System and Method for Pairing Media Content with Branded Content

• US 20140351045A1
• Filed: 05/24/2013
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LNO (Official.fm) SA
• Original Assignee: LNO (Official.fm) SA
• Inventors: Abihssira, Jeremie, Scaringella, Nicolas Daniel, Burtin, Loic Jean-Marie
• Application Number:
  US13/901,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20140351045A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.53
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

Systems and methods for pairing media content with branded content are described herein. The disclosed systems and methods describe a brandable media format that permits consumers to consume media content and branded content in manners that target the desires of consumers, media content owners, and brand owners. The branded content can be dynamically paired with the media content based on a number of factors. The brandable content can also be presented to the consumer in an non-intrusive way while the consumer consumes the media content with which the branded content is paired.

Claims

1. A method for pairing media content with branded content, the method comprising:

storing a media content item in a memory, the media content item configured to be played for a user via a digital media player, the media content item comprising (1) playable media content configured for playback to a user, and (2) metadata about the playable media content;

determining a branded content item for pairing with the playable media content based on the metadata;

playing the playable media content via the digital media player; and

playing the determined branded content via the digital media player without interrupting the playing of the playable media content; and

wherein the method steps are performed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the metadata includes an image associated with the media content item, wherein the digital media player includes a visual display capability, and wherein the branded content playing step comprises:

while the playable media content is playing through the digital media player, displaying the determined branded content item via the visual display capability of the digital media player such that the visual display capability alternates between a display of the image and a display of the branded content item.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the third party branded content item comprises an advertisement.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the advertisement comprises an advertisement image configured as a puzzle, the puzzle comprising a plurality of advertisement image portions that are initially presented in a puzzled format through the visual display capability of the digital media player, and wherein the digital media player is configured to receive user input for moving the advertisement image portions into an unpuzzled format.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a selection from the user to play the playable media content; and

performing the determining step after the selection receiving step.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

repeating the determining step and the displaying step a plurality of times while the playable media content is playing through the digital media player, wherein the repeating step causes a plurality of different branded content items to be displayed through the visual display capability while the playable media content is playing through the digital media player.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the displaying step comprises, while the playable media content is playing through the digital media player, displaying the determined branded content item via the visual display capability of the digital media player such that the visual display capability alternates between a display of the image and a display of the branded content item on a timed basis.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

analyzing the playable media content to determine a characteristic of the playable media content; and

wherein the displaying step comprises, while the playable media content is playing through the digital media player, displaying the determined branded content item via the visual display capability of the digital media player such that the visual display capability alternates between a display of the image and a display of the branded content item based on the determined characteristic.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the playable media content comprises a musical work, wherein the metadata further comprises lyrics for the musical work, the method further comprising:

storing a plurality of branded content items in a memory; and

maintaining a plurality of associations between the branded content items and a plurality of keywords;

processing the lyrics to determine whether any of the lyrics are deemed matches to any of the keywords; and

wherein the determining step comprises selecting a branded content item from the plurality of branded content items based on an association between at least one branded content item and at least one keyword deemed a match to the processed lyrics.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing a plurality of branded content items in a memory;

maintaining a plurality of associations between the branded content items and data indicative of a plurality of geographical areas;

determining a geographic location for the digital media player; and

wherein the third party branded content item determining step comprises selecting a branded content item from the plurality of branded content items based on which of the branded content items are associated with data indicative of a geographic area within which the determined geographic location is located.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing a plurality of branded content items in a memory;

maintaining a plurality of associations between the branded content items and data indicative of a plurality of times of day;

determining a current local time for the digital media player; and

wherein the third party branded content item determining step comprises selecting a branded content item from the plurality of branded content items based on which of the branded content items are associated with data indicative of a time of day to which the determined current local time belongs.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the branded content item comprises a game, and wherein the digital media player is configured to play the game in response to user input while the playable media content is playing through the digital media player.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the branded content item comprises audio branded content, and wherein the media content item comprises a video work.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor comprises a plurality of processors, and wherein at least one of the processors is resident in a digital advertising panel, the at least one processor being configured to execute the digital media player.

15. A media content product comprising:

a computer-readable data structure that is resident on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the data structure comprising (1) media content configured for playback through a digital media player, (2) metadata about the media content, the metadata including an image, and (3) executable program code configured, upon execution, to (i) call a remote server over a network, (ii) receive a branded content item from the remote server in response to the call, and (iii) cause the digital media player to visually display, during a playback of the media content, the image and the branded content item in an alternating sequence.

16. A system for pairing media content with branded content, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a server for access over a network by a plurality of remote computers, the server configured to provide a plurality of interfaces for the remote computers to the memory, the interfaces including;

a media content source interface, the media content source interface configured to receive (i) a plurality of media content items, (ii) metadata about the media content items, and (iii) a plurality of branding criteria for association with the media content items from a plurality of media content sources via a plurality of the remote computers;

a branded content source interface, the branded content source interface configured to receive (i) a plurality of branded content items and (ii) a plurality of brand targeting criteria from a plurality of branded content sources via a plurality of the remote computers;

wherein the server is further configured to store the received media content items in the memory in association with (i) data indicative of their respective media content sources, (ii) their respective received metadata, and (iii) their respective branding criteria;

wherein the server is further configured to store the received branded content items in the memory in association with (i) data indicative of their respective branded content sources, (ii) their respective brand targeting criteria; and

wherein the server is further configured to associate a plurality of the media content items in the memory with a plurality of the branded content items in the memory based on a correspondence between the branding criteria associated with the media content items and the brand targeting criteria associated with the branded content items.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the interfaces further include a media content consumer interface, the media content consumer interface configured to receive a plurality of requests for a plurality of media content items in the memory from a plurality of media content consumers via a plurality of the remote computers;

and

wherein the server is further configured to respond to the requests by communicating (i) the media content items corresponding to the requests and (ii) a branded content items associated with media content items corresponding to the requests to the respective remote computers that sent the requests for playback of the communicated media content items while the communicated branded content items are also displayed.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the media content consumer interface is further configured to permit the media content consumers to search the memory for specific media content items.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the media content consumer interface is further configured to permit the media content consumers to search the memory for specific branded content items.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the media content source interface is further configured to receive branding revenue sharing criteria from the media content sources for defining how revenue generated from branding of media content items is to be shared with each media content source.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein the media content items comprise a plurality of musical works, and wherein the branded content items comprise a plurality of advertisements.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the branding criteria comprises a plurality of branding prohibitions.

23. The system of claim 16 wherein the media content source interface is further configured to receive control instructions for selectively enabling and disabling branding of selected media content items from the media content sources, and wherein the server is further configured to enforce the control instructions when associating media content items with branded content items.

24. The system of claim 16 wherein the brand targeting criteria further comprises:

a plurality of desired audience demographic parameters with respect to at least one branded content item;

a plurality of parameters for defining an advertising campaign size with respect to at least one branded content item; and

a temporal period for at least one branded content item.

25. The system of claim 16 wherein the server is further configured to administer an auction of a branding right for a media content item wherein a plurality of bids for branding rights with respect the media content item are processed from a plurality of branded content sources.

26. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of bids associated with a plurality of branded content items for a branding right with respect to a media content item;

processing bids to identify a winning bid; and

creating a pairing association between the branded content item associated with the winning bid and the media content item such that the branded content item associated with the winning bid will be presented to a plurality of consumers when the media content item is consumed by the consumers; and

wherein the method steps are performed by a processor.