METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY SCHEDULING AND INSERTING TELEVISION COMMERCIAL AND REAL-TIME UPDATING OF ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE

• US 20150237411A1
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Surewaves Mediatech Private Limited
• Original Assignee: Surewaves Mediatech Private Limited
• Inventors: KHARE, RAJENDRA KUMAR
• Granted Patent: US 9,241,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A method and system for automatically scheduling television commercials within the broadcasting content have been disclosed. A program scheduling module schedules television programs (broadcasting content) with respect to specific time-slots for advertisement insertion. An advertisement scheduling module schedules television commercials to be inserted into the broadcast content. The advertisement module determines time slots in the television programs for inserting television commercials, and dynamically inserts television commercials at specific time slots within the television programs prior to broadcasting.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system for dynamically reconfiguring a plurality of scheduled advertisement slots, said system comprising:

a program scheduling module configured to schedule at least one television program by creating pre-determined, time-specific advertisement slots for at least one advertisement, in said television program, said program scheduling module further configured to generate an electronic program guide (EPG) corresponding to scheduled television program(s);

an advertisement scheduling module configured to schedule at least one advertisement to be inserted into at least one pre-determined, time-specific advertisement slot created by said program scheduling module;

an advertisement insertion module configured to dynamically insert at least one advertisement into at least one of said pre-determined, time specific slots;

a centrally controlled playout system cooperating with the advertisement scheduling module to receive a television program comprising at least one advertisement inserted thereupon, said centralized playout system configured to dynamically reconfigure at least one advertisement slot of said television program only in the event that the play-time of inserted advertisement is lesser than the time-duration corresponding to the advertisement slot.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system comprises a media grid cooperating with said program scheduling module and said advertisement scheduling module, said media grid configured to store the EPG created by the program scheduling module, said media grid further configured to store the information corresponding to the television programs and advertisements.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, herein said system further comprises a radio frequency (RF) modulator cooperating with said central playout system, said RF modulator configured to receive television programs from said central playout system, and broadcast said television programs at different pre-determined frequencies.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said centrally controlled playout system is further configured to generate a proof of play report, said proof of play report comprising information corresponding to broadcast of each of the advertisements.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said system further includes a monitor configured to analyze said proof of play report, and display said proof of play report to owners of said advertisements.

6. A computer implemented method for dynamically reconfiguring a plurality of scheduled advertisement slots, said method comprising the following computer implemented steps:

scheduling, using a program scheduling module, at least one television program by creating pre-determined, time-specific advertisement slots for at least one advertisement, in said television program;

generating, using, the program scheduling module, an electronic program guide (EPG) corresponding to scheduled television programs);

scheduling, using an advertisement module, at least one advertisement to be inserted into at least one pre-determined, time-specific advertisement slot;

dynamically inserting at least one advertisement into at least one of said pre-determined, time specific slots, using an advertisement insertion module;

receiving, at a centrally controlled playout system, a television program comprising at least one advertisement inserted thereupon;

dynamically reconfiguring at least one advertisement slot at the centralized playout system, only in the event that the play-time of inserted advertisement is lesser than the time-duration corresponding to the advertisement slot.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of generating an electronic program guide further includes the step of storing the EPG created by the program scheduling module, in a media grid.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the method further includes the step of storing in the media grid the information corresponding to the television programs and advertisements.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the method further includes the step of is receiving television programs from said central playout system using an RF modulator, and broadcasting said television programs at different pre-determined frequencies.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the method further includes the step of generating a proof of play report using said centrally controlled playout system, wherein said proof of play report, comprising information corresponding to the broadcast of the advertisements.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the method further includes the step of analyzing said proof of play report, and displaying said proof of play report to owners of said advertisements.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereupon, said computer readable instructions when executed by a processor, cause a computer enabled device to:

schedule at least one television program by creating pre-determined, time-specific advertisement slots for at least one advertisement, in said television program;

generate an electronic program guide (EPG) corresponding to scheduled television program(s);

schedule at least one advertisement to be inserted into at least one pre-determined, time-specific advertisement slot;

dynamically insert at least one advertisement into at least one of said pre-determined, time specific slots;

receive a television program comprising at least one advertisement inserted thereupon;

dynamically reconfigure at least one advertisement slot of the received television program, only in the event that the play-time of inserted advertisement is lesser than the time-duration corresponding to the advertisement slot.