Metadata mapping to support targeted advertising

• US 20040003396A1
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Babu, Suresh P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,996,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information

Abstract

A television server generates a metadata map that represents relationships among media content description data based on viewing patterns of multiple viewers. The television server sends the metadata map to a client device. The client device targets advertisements to a viewer based on the metadata map and a recent viewing history of the viewer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving media content descriptions;

receiving viewing patterns associated with multiple viewers;

defining relationships among the media content descriptions based on the viewing patterns; and

selecting an advertisement to be rendered to a viewer based on the relationships that are defined and a viewing history associated with the viewer.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the receiving media content descriptions comprises receiving data that identifies television programs scheduled for broadcast.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the receiving media content descriptions comprises receiving data that identifies categories associated with television programs.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the receiving media content descriptions comprises receiving data that identifies advertisements.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the receiving viewing patterns comprises receiving data that describes at least one of advertisements rendered to viewers, advertisements selected by viewers, websites accessed by viewers, programs viewed by viewers, and video-on-demand purchased by viewers.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the defining relationships comprises relating a first media content to a second media content.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the first media content and the second media content have both been viewed by at least one of the multiple viewers.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the defining relationships comprises relating a category associated with a first media content to a category associated with a second media content.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the first media content and the second media content have both been viewed by at least one of the multiple viewers.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the defining relationships comprises relating a category associated with a first media content to a second media content.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the selecting an advertisement comprises identifying an advertisement that is associated with a category, the category also being associated with media content identified in the viewing history associated with the viewer.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the viewer is not one of the multiple viewers.

13. A method comprising:

generating a map that represents viewing patterns of multiple viewers; and

serving the map to a client device such that the client device can use the map to facilitate targeted advertising to a viewer.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the generating comprises relating a first media content to a second media content based on the multiple users viewing both the first and second media content.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the multiple users have viewed the first and second media content from within the same geographical area.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the geographical area is a direct marketing area.

17. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the serving comprises broadcasting the map to a television set-top box through a media distribution system.

18. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the viewer is not one of the multiple viewers.

19. A method comprising:

receiving a request for an advertisement;

determining an advertisement based on a map that represents viewing patterns of multiple viewers and on a record of recently viewed media content.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 further comprising displaying the advertisement that is determined.

21. A system comprising:

a headend server configured to identify relationships among media content descriptions based on viewing patterns of multiple viewers and to broadcast the relationships; and

a client device configured to receive the relationships and target advertisements to a viewer based on the relationships and recently viewed media content.

22. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the client device is implemented as a television set-top box.

23. A system comprising:

a data repository configured to store data that is associated with media content;

a metadata mapping engine that defines relationships among the data that is associated with media content such that the relationships indicate how likely a user is to view a second media content given the fact that the viewer has viewed a first media content; and

a metadata map store that stores the relationships that are generated.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, further comprising a media distribution system that facilitates the distribution of the relationships to one or more client devices.

25. A system comprising:

a metadata map store configured to store data that defines relationships among media content descriptions, the relationships being based on user viewing patterns; and

an ad manager configured to;

receive a request for an advertisement;

identify advertisements that are available for broadcast; and

determine an appropriate advertisement based on the relationships stored in the metadata map store and based on data that identifies recently viewed media content.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, further comprising an application program configured to request and render an advertisement.

27. A computer system comprising:

a client interface configured to receive data describing user viewing patterns;

a data processor configured to, based on the data describing user viewing patterns;

define relationships among multiple media content;

define relationships among media content categories;

define relationships between advertisements and media content; and

define relationships between advertisements and media content categories; and

a media distribution system configured to provide the relationships to one or more client devices to enable targeted advertising.

28. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to:

receive media content descriptions;

receive viewing histories associated with multiple viewers; and

define relationships among the media content descriptions based on the viewing histories.

29. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28, further comprising executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to provide a representation of the relationships to a client device.

30. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to:

store a map that represents viewing patterns of multiple viewers;

receive a request for an advertisement;

select an advertisement from a plurality of advertisements such that based on the map, the advertisement is related to recently viewed media content.

31. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 30, further comprising executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to render the advertisement that is selected.