System and process for implementing commercial breaks in programming
First Claim
1. A system for inserting a segment into a programming signal, comprising:
- a transmission system which provides a programming signal to at least one viewer;
an inserter, connected to the transmission system, which inserts at least one segment into the programming signal; and
a break planner which selects and specifies to the inserter the at least one segment from a plurality of segments.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and process is provided for determining, selecting and identifying commercial and/or non-commercial segments for insertion into a break in a given programming signal. In one embodiment, a break planner is provided in a media stream planner. The break planner utilizes at least one parameter provided by at least one of an ad campaign, an active segments list, a viewer profile database, and a prior inserts history to determine which segment to insert into a given break in a programming signal. Such determinations may be made real-time or on a pre-determined basis and may be communicated to an advertisement inserter which provides such “segments” to a transmission system for insertion into a transmitted or otherwise communicated programming signal. In an alternative embodiment, the selection and insertion processes may be accomplished in a personal video recorder.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A system for inserting a segment into a programming signal, comprising:
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a transmission system which provides a programming signal to at least one viewer;
an inserter, connected to the transmission system, which inserts at least one segment into the programming signal; and
a break planner which selects and specifies to the inserter the at least one segment from a plurality of segments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A media stream planner which provides to an advertisement inserter an indication of at least one segment to insert into a given break in a programming signal, comprising:
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a break planner;
for selecting at least one segment for insertion into a break;
at least one input port connected to the break planner for receiving at least one parameter related to a segment; and
at least one output port for communicating an indication of the selected segment to an advertisement inserter;
wherein the break planner utilizes the at least one parameter to select at least one segment for insertion into a given break. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A process for inserting at least one segment into a programming signal comprising:
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receiving a cue-tone provided in a programming signal;
determining based upon at least one parameter, whether a segment has been identified for a break identified by the cue-tone in the programming signal;
if a segment has been identified, communicating the segment to a transmission system for insertion into the programming signal at the break point identified by the cue-tone;
if a segment has not been identified, requesting a media stream planner to real-time select and identify at least one segment for insertion into the break identified by the cue-tone;
obtaining the identified segment; and
communicating the identified segment to the transmission system for insertion into the programming signal. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A process for determining which segment to insert into a given break in a programming signal comprising:
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building a list of segments based upon an abstract set of rules, wherein at least one of the rules specifies one criteria for abstractly ordering the available segments on a real-time basis;
sorting the list based upon at least one variable; and
selecting a segment at the top of the list as the next segment to insert into a given break in a programming signal. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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Specification