Targeted impression model for broadcast network asset delivery

• US 10,666,904 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invidi Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Invidi Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Anderson, Bruce J., Boulet, Daniel A., Wilson, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruckart, Benjamin R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doshi, Akshay
• Application Number:
  US13/188,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20120023522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,231 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36, 725 46
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/103 Transmitter-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/18 Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/22 Arrangements for broadcast of identical information via plural broadcast systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/33 by plural channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/30 characterised by the use of a return channel, e.g. for collecting users' opinions, for returning broadcast space/time information or for requesting data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 : characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/80 : characterised in that motion picture association of America [MPAA] ratings are used
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 : Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 : Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/16 : on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/17 : on recording information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 : Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/32 : Arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations, e.g. malfunction or breakdown of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 : Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 : for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/375 : Commercial
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 : for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 : for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 : for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 : for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 : for recognising genres
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 : of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 : for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 : for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 : the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/97 : using uplink of the CATV systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 : Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 : Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 : Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 : wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 : being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• 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 21/2365 : Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 : Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 : Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 : Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 : Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 : being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 : being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/262 : Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 : the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 : involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26225 : involving billing parameters, e.g. priority for subscribers of premium services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26233 : involving content or additional data duration or size, e.g. length of a movie, size of an executable file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 : Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 : involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 : Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 : Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 : for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are presented for insertion of assets into a stream of content (e.g., audio and/or video programming). Such assets may be targeted to network users separate from the surrounding content and deliveries thereof confirmed. Among other things, these systems and methods enable a new advertising paradigm based on guaranteed delivery of targeted commercial impressions. In this regard, the systems and methods generally provide assets with broadcast network programming (e.g., via actual insertion and/or switching to an asset channel) based on actual audience observations. For example, asset providers may wish to target assets for delivery according to specific audience classifications (e.g., gender, income level, locale, age, etc.). Programming providers, such as television programmers and radio programmers (e.g., standard tower broadcast radio and satellite radio), may receive information from broadcast network users and insert the assets into available bandwidth based on that information.

Claims

1. A method for use in connection with delivering assets to users of a communications network, said method comprising:

receiving a request for dissemination of at least one asset via said communications network, said request defining one or more dissemination parameters associated with said at least one asset relating to a desired dissemination of said at least one asset, wherein said dissemination parameters identify at least one audience classification and a target audience size of network users that are associated with said at least one audience classification independent of any identification of a specific asset delivery opportunity associated with a programming event; and

satisfying said request by targeting delivery of said at least one asset to at least said target audience size of network users associated with said at least one audience classification and associated with at least one programming event of said communications network, said targeting involving matching said at least one asset having said associated dissemination parameters with at least said audience size of said network users that are associated with said at least one audience classification, said targeting further involving delivery of said at least one asset to less than the whole of an audience of said at least one programming event at a time of delivery of said at least one asset, and wherein said at least one asset is associated with one or more dissemination parameters different than one or more said dissemination parameters associated with said assets other than said at least one asset.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from a database of user information, one or more classification parameters associated with one of said network users;

receiving one or more targeting parameters associated with one of said assets; and

comparing said classification parameters with said targeting parameters to identify said at least one asset for said delivery.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said classification parameters comprise one or more of economic, social, demographic, geographic, and user preference information associated with said network users.

4. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said targeting parameters comprise one or more of economic, social, demographic, geographic, and user preference information associated with a target audience for each of said assets.

5. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said satisfying said request comprises:

broadcasting said at least one asset to all of said network users along with said targeting parameters associated with said at least one asset; and

delivering said at least one asset to network users whose classification parameters match said targeting parameters.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of assets are delivered to a plurality of audience segments of a given programming event at a given time.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein said plurality of assets include assets of a given asset provider with differing target audiences.

8. A method of claim 6, wherein said plurality of assets include assets of two or more asset providers with differing target audiences.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein a given asset is delivered to network users of different programming event during a time window.

10. A method of claim 9, wherein said time window corresponds to temporally overlapping programming events of said communications network.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of confirming that said request for dissemination has been satisfied based on reports received from network users regarding delivery of said assets.

12. An apparatus for use in connection with delivering assets to users of a broadcast communications network, said apparatus comprising:

a web interface system for receiving a request for dissemination of at least one asset that are each associated with one or more targeting parameters via said communications network, said request defining one or more dissemination parameters relating to a desired dissemination of said at least one asset, wherein said dissemination parameters identify at least one audience classification and a target audience size of network users that are associated with said at least one audience classification independent of any identification of a specific asset delivery opportunity associated with a programming event; and

a platform operative for satisfying said request by targeting delivery of said at least one asset to a headend of the broadcast communication network for dissemination to customer premises equipment of at least said target audience size of network users associated with said at least one audience classification and associated with at least one programming event of said broadcast communications network, said targeting involving matching said at least one asset having said associated dissemination parameters with at least said audience size of said network users that are associated with said at least one audience classification, said targeting further involving delivery of said at least one asset to less than the whole of an audience of said at least one programming event at a time of delivery of said at least one asset, and wherein said at least one asset is associated with one or more dissemination parameters different than one or more said dissemination parameters associated with said assets other than said at least one asset.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a memory structure for storing classification parameters associated with said network users, wherein said platform is further operative to compare said classification parameters with said targeting parameters to identify said at least one asset for said delivery.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said classification parameters comprise one or more of economic, social, demographic, geographic, and user preference information associated with said network users.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said targeting parameters comprise one or more of economic, social, demographic, geographic, and user preference information associated with a target audience for each of said assets.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said platform is operative for different assets to be delivered to different audience segments of a given programming event at a given time.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said different assets include assets of a given asset provider with differing target audiences.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said different assets include assets of two or more asset providers with differing target audiences.

19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said platform operates to cause a given asset to be delivered to network users on different programming events during a time window.

20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a measurement system for confirming that said request for dissemination has been satisfied based on reports received from network users regarding delivery of said assets.

21. A method of claim 12, wherein said targeted audience size of network users that are associated with said at least one audience classification comprise an aggregate target audience size comprising users associated with a plurality of customer premises equipment of different respective households.

22. A method for use in connection with delivering assets to users of a communications network, said method comprising:

receiving information regarding requests, entered via an asset sales interface, for delivery of first and second assets via said communications network, said requests including one or more targeting parameters defining a target audience for each of said first and second assets, wherein said targeting parameters at least identify an audience classification and an aggregate target audience size of network users that are associated with said audience classification;

associating said request information with a programming event and a time window for said delivery of said first and second assets;

receiving, from a database of user information, one or more classification parameters associated with network users that form an audience of said programming event;

comparing said targeting parameters of said first and second assets with said classification parameters of said users that form said audience to associate first and second audience segments within said programming event with said delivery of said first and second assets during said time window; and

satisfying said requests by causing said first asset to be delivered to users within said first audience segment of said programming event and said second asset to be delivered to users within said second audience segment of said programming event, wherein said targeting parameters identifying said audience classification and said aggregate target audience size of network users associated with said audience classification are satisfied by said delivery, and wherein said first asset and said second asset are delivered during the same said time window.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said receiving information comprises receiving said targeting parameters entered via one or more input fields of said asset sales interface.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said receiving said targeting parameters comprises receiving, via said input fields of said asset sales interface, at least an age and a gender of said target audience for each of said first and second assets.

25. A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said receiving said targeting parameters comprises receiving, via said input fields of said asset sales interface, at least location and an age of said target audience for each of said first and second assets.

26. A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said receiving said targeting parameters comprises receiving, via said input fields of said asset sales interface, at least a location and a gender of said target audience for each of said first and second assets.

27. A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said targeting parameters comprise one or more economic, social, demographic, geographic, or user preference characteristics associated with said target audience for each of said first and second assets.

28. A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said receiving said targeting parameters comprises receiving, via said input fields of said asset sales interface, at least a geographical location, a gender, and an age of said target audience for each of said first and second assets.

29. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said first and second assets include assets of a given asset provider with differing target audiences.

30. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said first and second assets include assets of first and second asset providers with differing target audiences.

31. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said satisfying said request comprises:

broadcasting said first and second assets to all of said network users along with said targeting parameters that define said target audience for each of said first and second assets; and

based on said comparing, delivering said first asset to said users within said first audience segment and said second asset to said users within said second audience segment.

32. A method as set forth in claim 22, further comprising receiving, via said asset sales interface, information regarding a request for delivery of a third asset for said programming event and said time window, said third request including one or more targeting parameters defining a target audience for said third asset, wherein said target audience for said third asset differs from said target audience for said first asset and said target audience for said second asset.

33. A method for use in connection with delivering assets to users of a communications network, said method comprising:

receiving information regarding a plurality of requests for delivery of assets, entered via an asset sales interface, each said request including one or more targeting parameters defining a different target audience, wherein said targeting parameters at least identify an audience classification and at target audience size of users that are associated with said audience classification;

associating said request information with a programming event and a time window for said delivery of said assets;

receiving, from a database of user information, one or more classification parameters associated with users that form an audience of said programming event;

matching said targeting parameters to said classification parameters to determine a plurality of audience segments within said programming event, each said audience segment corresponding to one of said assets; and

satisfying said requests by causing said assets to be respectively delivered to users within said corresponding audience segments of said programming event and during the same said time window, wherein said targeting parameters identifying said audience classification and said aggregate target audience size of users associated with said audience classification are satisfied by said delivery.

34. A method as set forth in claim 33, wherein said receiving information comprises receiving said targeting parameters entered via one or more input fields of said asset sales interface.

35. A method as set forth in claim 34, wherein said targeting parameters comprise one or more economic, social, demographic, geographic, or user preference characteristics associated with said target audience for each said asset.

36. A method as set forth in claim 34, wherein said targeting parameters comprise at least a geographical location, a gender, and an age of said target audience for each said asset.

37. A method for use in connection with delivering assets to users of a communications network, said method comprising:

receiving a request for dissemination of an asset via said communications network, said request including one or more targeting parameters defining a target audience for said asset, wherein said targeting parameters at least identify an audience classification and an aggregate target audience size of network users associated with said audience classification;

receiving, from a database of user information, one or more classification parameters associated with each of said network users;

comparing said targeting parameters of said asset with said classification parameters of each said network user to determine a subset of said network users to receive said asset; and

satisfying said request by aggregating said subset of said network users from across a plurality of programming events of said communication network based on user equipment devices of said network users associated with said classification parameters of said network users, wherein said targeting parameters identifying said audience classification and said aggregate target audience size of network users associated with said audience classification are satisfied by said aggregation.

38. A method as set forth in claim 37, wherein said subset of said network users is formed of users within said target audience for said asset.

39. A method as set forth in claim 37, wherein said classification parameters comprise one or more of economic, social, demographic, geographic, and user preference information associated with said network users.

40. A method as set forth in claim 37, wherein said targeting parameters comprise one or more of economic, social, demographic, geographic, and user preference information associated with said target audience for said asset.

41. A method as set forth in claim 37, wherein said aggregating comprises causing said asset to be delivered to said subset of said users of said plurality of programming transmission bands during a time window such that a sum of said subset of said users substantially satisfies said dissemination request.

42. A method as set forth in claim 41, wherein said time window corresponds to temporally overlapping programming events of said communication network.

43. A method as set forth in claim 41, wherein said asset is delivered to less than all network users on at least one of said plurality of programming events during said time window.

44. A method as set forth in claim 37, wherein a plurality of assets are delivered to a plurality of audience segments of a given programming event at a given time.

45. A method of claim 44, wherein said plurality of assets includes assets of a given asset provider with differing target audiences.

46. A method of claim 44, wherein said plurality of assets includes assets of two or more asset providers with differing target audiences.

47. A method as set forth in claim 37, wherein said targeting parameters further define a temporal limitation for delivery of said asset.