Systems and methods for managing and distributing media content

• US 7,890,971 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FreeWheel Media Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visible World Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Weite, David, Niemeijer, Gerrit, Haberman, Seth
• Primary Examiner(s): BORISSOV, IGOR N
• Application Number:
  US11/657,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20070192193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36, 715201-204, 715/781, 715/723, 715/762, 715/866, 345/629, 345/619, 345/620, 345/634, 345/638, 345/636, 345/637, 705/1, 705/14, 705/26, 705/27, 348/552
• US Class Current: 725/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• 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 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, a media content management application that allows a user to customize, assemble, distribute, and track one or more versions of media content based on semantic criteria is provided.

Claims

1. A method for delivering commercials to content providers, wherein all steps are performed by the computer, the computer comprising a processor, a memory device and control logic stored therein, the method comprising:

presenting a plurality of advertisement campaigns to a user through a computer interface, each advertising campaign comprising a plurality of fillable video segment slots, each fillable segment slot arranged at a specific time point within said advertisement campaign;

receiving a campaign selection input from the user;

in response to receiving the campaign selection input, presenting the user with a set of criteria associated with the selected advertisement campaign;

receiving criteria selection from the user;

accessing a library of media segments stored in the memory device, each of the media segments comprising a portion of an advertisement, each media segment associated with metadata defining the media segment;

transmitting the criteria selection to an assembly component;

searching the library for media segments having metadata correlating with the criteria selection;

retrieving at least one correlating media segment from the library;

inserting the correlating media segment into one of the fillable media slots in the selected advertisement campaign, thereby forming a version of completed commercial;

presenting to the user on a display delivery options that correspond to the version of the commercial, wherein the delivery options include at least one of a local content provider, a delivery format, a delivery address, playback options, and a chargeback number;

transmitting the version of the commercial to at least one content provider in accordance with the delivery options selected by the user;

receiving feedback from the at least one content provider, wherein the feedback includes information relating to the version of the commercial; and

;

storing the feedback in a historical record on the storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback comprises at least one of:

information relating to the version of the commercial, information from an audience member regarding the version of the commercial, and information from an advertiser regarding the version of the commercial.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the historical record comprises at least one of:

previously selected advertisement campaigns, previously selected customization options relating to the advertisement campaigns, previously retrieved media segments, and previously assembled commercial.

4. The method of claim 1, using the feedback to present recommended options to the user for assembling other versions of the commercial, wherein the recommended options include at least one of:

a recommended advertisement campaign, a recommended customizable advertisement campaign, a recommended completed commercial, and recommended semantic criteria.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a preview of the assembled version of the commercial prior to transmitting the version of the commercial to the at least one content provider.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the preview is presented in a first format, and wherein the assembled versions of the completed commercial is transmitted to the at least one content provider in a second format.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first format is a media format adapted for transmission over the Internet, and wherein the second format is one of:

a videotape, a DVD, a CD, a high definition format, a standard definition format, an MPEG-2 format, an MPEG-4 format, a media format, and a media resolution.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the preview is transmitted to the user over the Internet, and wherein the assembled versions of the commercial are physically delivered to the at least one content provider in a format selected from the group consisting of:

a videotape, a DVD, a CD, a high definition format, a standard definition format, an MPEG-2 format, an MPEG-4 format, a media format, and a media resolution.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a notification to the user of the number of times that the assembled version of the commercial has received feedback.

10. A method for delivering commercials to an audience, wherein all steps are performed by the computer, the computer comprising a processor, a memory device and control logic stored therein, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of advertisement campaigns, each advertising campaign comprising a plurality of fillable video segment slots, each fillable segment slot arranged at a specific time point within said advertisement campaign;

receiving a campaign selection input;

in response to receiving the campaign selection input, selecting a criteria selection from a set of criteria associated with the selected advertisement campaign;

accessing a library of media segments stored in the memory device, each of the media segments comprising a portion of an advertisement, each media segment associated with metadata defining the media segment;

transmitting the criteria selection to an assembly component;

searching the library for media segments having metadata correlating with the criteria selection;

retrieving at least one correlating media segment from the library;

inserting the correlating media segment into one of the fillable media slots in the selected advertisement campaign, thereby forming a version of completed commercial;

automatically selecting delivery options for the version of the commercial to the user, wherein the delivery options include at least one of a local content provider, a delivery format, a delivery address, playback options, and a chargeback number;

transmitting the version of the commercial to at least one content provider in accordance with the delivery options;

receiving feedback from the at least one local content provider, wherein the feedback includes information relating to the version of the commercial;

storing the feedback in a historical record on the storage device;

updating the assembly component based on the received feedback;

assembling an updated version of the commercial; and

transmitting the updated version of the commercial to the at least one local content provider.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the historical record comprises at least one of:

previously selected advertisement campaigns, previously selected customization options relating to the advertisement campaigns, previously retrieved media segments, and previously assembled commercial.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitting the version of the commercial to the at least one content provider further comprises:

delivering the version of the commercial in a format, wherein the format is one of;

a videotape, a DVD, a CD, high definition format, a standard definition format, an MPEG-2 format, an MPEG-4 format, a media format, and a media resolution.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein transmitting the updated version of the commercial to the at least one local content provider further comprises:

delivering the version of the commercial in a format, wherein the format is one of;

a videotape, a DVD, a CD, a high definition format, a standard definition format, an MPEG-2 format, an MPEG-4 format, a media format, and a media resolution.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored therein which, when executed by the computer, causing the computer to implement a method for delivering commercials to a content provider, comprising:

presenting a plurality of advertisement campaigns to a user through a computer interface, each advertising campaign comprising a plurality of fillable video segment slots, each

fillable segment slot arranged at a specific time point within said advertisement campaign;

receiving a campaign selection input from the user;

in response to receiving the campaign selection input, presenting the user with a set of criteria associated with the selected advertisement campaign;

receiving criteria selection from the user;

accessing a library of media segments stored in the memory device, each of the media segments comprising a portion of an advertisement, each media segment associated with metadata defining the media segment;

transmitting the criteria selection to an assembly component;

searching the library for media segments having metadata correlating with the criteria selection;

retrieving at least one correlating media segment from the library;

inserting the correlating media segment into one of the fillable media slots in the selected advertisement campaign, thereby forming a version of completed commercial;

presenting delivery options corresponding to the version of the commercial to the user on a display, wherein the delivery options include at least one of a local content provider, a delivery format, a delivery address, playback options, and a chargeback number;

transmitting the version of the commercial to at least one content provider in accordance with the delivery options selected by the user;

receiving feedback from the at least one content provider, wherein the feedback includes information relating to the version of the commercial; and

storing the feedback in a historical record on the storage device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored therein which, when executed by the computer, causing the computer to implement a method for delivering commercials to a content provider, comprising:

providing a plurality of advertisement campaigns, each advertising campaign comprising a plurality of fillable video segment slots, each fillable segment slot arranged at a specific time point within said advertisement campaign;

receiving a campaign selection input;

in response to receiving the campaign selection input, the processor making a criteria selection from a set of criteria associated with the selected advertisement campaign;

accessing a library of media segments stored in the memory device, each of the media segments comprising a portion of an advertisement, each media segment associated with metadata defining the media segment;

transmitting the criteria selection to an assembly component;

searching the library for media segments having metadata correlating with the criteria selection;

retrieving at least one correlating media segment from the library;

inserting the correlating media segment into one of the fillable media slots in the selected advertisement campaign, thereby forming a version of completed commercial;

selecting delivery options for the version of the commercial to the user, wherein the delivery options include at least one of a local content provider, a delivery format, a delivery address, playback options, and a chargeback number;

transmitting the version of the commercial to at least one content provider in accordance with the delivery options;

receiving feedback from the at least one local content provider, wherein the feedback includes information relating to the responsiveness to the version of the commercial;

storing the feedback in a historical record on the storage device;

assembling an updated version of the commercial based at least in part on the received feedback; and

transmitting the updated version of the commercial to the at least one local content provider.