SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING AND DISTRIBUTING MEDIA CONTENT

• US 20090177542A1
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FreeWheel Media Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visible World Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Weite, David, Niemeijer, Gerrit, Haberman, Seth
• Granted Patent: US 7,870,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, a media content management application that allows a user to customize, assemble, distribute, and track one or more versions of media content based on semantic criteria is provided.

Claims

1. A method for delivering commercials to content providers, the method comprising:

assembling a version of a commercial, wherein the assembling comprises inserting media segments into an advertisement campaign;

presenting a list of local content providers to a user, wherein each local content provider is selectable by the user;

in response to receiving a user-selected local content provider, presenting delivery options that correspond to the version of the commercial to the user, wherein the delivery options include at least one of a delivery format, a delivery address, playback options, and a chargeback number; and

transmitting the version of the commercial to user-selected local content provider in accordance with the delivery options selected by the user.

2. A method of delivering commercials to content providers, the method comprising:

allowing an advertiser to assemble a first version of a commercial and a second version of the commercial, wherein the assembling of the first version and the second version further comprises inserting media segments into an advertisement campaign;

storing the first version of the commercial and the second version of the commercial in a storage device;

transmitting a notification to a plurality of content providers, wherein the notification requests that each of the content providers select at least one of the first version and the second version of the commercial for transmission to an audience associated with that content provider; and

in response to receiving a selection from one of the plurality of content providers, transmitting the selected version to that content provider.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of advertisement campaigns includes at least one non-customizable advertisement campaign and at least one customizable advertisement campaign.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

presenting the user with a preview of the first and second versions of the commercial prior to transmitting the selected version to that content provider, wherein the preview is presented in a first format, and wherein the selected version of the commercial is transmitted in a second format.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first format is a media format capable of being transmitted over the Internet, and wherein the second format is one of:

a videotape, a DVD, a CD, a high definition format, a standard definition format, an MPEG-2 format, an MPEG-4 format, a media format, and a media resolution.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

presenting the user with a preview of the first and second versions of the commercial prior to transmitting the selected version of the commercial to that content provider, wherein the preview is transmitted to the user over the Internet, and wherein the selected versions of the commercial is physically delivered to that content provider in a format selected from the group consisting of;

a videotape, a DVD, a CD, a high definition format, a standard definition format, an MPEG-2 format, an MPEG-4 format, a media format, and a media resolution.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of content providers is associated with the advertiser.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving delivery information for the first and second versions of the commercial;

receiving playback rules for the first and second versions of the commercial; and

transmitting the completed commercial and the playback rules in accordance with the delivery information.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the playback rules comprise at least one of:

a transmission time, a transmission date, a delivery location, and an offers relating to the completed commercial.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether the content provider transmitted the completed commercial in accordance with the playback rules; and

preventing the at least one local content provider from transmitting the completed commercial to an audience in response to determining that the at least one local content provider has not complied with the playback rules.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising tracking the number of transmissions of the first and second versions of the commercial.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising presenting the user with a list of content providers to transmit the notification.

13. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing the user with targeting options for the completed commercial, wherein the targeting options include at least one of a delivery format, a delivery address, playback options, and a chargeback number.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the delivery format is one of a videotape, a DVD, a CD, a high definition format, a standard definition format, an MPEG-2 format, an MPEG-4 format, a media format, and a media resolution.

15. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving an order from a content provider for at least one of the first and second versions of the commercial; and

tracking the number of times the first and second versions of the commercial have been ordered.

16. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving an order from a content provider for at least one of the first and second versions of the commercial; and

determining the number of times the first and second versions of the commercial have been ordered; and

providing the user with a purchasing recommendation based on the determination, wherein the purchasing recommendation includes at least one of;

a recommended advertisement campaign, a recommended non-customizable advertisement campaign, a recommended customizable advertisement campaign, a recommended completed commercial, and recommended media segments.

17. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining the number of times the first and second versions of the commercial are transmitted to the plurality of content providers; and

providing the user with a purchasing recommendation based on the determination, wherein the purchasing recommendation includes at least one of;

a recommended advertisement campaign, a recommended non-customizable advertisement campaign, a recommended customizable advertisement campaign, a recommended completed commercial, and recommended media segments.

18. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining the number of times the advertisement campaign is selected by the user; and

providing the user with a purchasing recommendation based on the determination, wherein the purchasing recommendation includes at least one of;

a recommended advertisement campaign, a recommended non-customizable advertisement campaign, a recommended customizable advertisement campaign, a recommended completed commercial, and recommended media segments.

19. A system for delivering commercials to content providers, the system comprising:

a processor at least partially executing a media content management application that is configured to;

assemble a version of a commercial, wherein the assembling comprises inserting media segments into an advertisement campaign;

present a list of local content providers to a user, wherein each local content provider is selectable by the user;

in response to receiving a user-selected local content provider, present delivery options that correspond to the version of the commercial to the user, wherein the delivery options include at least one of a delivery format, a delivery address, playback options, and a chargeback number; and

transmit the version of the commercial to the user-selected local content provider in accordance with the delivery options selected by the user.

20. A system for delivering commercials to content providers, the system comprising:

a processor at least partially executing a media content management application that is configured to;

allow an advertiser to assemble a first version of a commercial and a second version of the commercial, wherein the assembling of the first version and the second version further comprises inserting media segments into an advertisement campaign;

store the first version of the commercial and the second version of the commercial in a storage device;

transmit a notification to a plurality of content providers, wherein the notification requests that each of the content providers select at least one of the first version and the second version of the commercial for transmission to an audience associated with that content provider; and

in response to receiving a selection from one of the plurality of content providers, transmit the selected version to that content provider.