User generated targeted advertisements

• US 8,341,550 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: de Heer, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bycer, Eric J
• Application Number:
  US12/368,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20100205562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 705/14.4, 705/14.41, 705/14.45, 705/14.46, 705/14.49, 705/14.5, 705/14.55, 705/14.58, 705/14.66, 705/14.67, 705/27.1, 709/217, 709/219, 709/231, 725/32, 725 34- 36, 725/39, 725/42, 725/44, 725/47, 725/91
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring

Abstract

User generated targeted advertisements is described. In embodiments, a selection of an advertisement template for a targeted advertisement can be received when initiated by a user. Advertisement content to incorporate in the advertisement template can be received, as well as selections of recipients to receive the targeted advertisement. A program grid can be generated for display from which a television program and advertisement time slot can be selected to display the targeted advertisement for viewing. Confirmation to purchase the targeted advertisement for delivery to the recipients can also be received to initiate the targeted advertisement being displayed for viewing during the selected television program and advertisement time slot.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a selection from a user to initiate a targeted advertisement;

receiving advertisement content to incorporate in the targeted advertisement;

receiving one or more user selections of designated recipients to receive the targeted advertisement;

interfacing with an electronic program guide system to generate a filtered program grid for display on a user device that shows television channels and corresponding television programs in which advertisement time slots are for sale, from which a television program and a specific advertisement time slot in which to display the targeted advertisement for viewing by a user-designated recipient is selected; and

receiving confirmation to purchase the targeted advertisement for delivery to the designated recipients to initiate the targeted advertisement being displayed for viewing during the selected television program and the specific advertisement time slot.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving the selection of an advertisement template for the targeted advertisement.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the television program in which to display the targeted advertisement for viewing; and

receiving a selection of the specific advertisement time slot during the television program.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising correlating the user that initiates the targeted advertisement with one or more of the designated recipients from a user association list.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input of authentication data that identifies the user in a television content distribution system; and

authenticating the user according to the authentication data to allow initiating the targeted advertisement.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

generating a preview of the targeted advertisement from the advertisement content; and

initiating displaying the preview of the targeted advertisement for review by the user.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising communicating the advertisement content for the targeted advertisement to one or more client devices that each corresponds to a designated recipient that is selected by the user to receive the targeted advertisement.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising communicating advertisement triggering data to one or more client devices that each corresponds to a designated recipient that is selected by the user to receive the targeted advertisement, the advertisement triggering data indicating when to initiate the targeted advertisement being displayed for viewing at a client device during the selected television program and the specific advertisement time slot.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving an advertisement template and advertisement content that is selected by a user for a targeted advertisement to be displayed in a user-selected advertisement time slot at one or more client devices as a part of an audio-video stream, the time slot being selected by the user from a filtered program grid of television channels and corresponding television programs in which advertisement time slots are for sale;

communicating the advertisement content for the targeted advertisement to the one or more client devices that each corresponds to a recipient that is selected by the user to receive the targeted advertisement;

communicating advertisement triggering data to the one or more client devices, the advertisement triggering data indicating when to initiate the targeted advertisement being displayed for viewing at a client device during a selected television program in the user-selected advertisement time slot; and

receiving a trigger notification from the client device at a beginning of the advertisement time slot to initiate the targeted advertisement being displayed for viewing at the client device, the trigger notification initiated by the client device detecting an advertisement insertion message in the audio-video stream that corresponds to the advertisement triggering data.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

generating display instructions to display the targeted advertisement for viewing at the client device; and

communicating the display instructions to the client device that sequentially initiates the advertisement content for display as the targeted advertisement.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising communicating verification that the targeted advertisement was displayed for viewing at the client device to initiate billing the user for the targeted advertisement.

12. A targeted advertisement system, comprising:

a memory and processor to implement a targeted advertisement service configured to facilitate generation of a targeted advertisement via an advertisement creation interface and an advertisement management interface;

the advertisement creation interface via which a content distributor is configured to receive a user selection to initiate the targeted advertisement for delivery during a user-selected television program in an advertisement time slot associated with an avail ID, and receive advertisement content to incorporate in the targeted advertisement;

the advertisement management interface via which the content distributor is configured to receive one or more selections of recipients to receive the targeted advertisement, and receive confirmation to purchase the targeted advertisement; and

a content distribution system configured to;

communicate the advertisement content for the targeted advertisement to one or more client devices that each corresponds to a recipient that is selected to receive the targeted advertisement, and

communicate advertisement triggering data that includes the avail ID to the one or more client devices that each store the advertisement triggering data in respective trigger databases, a trigger database periodically polled for the advertisement triggering data that indicates when to initiate a display of the targeted advertisement for viewing when an insertion message corresponds to the avail ID.

13. A targeted advertisement system as recited in claim 12, wherein the advertisement creation interface is further configured to receive a selection of an advertisement template to initiate the targeted advertisement.

14. A targeted advertisement system as recited in claim 12, wherein the advertisement management interface is further configured to:

interface with an electronic program guide to facilitate selection of the selected television program in which to display the targeted advertisement for viewing; and

interface with an advertisement trafficking system to facilitate selection of the advertisement time slot during the selected television program to display the targeted advertisement for viewing.

15. A targeted advertisement system as recited in claim 12, wherein the advertisement management interface is further configured to correlate the user that initiates the targeted advertisement with one or more of the recipients from a user association list.

16. A targeted advertisement system as recited in claim 12, further comprising an authentication system configured to:

receive an input of authentication data that identifies the user in the targeted advertisement system; and

authenticate the user according to the authentication data to allow the user to initiate the targeted advertisement.

17. A targeted advertisement system as recited in claim 12, wherein the advertisement creation interface is further configured to:

generate a preview of the targeted advertisement from the advertisement content; and

initiate a display of the preview of the targeted advertisement for review by the user.

18. A targeted advertisement system as recited in claim 12, further comprising a content distribution system configured to communicate the advertisement triggering data to the one or more client devices that each corresponds to a recipient that is selected by the user to receive the targeted advertisement, the advertisement triggering data indicating when to initiate the targeted advertisement being displayed for viewing at a client device during the selected television program and the advertisement time slot.

19. A targeted advertisement system as recited in claim 18, further comprising an application server configured to:

receive a trigger notification from the client device at a beginning of the advertisement time slot to initiate the targeted advertisement being displayed for viewing at the client device;

generate display instructions to display the targeted advertisement for viewing at the client device; and

communicate the display instructions to the client device that sequentially initiates the advertisement content for display as the targeted advertisement.

20. A targeted advertisement system as recited in claim 19, wherein the application server is further configured to communicate verification that the targeted advertisement was displayed for viewing at the client device to initiate billing the user for the targeted advertisement.