Data synchronization for content on demand asset insertion decisions

• US 9,883,208 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canoe Ventures, LLC
• Original Assignee: Canoe Ventures, LLC
• Inventors: Rippe, Christopher M, Farb, Jonathan E., Moretto, Thomas M., Whitton, Timothy R
• Primary Examiner(s): MONTOYA, OSCHTA I
• Application Number:
  US13/628,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20140089997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/20 Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Systems and methods presented herein provide for maintaining data pertaining to asset insertions into COD content. In one embodiment, a system includes a database that maintains campaign data of a plurality of assets, and a processor that monitors insertions of at least a portion of the assets in a first COD content to record campaign data of the inserted assets. A storage module stores the recorded campaign data of the inserted assets in a list. The processor is also operable to detect a request for asset insertions in a second COD content, to determine that the database of campaign data is unavailable for the asset insertion request of the second COD content, to retrieve the list of campaign data from the storage module, and, in response to determining the unavailability of the database, to direct asset insertions in the second COD content based on the list of campaign data.

Claims

1. A network server that directs asset insertion into a plurality of Content On Demand (COD) selections by a plurality of user devices communicatively coupled to a CCD system that delivers the COD selections to the user devices, the network server is linked to the COD system and comprises:

a database operable to maintain campaign data of a plurality of assets; and

a COD asset insertion decision system that records a snapshot of the campaign data, and for each COD selection;

identifies asset insertion opportunities in the COD selection, identifies assets of the campaign data for insertion into the asset insertion opportunities of the COD selection, ranks the assets, removes at least one asset from the ranked assets based on a brand separation criterion, selects at least one of the remaining ranked assets for insertion into at least one of the asset insertion opportunities of the COD selection, and directs the COD system to insert the selected at least one remaining ranked asset into the at least one asset insertion opportunity of the COD selection,

the COD asset insertion decision system being further operable to record asset insertions in the COD selections, to update the snapshot of the campaign data based on the recorded asset insertions, and to synchronize the database with the updated snapshot to update the campaign data;

the COD asset insertion decision system is further operable to generate instantiations of itself with a plurality of COD systems;

each instantiation of the COD asset insertion decision system is operable to record asset insertions in the COD selections of its respective COD system; and

the COD asset insertion decision system is further operable to update the snapshot of the campaign data based on the recorded asset insertions of each instantiation, and to synchronize the database with the updated snapshot to update the campaign data;

wherein the COD asset insertion decision system is communicatively coupled to a plurality of COD systems; and

the COD systems are selected from a group consisting of;

Multi-System Cable operators (MSO);

internet providers and telecom providers.

2. The network server of claim 1, wherein:

the COD asset insertion decision system is further operable to establish a recording period for recording the asset insertions in the COD selections, and to synchronize the database with the updated snapshot after each recording period.

3. The network server of claim 1, wherein:

the COD asset insertion decision system is further operable to determine an outage of the database, and to synchronize the database with the updated snapshot after the outage.

4. A method operable in a network server to direct asset insertion into a plurality of Content On Demand (COD) selections by a plurality of user devices communicatively coupled to a COD system that delivers the COD selections to the user devices, the network server is linked to the COD system and the method comprises:

maintaining campaign data of a plurality of assets in a database;

recording a snapshot of the campaign data via a COD asset insertion decision system of the network server, and, via the COD asset insertion decision system, for each COD selection;

identifying asset insertion opportunities in the COD selection;

identifying assets of the campaign data for insertion into the asset insertion opportunities of the COD selection;

ranking the assets;

removing at least one asset from the ranked assets based on a brand separation criterion;

selecting at least one of the remaining ranked assets for insertion into at least one of the asset insertion opportunities of the COD selection; and

directing the COD system to insert the selected at least one remaining ranked asset into the at least one asset insertion opportunity of the COD selection,

the method further comprising, via the COD asset insertion decision system;

recording asset insertions in the COD selections;

updating the snapshot of the campaign data based on the recorded asset insertions; and

synchronizing the database with the updated snapshot to update the campaign data;

generating instantiations of the COD asset insertion decision system with a plurality of COD systems;

recording asset insertions in the COD selections via each instantiation of the COD asset insertion decision system of its respective COD system; and

via the COD asset insertion decision system;

updating the snapshot of the campaign data based on the recorded asset insertions of each instantiation; and

synchronizing the database with the updated snapshot to update the campaign data;

wherein the COD asset insertion decision system is communicatively coupled to a plurality of COD systems; and

the COD systems are selected from a group consisting of;

Multi-System Cable operators (MSO);

Internet providers; and

telecom providers.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, via the COD asset insertion decision system:

establishing a recording period for recording the asset insertions in the COD selections; and

synchronizing the database with the updated snapshot after each recording period.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising, via the COD asset insertion decision system:

determining an outage of the database; and

synchronizing the database with the updated snapshot after the outage.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium operable in a network server and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of the network server, directs the processor to direct asset insertion into a plurality of Content On Demand (COD) selections by a plurality of user devices communicatively coupled to a COD system that delivers the COD selections to the user devices, the network server is to the COD system and the instructions further direct the processor to:

maintain campaign data of a plurality of assets in a database;

record a snapshot of the campaign data via a COD asset insertion decision system of the network server, and, via the COD asset insertion decision system, for each COD selection;

identify asset insertion opportunities in the COD selection;

identify assets of the campaign data for insertion into the asset insertion opportunities of the COD selection;

rank the assets;

remove at least one asset from the ranked assets based on a brand separation criterion;

select at least one of the remaining ranked assets for insertion into at least one of the asset insertion opportunities of the COD selection; and

direct the COD system to insert the selected at least one remaining ranked asset into the at least one asset insertion opportunity of the COD selection,

the instructions further directing the processor to, via the COD asset insertion decision system;

record asset insertions in the COD selections;

update the snapshot of the campaign data based on the recorded asset insertions; and

synchronize the database with the updated snapshot to update the campaign data;

generate instantiations of the COD asset insertion decision system with a plurality of COD systems;

record asset insertions in the COD selections via each instantiation of the COD asset insertion decision system of its respective COD system; and

direct the COD asset insertion decision system to;

update the snapshot of the campaign data based on the recorded asset insertions of each instantiation; and

synchronize the database with the updated snapshot to update the campaign data;

wherein the COD asset insertion decision system is communicatively coupled to a plurality of COD systems; and

the COD systems are selected from a droop consisting of;

Multi-System Cable operators (MSO);

Internet providers; and

telecom providers.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions that direct the processor to, via the COD asset insertion decision system:

establish a recording period for recording the asset insertions in the COD selections; and

synchronize the database with the updated snapshot after each recording period.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions that direct the processor to, via the COD asset insertion decision system:

determine an outage of the database; and

synchronize the database with the updated snapshot after the outage.