Template creation and editing for a message campaign

• US 7,904,922 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2000
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FreeWheel Media Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visible World Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Schuler, Chet, Haberman, Seth
• Primary Examiner(s): Borissov; Igor N
• Application Number:
  US09/545,524
• Time in Patent Office: 3,987 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36, 715201-204, 715/781, 715/723, 715/762, 715/866, 345/629, 345/619, 345/620, 345/634, 345636-638, 705/1, 705/14, 705/26, 705/27, 705/500, 348/552
• US Class Current: 725/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A system and method for dynamically creating individualized, multi-media messages and to deliver the messages to specific target groups or individual viewers. A message, story, or advertisement is assembled on demand, based upon rules applied to each viewer'"'"'s profile and a library of media segments. The framework for the final personalized message is a story or message template designed for a campaign. A set of viewer profiles is assembled from designated databases for each of the targeted entities. A collection of media segments is also created or selected and then made available to produce the final personalized message at assembly time. Specific media segments are selected and merged according to the message template and information about the viewer derived from each viewer'"'"'s profile. The information from the viewer profile is interpreted by a rule system to determine which of several potential media segments to select for use in the personalized message. The merged composite is then encoded to match the distribution media and forwarded to the viewer.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for distributing a customized video commercial, wherein all steps are performed by the computer, said method comprising:

(i) receiving from an advertiser a request to create a customized video commercial, said request comprising (a) identification of a target audience to whom said customized video commercial is to be distributed and (b) a sample video commercial comprising a plurality of sample video segments and a plurality of sample audio segments, wherein said sample video commercial has an advertising message;

(ii) generating a video commercial template in response to receiving said request, said video commercial template comprising (a) a plurality of fillable video segment slots, each fillable video segment slot arranged at a specific time point within said video commercial template and (b) a plurality of fillable audio segment slots, each fillable audio segment slot arranged at a specific time point within said video commercial template;

(iii) storing in a resource library (a) a plurality of video segments, each video segment forming a portion of a customized video commercial to be created and (b) a plurality of audio segments, each audio segment forming a portion of a complete video commercial;

(iv) defining one or more rules for filling said plurality of fillable video segment slots with said video segments and for filling said plurality of fillable audio segment slots with said audio segments based on defined characteristics which are to be acquired regarding said target audience;

(v) acquiring characteristics regarding said target audience from one or more sources;

(vi) filling said fillable video segment slots with said video segments and said fillable audio segment slots with said audio segments based on said defined rules and said acquired characteristics to create said customized video commercial; and

(vii) distributing, in real-time with filling said video and audio slots, said customized video commercial to said target audience, wherein said customized video commercial has at least one of a video segment and an audio segment that is different from said sample video segment and sample audio segment respectively, and wherein said customized video commercial has at least one video segment or audio segment that is the same as at least one of said sample video segment or sample audio segment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said resource library comprises video segments and audio segments created specifically for said customized video commercial.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said video commercial template further comprises an animation slot arranged at a specific time point within said video commercial template.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said video commercial template further comprises an image slot arranged at a specific time point within said video commercial template.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said characteristics regarding said target audience is acquired from a profile database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said characteristics regarding said target audience include demographics, address, monetary income, known preferences, buying patterns, or combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said customized video commercial is distributed to said target audience using a television distribution medium.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored therein which, when executed by the computer, causing the computer to implement a method for distributing a customized video commercial, comprising:

(i) receiving from an advertiser a request to create a customized video commercial, said request comprising (a) a target audience to whom said customized video commercial is to be distributed and (b) a sample video commercial comprising a plurality of sample video segments and a plurality of sample audio segments, wherein said sample video commercial has an advertising message;

(ii) generating a video commercial template in response to receiving said request, said video commercial template comprising (a) a plurality of fillable video segment slots, each fillable video segment slot arranged at a specific time point within said video commercial template and (b) a plurality of fillable audio segment slots, each fillable audio segment slot arranged at a specific time point within said video commercial template;

(iii) storing in a resource library (a) a plurality of video segments, each video segment forming a portion of a customized video commercial to be created and (b) a plurality of audio segments, each audio segment forming a portion of a complete video commercial;

(iv) defining one or more rules for filling said plurality of fillable video segment slots with said video segments and for filling said plurality of fillable audio segment slots with said audio segments based on characteristics regarding said target audience;

(v) acquiring characteristics regarding said target audience from one or more sources;

(vi) filling said fillable video segment slots with said video segments and said fillable audio segment slots with said audio segments based on said defined riles and said acquired characteristics to create said customized video commercial; and

(viii) distributing, in real-time with filling said video and audio slots, said customized video commercial to said target audience, wherein said customized video commercial has at least one video segment or audio segment that is different from said sample video segment or sample audio segment, and wherein said customized video commercial has at least one video segment or audio segment that is the same as at least one of said sample video segment or sample audio segment.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said means for acquiring comprises a profile database.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said characteristics regarding said target audience include demographics, address, monetary income, known preferences, buying patterns, or combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said means for distributing comprises a television distribution medium.

12. A system for distributing a customized video commercial, comprising:

memory for storing a resource library; and

a processor configured for;

(i) receiving from an advertiser a request to create a customized video commercial, said request comprising (a) identification of a target audience to whom said customized video commercial is to be distributed and (b) a sample video commercial comprising a plurality of sample video segments and a plurality of sample audio segments, wherein said sample video commercial has an advertising message;

(ii) generating a video commercial template in response to receiving said request, said video commercial template comprising (a) a plurality of fillable video segment slots, each fillable video segment slot arranged at a specific time point within said video commercial template and (b) a plurality of fillable audio segment slots, each fillable audio segment slot arranged at a specific time point within said video commercial template;

(iii) storing in the resource library (a) a plurality of video segments, each video segment forming a portion of a customized commercial and (b) a plurality of audio segments, each audio segment forming a portion of a complete video commercial;

(iv) defining one or more rules for filling said plurality of fillable video segment slots with said video segments and for filling said plurality of fillable audio segment slots with said audio segments based on defined characteristics which are to be acquired regarding said target audience;

(v) acquiring characteristics regarding said target audience from one or more sources;

(vi) filling said fillable video segment slots with said video segments and said fillable audio segment slots with said audio segments based on said defined rules and said acquired characteristics to create said customized video commercial; and

(vii) distributing, in real-time with filling said video and audio slots, said customized video commercial to said target audience, wherein said customized video commercial has at least one of a video segment and an audio segment that is different from said sample video segment and sample audio segment correspondingly, and wherein said customized video commercial has at least one video segment or audio segment that is the same as at least one of said sample video segment or sample audio segment.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said resource library comprises video segments and audio segments created specifically for said customized video commercial.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said video commercial template further comprises an animation slot arranged at a specific time point within said video commercial template.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said video commercial template further comprises an image slot arranged at a specific time point within said video commercial template.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said characteristics regarding said target audience is acquired from a profile database.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said characteristics regarding said target audience include demographics, address, monetary income, political affiliations, known preferences, buying patterns, or combinations thereof.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said customized video commercial is distributed to said target audience using a television distribution medium.