Non-expanding interactive advertisement

• US 8,732,019 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Say Media, Inc. (theMaven, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Darrick Paul, Reicker, Rick, Young, Troy William
• Primary Examiner(s): VANDERHORST, MARIA VICTORIA
• Application Number:
  US13/117,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/14.73
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

An embodiment is directed to a non-expanding advertisement that displays a video loop or a portion of a video within the advertisement. If the user interacts with the advertisement, the entire video is played within the advertisement without expanding. The user is not given the option to stop or pause the video. In addition, since the advertisement does not expand, the user is not given the option to close the video, ensuring that a complete view of the video is delivered to the user.

Claims

1. A non-expanding interactive advertisement, comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to the processor;

a display device connected to the processor and configured to display advertisement data;

an advertisement stored in the memory configured to operate in an invitation state, a countdown state, and an engaged state within a boundary of an advertisement space displayed on the display device;

wherein the advertisement configures the processor to display via the display device one or more portions of a video within the advertisement space during the invitation state;

wherein the advertisement is configured to;

change from the invitation state to the countdown state in response to a user interaction;

display one or more media assets during the countdown state informing the user that the video will play at an end of a countdown in response to continued user interaction with the advertisement;

change from the countdown state to the invitation state when the user interaction does not continue;

change from the countdown state to the engaged state in response to the countdown expiring in response to the continued user interaction;

display the video during the engaged state without expanding the video outside of the boundary of the advertisement space so as to not disrupt other content displayed within a primary display space of the display device; and

wherein the advertisement is configured to prevent the user from terminating the video during the engaged state.

2. The non-expanding interactive advertisement as recited in claim 1, wherein the primary display space is a browser window and the other content is a web page.

3. The non-expanding interactive advertisement as recited in claim 1, wherein the advertisement includes an interaction prompt for enabling the user to engage the advertisement and transition from the invitation state to the countdown state in response to user interaction with the interaction prompt.

4. The non-expanding interactive advertisement as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more portions of the video comprises a video loop that engages the user and provides context for the video.

5. The non-expanding interactive advertisement as recited in claim 4, wherein the advertisement is configured to display a play button over the video loop so as to not significantly interfere with the video loop.

6. The non-expanding interactive advertisement as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more media assets during the countdown state include a number countdown.

7. The non-expanding interactive advertisement as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more media assets during the countdown state include a color wash.

8. The non-expanding interactive advertisement as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more media assets during the countdown state include a glowing light and increasing sound.

9. The non-expanding interactive advertisement as recited in claim 1, wherein the advertisement is further configured to operate in a steady state that displays a static media encouraging the user to play the video, the advertisement configured to change from the invitation state to the steady state in response to no user interaction after a predetermined period of time.

10. The non-expanding interactive advertisement as recited in claim 1, wherein the advertisement is further configured to include a social networking sharing tool.

11. A method for displaying a non-expanding interactive advertisement, comprising:

displaying one or more portions of a video within a boundary of an advertisement space displayed on a display device during an invitation state;

changing the advertisement from the invitation state to a countdown state in response to a user interaction, the advertisement configured to display one or more media assets during the countdown state informing the user that the video will play at an end of a countdown in response to continued user interaction with the advertisement;

changing from the countdown state to an engaged state in response to the countdown expiring in response to the continued user interaction;

displaying the video during the engaged state without expanding the video outside of the boundary so as to not disrupt other content displayed within a primary display space of the display device; and

preventing the user from terminating the video during the engaged state.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of changing from the invitation state to a steady state in response to no user interaction after a predetermined period of time.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of changing from the countdown state to a steady state in response to the user failing to stay engaged with the advertisement during the countdown state.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of changing from the countdown state to the invitation state in response to the user failing to stay engaged with the advertisement during the countdown state.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein:

the advertisement includes an interaction prompt for engaging the advertisement; and

the method further comprises the step of transitioning from the invitation state to the countdown state in response to user interaction with the interaction prompt.