Image content and quality assurance system and method

• US 8,311,889 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2012
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo AD Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Luminate, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lagle Ruiz, Kristen, Waterson, Chris, Everingham, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOAR, COLLEEN A
• Application Number:
  US13/545,443
• Time in Patent Office: 126 Days
• Field of Search: 795/14
• US Class Current: 705/14.64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices

Abstract

Disclosed herein are computer-implement systems and methods for identifying and analyzing content (e.g., text, images, videos, etc.) published on digital content platforms (e.g., webpages, mobile applications, etc.). Such analysis is then used to determine whether the published content is appropriate for association with (or “hosting of”) a third-party'"'"'s content. In one embodiment, for example, the systems and methods presented are particularly useful for determining the appropriateness of an image published on a digital content platform, prior to providing an advertisement proximate the image. As such, merchants can avoid associating their advertised products/services with vulgar, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate images that may have a negative impact on their brand or reputation.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for a service provider to identify images eligible for hosting advertisements and third-party content on a digital content platform, the method comprising:

(a) using a computer-implemented image collection system to identify an image published on a digital content platform;

(b) using a computer-implemented image analysis system to

(1) calculate an image hash of the image,

(2) compare the image hash against a database of known ineligible images, wherein if the image hash matches an image hash of a known ineligible image, then flagging the image as ineligible for hosting advertisements and third-party content,

(3) perform a pattern scan of the image,

(4) compare the pattern scan of the image against a database of known ineligible images, wherein if the pattern scan of the image matches a pattern scan of a known ineligible image, then flagging the image as ineligible for hosting advertisements and third-party content,

(5) perform a text association analysis of the image, and

(6) compare the text association analysis of the image against a database of known ineligible images, wherein if the text association analysis of the image matches a known ineligible image, then flagging the image as ineligible for hosting advertisements and third-party content; and

(c) if the image analysis system of step (b) does not flag the image as ineligible for hosting advertisements and third-party content, then the computer-implemented image analysis system automatically submits the image to an image-content matching engine, wherein the image is linked to an advertisement or third-party content, and wherein the advertisement or third-party content is sent to the digital content platform for publication proximate to the image.

2. A computer-implemented method for a service provider to identify images eligible for hosting advertisements and third-party content on a digital content platform, the method comprising:

(a) using a computer-implemented image collection system to identify an image published on a digital content platform;

(b) using a computer-implemented image analysis system to assess content within the image, wherein if the image analysis system determines that the image is eligible for hosting advertisements and third-party content, then the image is automatically submitted to an image-content matching engine, wherein the image is linked to an advertisement or third-party content, and wherein the advertisement or third-party content is sent to the digital content platform for publication proximate to the image, and if the image analysis system determines that the image is ineligible for hosting advertisements or third-party content, then the image is flagged as ineligible and is automatically submitted for relationship test analysis in step (c); and

(c) performing a relationship test analysis by assessing whether the image violates a pre-defined service provider terms of service.

3. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

maintaining a publisher trust score; and

updating the publisher trust score for a publisher of the image based on the image analysis of step (b) or the relationship test analysis of step (c).

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the third-party content is an in-image application.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the advertisement or third-party content is displayed within the same pixel frame as the published image.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the advertisement or third-party content is displayed within a separate image frame proximate to the published image.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the image collection system includes a webpage script inserted into the digital content platform.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the digital content platform is selected from the group consisting of:

a webpage, a social network, a browser-based web application, a software applications, a mobile device application, and a TV widget.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the image analysis system includes a computerized crowdsource interface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein step (b) is performed by displaying the image to a crowdsource network via the computerized crowdsource interface.

11. A computer-implemented method for a service provider to match images published on a digital content platform with contextually relevant advertisements and third-party content, the method comprising:

(a) using a computer-implemented image collection system to identify an image published on a digital content platform, wherein the image collection system includes a computer-executable code to pull the image from the digital content platform;

(b) using a computer-implemented image analysis system to determine whether the image is eligible for hosting advertisements and third-party content by testing the image against a database of known ineligible images; and

if the image is eligible for hosting advertisements and third-party content

(c) using an image-content matching engine to identify a contextually relevant advertisement or third-party content for the image; and

(d) providing the contextually relevant advertisement or third-party content to the digital content platform for publication proximate to the image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein if the image is not eligible for hosting advertisements and third-party content, the method comprises:

flagging the image as ineligible for hosting advertisements and third-party content;

automatically submitting the image for relationship test analysis; and

performing a relationship test analysis by assessing whether the image violates pre-defined terms.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

using the computer-implemented image collection system to identify a publisher of the image.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

maintaining a publisher trust score; and

updating the publisher trust score based on the image analysis of step (b).

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the third-party content is an in-image application.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the advertisement or third-party content is displayed within the same pixel frame as the published image.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the advertisement or third-party content is displayed within a separate image frame proximate to the published image.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the digital content platform is selected from the group consisting of:

a webpage, a social network, a browser-based web application, a software applications, a mobile device application, and a TV widget.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the image analysis system includes a computerized crowdsource interface.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (b) is performed by displaying the image to a crowdsource network via the computerized crowdsource interface.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein step (c) is performed by displaying the image to a crowdsource network via the computerized crowdsource interface.

22. A non-transient computer readable storage medium, comprising:

instructions executable by at least one processing device that, when executed, cause the processing device to

(a) identify an image published on a digital content platform,

(b) submit the image to an image-content analysis system to determine whether the image is eligible for hosting content, if the image-content analysis system determines that the image is eligible for hosting content, then

(c) submit the image to an image-content matching system to identify a contextually relevant advertisement or third-party content for the image, and

(d) provide the contextually relevant advertisement or third-party content to the digital content platform for publication proximate to the image.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising:

instructions executable by at least one processing device that, when executed, cause the processing device to test the image against a database of known ineligible images.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising:

instructions executable by at least one processing device that, when executed, cause the processing device to identify a publisher of the image.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising:

instructions executable by at least one processing device that, when executed, cause the processing device to maintain a publisher trust score; and

update the publisher trust score for the publisher of the image based on the image-content analysis.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising:

instructions executable by at least one processing device that, when executed, cause the processing device to display the advertisement or third-party content within the same pixel frame as the published image.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising:

instructions executable by at least one processing device that, when executed, cause the processing device to display the advertisement or third-party content within a separate image frame proximate to the published image.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the digital content platform is selected from the group consisting of:

a webpage, a social network, a browser-based web application, a software applications, a mobile device application, and a TV widget.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising:

instructions executable by at least one processing device that, when executed, cause the processing device to display the image to a crowdsource network via a computerized crowdsource interface.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the third-party content is an in-image application.