Multi-protocol interactive mobile video advertising

• US 10,643,253 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2014
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo AD Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Roever, Amanda, Collins, Richard William, Roosevelt, Daniel Lachman
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoar, Colleen A
• Application Number:
  US14/522,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20150120470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,021 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

Techniques are provided for playback and event reporting of video advertisements on a user device. Two different event reporting protocols are simultaneously supported to enable application-based playback of video advertisements while collecting event information associated with the video playback. In some configurations, initialization of the event reporting protocols is serialized to avoid conflict conditions during the video playback.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of presenting video advertisements on a user device, comprising:

receiving, with a processor, an ad creative and a video ad defined by the ad creative;

playing, with the processor, the video ad by;

initializing, with the processor, a first event tracking protocol comprising a mobile rich media ad interface definition (MRAID) protocol for interfacing with an application within which the video ad is being served; and

selectively initializing, with the processor, a second event tracking protocol comprising a video player ad serving interface definition (VPAID) protocol for interfacing with a video player application used for in-line playing of the video ad such that the VPAID protocol finishes initialization prior to the MRAID protocol finishing initialization;

wherein initialization of the first event tracking protocol and selective initialization of the second event tracking protocol are implemented at least in part via a Software Developer'"'"'s Kit (SDK) container to (i) interact with the first event tracking protocol to track inline video behavior that the second event tracking protocol is not configured to track and (ii) interact with the second event tracking protocol to communicate the inline video behavior to a computing device, wherein the first event tracking protocol is not configured to communicate inline video behaviors; and

transmitting information, associated with the playing, to at least one computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectively initializing the second event tracking protocol comprises initializing a subset of all functions of the second event tracking protocol due to the initializing the first event tracking protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the initializing the first event tracking protocol comprises:

checking a status of completion of initialization of a function call from the second event tracking protocol; and

refraining from indicating that the first event tracking protocol is initialized until the status indicates that initialization of the function call is complete.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking whether the ad creative includes a function call to the second event tracking protocol;

initializing the second event tracking protocol when the ad creative includes the function call; and

playing the video ad without initializing the second event tracking protocol when the ad creative does not include the function call.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking whether the ad creative includes a function call to the second event tracking protocol;

initializing the second event tracking protocol when the ad creative includes the function call; and

refraining from playing the video ad when the ad creative does not include the function call.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user device is a mobile device and wherein the selective initialization of the second event tracking protocol provides for tracking of one or more accelerometers of the mobile device while also providing tracking of second inline video behavior provided by the first event tracking protocol while the video ad is displayed on the mobile device.

6. An apparatus for playing a video advertisement, comprising:

a memory storing code; and

a processor configured to execute the code stored in the memory and to act as;

a first control module that controls initialization and operation of a first application programmer'"'"'s interface (API) according to a first event tracking protocol comprising a mobile rich media ad interface definition (MRAID) protocol for generating video advertisement playback information when the video advertisement is played out in an application;

a second control module that controls selective initialization and operation of a second API according to a second event tracking protocol comprising a video player ad serving interface definition (VPAID) protocol for generating video advertisement playback information when the video advertisement is played out in-line with a video player such that the VPAID protocol finishes initialization prior to the MRAID protocol finishing initialization;

a container module that processes an ad creative accompanying the video advertisement;

wherein initialization of the first API according to the first event tracking protocol and selective initialization of the second API according to the second event tracking protocol are implemented to (i) interact with the first event tracking protocol to track inline video behavior that the second event tracking protocol is not configured to track and (ii) interact with the second event tracking protocol to communicate the inline video behavior to a computing device, wherein the first event tracking protocol is not configured to communicate inline video behaviors; and

a reporting module that transmits information, associated with the video advertisement, to at least one computing device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein selectively initializing the second event tracking protocol comprises initializing a subset of all functions of the second event tracking protocol due to initializing the first event tracking protocol.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first control module that initializes the first event tracking protocol comprises:

a first module for checking a status of completion of initialization of a function call from the second event tracking protocol; and

a second module for refraining from indicating that the first event tracking protocol is initialized until the status indicates that initialization of the function call is complete.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to act as:

a first module for checking whether the ad creative includes a function call to the second event tracking protocol;

a second module for initializing the second event tracking protocol when the ad creative includes the function call; and

a third module for playing the video advertisement without initializing the second event tracking protocol when the ad creative does not include the function call.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to act as:

a first module for checking whether the ad creative includes a function call to the second event tracking protocol;

a second module for initializing the second event tracking protocol when the ad creative includes the function call; and

a third module for refraining from playing the video advertisement when the ad creative does not include the function call.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is a mobile device and wherein the selective initialization of the second API according to the second event tracking protocol provides for tracking of one or more accelerometers of the mobile device while also providing tracking of second inline video behavior provided by the first event tracking protocol while the video advertisement is displayed on the mobile device.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having code stored thereupon, the code comprising computer-executable instructions for a processor to perform a method of presenting video advertisements, comprising:

receiving an ad creative and a video ad defined by the ad creative;

playing the video ad by;

initializing a first event tracking protocol comprising a mobile rich media ad interface definition (MRAID) protocol for interfacing with an application within which the video ad is being served; and

selectively initializing a second event tracking protocol comprising a video player ad serving interface definition (VPAID) protocol for interfacing with a video player application used for in-line playing of the video ad such that the VPAID protocol finishes initialization prior to the MRAID protocol finishing initialization;

wherein initialization of the first event tracking protocol and selective initialization of the second event tracking protocol are implemented at least in part via a Software Developer'"'"'s Kit (SDK) container to (i) interact with the first event tracking protocol to track inline video behavior that the second event tracking protocol is not configured to track and (ii) interact with the second event tracking protocol to communicate the inline video behavior to a computing device; and

transmitting information, associated with the playing, to at least one computing device.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the selective initialization of the second event tracking protocol provides for tracking of one or more accelerometers of a mobile device while also providing tracking of second inline video behavior provided by the first event tracking protocol while the video ad is displayed on the mobile device.