Real-time insertion and reporting of media content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10348803-B2
Application number	US-201213541023-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2012
Priority date	Mar 19, 2008
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A method can include receiving a plurality of unperfected logs via a network, storing the plurality of unperfected logs in a database based on the anticipated broadcast schedule, transmitting at least one unperfected log by the electronic hub, receiving an inquiry into one or more spots in the available inventory, transmitting data associated with the one or more spots the data to be displayed on a graphical user interface in response to the inquiry, receiving a selection of one or more spots in the available inventory in response, and requesting content related to the selected one or more spots. The method can include receiving and associating advertising content with the selection of the one or more spots, creating a perfected log based on the unperfected log and the received content, monitoring a broadcast of the media outlet, detecting a difference between the perfected log and the broadcast, and transmitting status information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for use in a media distribution system including an electronic hub and a plurality of media outlets, the method comprising:
receiving, from the plurality of media outlets at an electronic hub via a communication network, a plurality of unperfected station logs associated with the plurality of media outlets, wherein the unperfected station logs include both avails and programming surrounding the avails;
filtering the unperfected station logs to generate filtered unperfected logs;
transmitting the filtered unperfected logs to a media content provider interface;
receiving, at an electronic hub from the media content provider interface, an advertiser selection the advertiser selection indicating:
a selection of at least one of the unperfected station logs;
a selection of at least one media outlet inventory item associated with the at least one of the unperfected station logs;

creating, at the electronic hub, a perfected version of an unperfected station log based on the advertiser selection; and
transmitting playout instructions associated with the perfected version of the unperfected station log to a media delivery system.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the electronic hub via the communication network, inventory information from the plurality of media outlets.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
transmitting the unperfected station logs and the inventory information from the electronic hub to an advertiser via the communication network.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving from the advertiser, at the electronic hub via the communication network, preemption information.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
injecting into the station log, at the hub, preemption content indicated by the preemption information.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the advertiser selection further indicates:
a selection of an unperfected version of a station log from each of a plurality of different distributed media outlets; and
a selection of at least one available spot from the unperfected version of the station log from each of a plurality of different distributed media outlets.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, at the electronic hub, that the selection of the at least one media outlet inventory item does not include any reserved inventory items associated with the unperfected version of the station log; and
in response to the determining, transmitting an inventory cancellation notification from the electronic hub to the one or more of the plurality of media outlets.

8. An apparatus comprising:
a processor;
memory operably coupled to the processor;
a program of instructions configured to be stored in the memory and executed by the processor, the program of instructions including:
at least one instruction to receive, from a plurality of media outlets via a communication network, a plurality of unperfected station logs associated with the plurality of media outlets, wherein the unperfected station logs include both avails and programming surrounding the avails;
at least one instruction to filter the unperfected station logs to generate filtered unperfected logs;
at least one instruction to transmit the filtered unperfected logs to a media content provider interface;
at least one instruction configured to receive, via the communication network from the media content provider interface, an advertiser selection the advertiser selection indicating:
a selection of at least one of the unperfected station logs;
a selection of at least one media outlet inventory item associated with the at least one of the unperfected station logs;

at least one instruction configured to create a perfected version of the station log based on the advertiser selection; and
at least one instruction to transmit playout instructions associated with the perfected version of the unperfected station log to a media delivery system.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
at least one instruction configured to receive via the communication network, inventory information from the plurality of media outlets.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
at least one instruction configured to transmit the unperfected station logs and the inventory information from an electronic hub to an advertiser via the communication network.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
at least one instruction configured to receive preemption information from the advertiser.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
at least one instruction configured to inject, into the station log, preemption content indicated by the preemption information.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the advertiser selection further indicates:
a selection of an unperfected version of a station log from each of a plurality of different distributed media outlets; and
a selection of at least one available spot from the unperfected version of the station log from each of a plurality of different distributed media outlets.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
at least one instruction configured to determine that the selection of the at least one media outlet inventory item does not include any reserved inventory items associated with the unperfected version of the station log; and
at least one instruction configured to transmit an inventory cancellation notification to the one or more of the plurality of media outlets in response to a result of the at least one instruction configured to determine.

15. A method comprising:
obtaining unperfected versions of station logs from a plurality of distributed media outlets at an electronic hub coupled to the distributed media outlets via a communication network, each of the unperfected versions of station logs indicating advertising inventory available from the distributed media outlet from which the unperfected version of the station log is received, the unperfected versions of station logs further including information identifying programming surrounding available advertising inventory;
filtering the unperfected station logs to generate filtered unperfected versions of the station logs;
providing an advertiser with at least one filtered unperfected version of a station log from each of multiple different distributed media outlets, via a content provider interface;
receiving, via the communication network, an advertiser selection from the advertiser, the advertiser selection indicating:
a selection of at least one media outlet inventory item associated with the at least one filtered unperfected version of the station log, the at least one media outlet inventory item including a reserved item of inventory;

creating, at the electronic hub, a perfected version of the station log based on the advertiser selection, the perfected version of the station log including the reserved item of inventory; and
transmitting, from the electronic hub to the distributed media outlet, information regarding the perfected version of the station log.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the obtaining unperfected versions of station logs further comprises:
obtaining the unperfected station logs via an integrated services layer coupling the electronic hub to the distributed media outlets.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving from the advertiser, at the electronic hub via the communication network, preemption content, the preemption content including media content to replace media content

Assignees

• Schuster Bobbi D
• Basu Kohinoor
• Ferry Matthew D
• Jellison Jr David C
• Murray David R
• Iheartmedia Man Services Inc

Inventors

• Schuster Bobbi D
• Basu Kohinoor
• Ferry Matthew D
• Jellison Jr David C
• Gable Steven
• Murray David R

Classifications

• G06Q30/0264

  based upon schedule · CPC title

• H04H60/06

  Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services · CPC title

• G06Q30/0241

  Advertisements · CPC title

• G06Q30/0283

  Price estimation or determination · CPC title

• G06Q20/14

  specially adapted for billing systems · CPC title