TARGETED ADVERTISEMENT DISTRIBUTION IN AN SDV ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120144420A1
• Filed: 12/07/2010
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Del Sordo, Christopher S., Elcock, Albert F., Leary, Patrick J., Wang, Yeqing
• Application Number:
  US12/962,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20120144420A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/35
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A system and method for distributing targeted advertisements in a switched digital video system. The method monitors a content stream associated with a channel selected by a subscriber, where the content stream includes an advertisement segment having a start time and an end time, and an advertisement replacement opportunity inserted in the content stream. The method detects the advertisement replacement opportunity at a detection time that is prior to the start time of the advertisement segment, and sends a request to select an advertisement replacement for the advertisement segment, thereby broadcasting a service associated with the advertisement replacement prior to the start time for the advertisement segment. The method receives tune data to identify an advertisement replacement stream associated with the advertisement replacement, and tunes to the advertisement replacement at the start time for the advertisement segment.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring a content stream associated with a channel in a switched digital video system, the content stream including an advertisement segment having a start time and an end time, and an advertisement replacement opportunity inserted in the content stream;

detecting the advertisement replacement opportunity in the content stream at a detection time that is prior to the start time of the advertisement segment;

sending a request to select an advertisement replacement for the advertisement segment, thereby causing a broadcast of a service associated with the advertisement replacement prior to the start time of the advertisement segment;

receiving tune data to identify an advertisement replacement stream associated with the advertisement replacement; and

tuning to the advertisement replacement stream at the start time for the advertisement segment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content stream is a sequential content stream.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring of the content stream further comprises:

receiving the content stream as a time sequence of packets; and

examining each packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the advertisement replacement opportunity further comprises:

detecting at least one trigger in the content stream, said at least one trigger identifying the start time for the advertisement segment, the end time for the advertisement segment, and service information for the advertisement segment,

wherein said at least one trigger is an indicator of a transition of the content stream to a service for the advertisement segment, and an opportunity to replace the advertisement segment with the advertisement replacement, and

wherein said at least one trigger provides a seamless transition when tuning to the advertisement segment, or the advertisement replacement.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the advertisement replacement opportunity further comprises:

detecting at least one splice point in the content stream, said at least one splice point identifying the start time for the advertisement segment, the end time for the advertisement segment, and advertisement replacement splice service information,

wherein said at least one splice point is an indicator of a transition of the content stream to a service for the advertisement segment, and an opportunity to replace the advertisement segment with the advertisement replacement, and

wherein said at least one splice point provides a seamless transition when tuning to the advertisement segment, or the advertisement replacement.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to select the advertisement replacement for the advertisement segment includes at least one of demographic information for a subscriber to the content stream, a time duration for the advertisement segment, identification information for the subscriber, and purchasing preferences for the subscriber.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement replacement is targeted to address a characteristic or a preference associated with a subscriber to the content stream.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the tune data includes at least one of a Moving Picture Experts Group service number, Internet Protocol multicast, a frequency, and a service identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a time difference between the detection time and the start time of the advertisement segment is greater than a service set up time for the advertisement replacement stream.

10. A system, comprising:

a memory device resident in a computing device; and

a processor disposed in communication with the memory device, the processor configured to;

monitor a content stream associated with a channel in a switched digital video system, the content stream including an advertisement segment having a start time and an end time, and an advertisement replacement opportunity inserted in the content stream;

detect the advertisement replacement opportunity in the content stream at a detection time that is prior to the start time of the advertisement segment;

send a request to select an advertisement replacement for the advertisement segment, thereby causing a broadcast of a service associated with the advertisement replacement prior to the start time of the advertisement segment;

receive tune data to identify an advertisement replacement stream associated with the advertisement replacement; and

tuning to the advertisement replacement stream at the start time for the advertisement segment.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a time difference between the detection time and the start time of the advertisement segment is greater than a service set up time for the advertisement replacement stream.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computing device, perform steps of:

monitoring a content stream associated with a channel in a switched digital video system, the content stream including an advertisement segment having a start time and an end time, and an advertisement replacement opportunity inserted in the content stream;

detecting the advertisement replacement opportunity in the content stream at a detection time that is prior to the start time of the advertisement segment;

sending a request to select an advertisement replacement for the advertisement segment, thereby causing a broadcast of a service associated with the advertisement replacement prior to the start time of the advertisement segment;

receiving tune data to identify an advertisement replacement stream associated with the advertisement replacement; and

tuning to the advertisement replacement stream at the start time for the advertisement segment.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving a request to select an advertisement replacement for an advertisement segment of a content stream associated with a channel in a switched digital video system, the advertisement segment having a start time and an end time, wherein a receipt time of the request is prior to the start time for the advertisement segment;

selecting the advertisement replacement for the advertisement segment;

broadcasting a service associated with the advertisement replacement prior to the start time of the advertisement segment;

sending tune data to identify an advertisement replacement stream associated with the advertisement replacement; and

sending the advertisement replacement stream at the start time for the advertisement segment.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the content stream is a sequential content stream.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the request to select the advertisement replacement for the advertisement segment includes at least one of demographic information for a subscriber to the content stream, a time duration for the advertisement segment, identification information for the subscriber, and purchasing preferences for the subscriber.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the advertisement replacement is targeted to address a characteristic or a preference associated with a subscriber to the content stream.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein a time difference between the receipt time of the request and the start time of the advertisement segment is greater than a service set up time for the advertisement replacement stream.

18. A system, comprising:

a memory device resident in a computing device; and

a processor disposed in communication with the memory device, the processor configured to;

receive a request to select an advertisement replacement for an advertisement segment of a content stream associated with a channel in a switched digital video system, the advertisement segment having a start time and an end time, wherein a receipt time of the request is prior to the start time for the advertisement segment;

select the advertisement replacement for the advertisement segment;

broadcast a service associated with the advertisement replacement prior to the start time of the advertisement segment;

send tune data to identify an advertisement replacement stream associated with the advertisement replacement; and

send the advertisement replacement stream at the start time for the advertisement segment.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein a time difference between the receipt time of the request and the start time of the advertisement segment is greater than a service set up time for the advertisement replacement stream.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computing device, perform steps of:

receiving a request to select an advertisement replacement for an advertisement segment of a content stream associated with a channel in a switched digital video system, the advertisement segment having a start time and an end time, wherein a receipt time of the request is prior to the start time for the advertisement segment;

selecting the advertisement replacement for the advertisement segment;

broadcasting a service associated with the advertisement replacement prior to the start time of the advertisement segment;

sending tune data to identify an advertisement replacement stream associated with the advertisement replacement; and

sending the advertisement replacement stream at the start time for the advertisement segment.