-entertainment
technology startup id8 Group R2 Studios, whose founder Blake Krikorian has been working on a home-media and automation technology.
As the Xbox division works to strengthen its entertainment
services, messages will appear as traditional paid-search ads, but also content. Granted, first tech companies need to improve the connection between the Internet and broadcast TV. Most of the problem
has involved integrating live TV. Internet services like Google TV and Xbox 360 don't carry live TV and most people, including myself, don't want a set-top box.
Imagine each show or broadcast
network having its own app with the ability to watch live content as it airs on network television.
Once Internet services connect with live broadcast TV, the rules will change for search
engine marketing and digital advertising. It's one reason why image-based ads, such as Google product listing ads or Amazon image ads, will produce a better click-through and conversion rate, compared
with traditional paid-search text-based ads.
id8 Group R2 Studios lays claim to a patent titled "Method, system, and computer program product for managing controlled residential or
non-residential environments."
The patent, granted in June 2012, describes how "a control server, or similar central processor, manages the distribution of data (including audio and
video), voice, and control signals among a plurality of devices connected via a wired and/or wireless communications network."
It names audio and visual devices, such as, televisions,
monitors, PDAs, notepads, notebooks, MP3, and portable stereo, as well as household appliances like lighting, ovens, and alarm clocks. The control server supports video and audio serving, telephony,
messaging, file sharing, internetworking, and security."
Although unconfirmed, from a description in the patent it seems R2 Studios could have been working with Microsoft prior to the
acquisition.
Microsoft also hired Krikorian, who earlier had founded the company behind the Slingbox, which EchoStar acquired.
"Watching TV photo from Shutterstock"