Verizon patents targeted advertising method that determines if viewers are laughing, cuddling, sleeping or singing

If the detection system determines that a couple is arguing, a service provider would be able to send an ad for marriage counseling to a TV or mobile device in the room. If the couple utters words that indicate they are cuddling, they would receive ads for "a romantic getaway vacation, a commercial for a contraceptive, a commercial for flowers," or commercials for romantic movies, Verizon states in the patent application.
For years, technology executives have discussed the possibility of using devices such as Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Xbox 360 Kinect cameras to target advertising and programming to viewers, taking advantage of the ability to determine whether an adult or child is viewing a program. But Verizon is looking at taking targeted advertising to a new level with its patent application, which is titled "Methods and Systems for Presenting an Advertisement Associated with an Ambient Action of a User."

 http://www.fiercecable.com/story/verizon-patents-targeted-advertising-method-determines-if-viewers-are-laugh/2012-11-30



The Verizon patent shows the detection zone near a TV. Cameras, microphones and other sensors would be linked to a detection system, and ads would be targeted to viewers based on data collected by the sensors.