Automatically inserting advertisements into source video content playback streams

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9788080-B2
Application number	US-201615383256-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2016
Priority date	Feb 27, 2006
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically inserting advertisements into source video content playback streams are described. In one aspect, the systems and methods communicate a source video content playback stream to a video player to present source video to a user. During playback of the source video, and in response to receipt of a request from the user to navigate portions of the source video (e.g., a user command to fast forward the source video, rewind the source video, or other action), the systems and methods dynamically define a video advertisement clip insertion point (e.g., and insertion point based on a current playback position). The systems and methods then insert a contextually relevant and/or targeted video advertisement clip into the playback stream for presentation to the user.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
communicating a video content stream to a computing device to cause at least a portion of a source video included in the video content stream to be presented on a display associated with the computing device;
determining a first insertion point in the video content stream at which to insert a first advertisement;
receiving a video navigation request to skip a portion of the video content stream that includes the first insertion point for the first advertisement during a playback of the video content stream;
receiving another video navigation request to resume the playback of the video content stream after the skip of the portion of the video content stream;
based at least in part on receiving the other video navigation request to resume the playback of the video content stream, determining a second insertion point in a subsequent portion of the video content stream;
selecting a second advertisement from a group of advertisements identified as being contextually relevant to at least one of a segment of the source video associated with the second insertion point or to information in a user profile associated with a user of the computing device; and
inserting the second advertisement at the second insertion point for display when the playback of the video content stream reaches the second insertion point.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
extracting metadata from the source video;
identifying a first portion of the metadata associated with a first portion of the source video, wherein the first portion of the source video is adjacent to the first insertion point;
identifying a first group of advertisements contextually relevant to the first portion of the metadata;
selecting the first advertisement from the first set of advertisements;
identifying a second portion of the metadata associated with a second portion of the source video, wherein the second portion of the source video is adjacent to the second insertion point; and
identifying the group of advertisements as being contextually relevant to the second portion of the metadata.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the second insertion point in the subsequent portion of the video content stream comprises identifying at least one of a shot boundary or a scene boundary in the source video.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a subsequent navigation request to skip the second insertion point;
preventing the subsequent navigation request from skipping the second insertion point; and
causing the second advertisement to be presented when playback of the video content stream reaches the second insertion point.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the second insertion point in the subsequent portion of the video content stream comprises dynamically defining the second insertion point at a position where the source video resumes playback responsive to the other video navigation request to resume the playback of the video content stream.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the video navigation request comprises at least one of a request to fast-forward, skip, seek, or rewind the source video.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the second insertion point in the subsequent portion of the video content stream comprises:
identifying a shot boundary or a scene boundary in the subsequent portion of the video content stream; and
defining the second insertion point at the shot boundary or scene boundary.

8. A system comprising:
one or more processors;
memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform acts comprising:
sending a source video to a computing device to cause at least a portion of content included in the source video to be presented on a display associated with the computing device, wherein the source video includes a first insertion point at which to insert a first advertisement;
identifying a video navigation request, received at the system during a playback of the source video, to skip a first segment of the source video, wherein the first segment includes the first insertion point for the first advertisement;
based at least in part on identifying the video navigation request to skip the first segment of the source video, determining a second insertion point in a subsequent portion of the source video;
selecting a second advertisement identified as being contextually relevant to content included in the subsequent portion of the source video; and
inserting the second advertisement at the second insertion point for presentation on the display when the playback of the source video reaches the second insertion point.

9. A system as recited in claim 8 , the acts further comprising:
identifying another video navigation request, received at the system, to resume the playback of the source video,
wherein determining the second insertion point in the subsequent portion of the source video includes:
identifying a first time in the source video at which the other video navigation request was received; and
determining a second time in the source video at which to place the second insertion point, wherein the second time is subsequent the first time.

10. A system as recited in claim 8 , the acts further comprising determining, prior to sending the source video to the computing device, the first insertion point in the source at which to insert the first advertisement.

11. A system as recited in claim 8 , wherein determining the second insertion point in the subsequent portion of the source video comprises:
determining a position in the source video at which the playback of the source video resumes after the skip of the first segment of the source video; and
dynamically defining the second insertion point at the position in the source video.

12. A system as recited in claim 8 , wherein determining the second insertion point in the subsequent portion of the source video comprises:
identifying a shot boundary or a scene boundary in the subsequent portion of the source video; and
defining the second insertion point at the shot boundary or scene boundary.

13. A system as recited in claim 8 , the acts further comprising:
extracting metadata from the source video; and
identifying a portion of the metadata associated with the content included in the subsequent portion of the source video,
wherein selecting the second advertisement comprises determining that the second advertisement is contextually relevant to the portion of the metadata.

14. A system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the metadata comprises at least one of low-level content-based features or high-level semantic attributes.

15. One or more computer-readable data storage devices storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform acts comprising:
communicating a source video to a computing device to cause content included in the source video to be presented on a display associated with the computing device, wherein the source video includes a first insertion point at which to insert a first advertisement;
receiving a video navigation request to skip a first segment of the source video that includes the first insertion point;
determining, based at least in part on the video navigation request, a second insertion point in a subsequent segment of the source video;
selecting a second advertisement identified as being relevant to information in a user profile associated wit

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Hua Xian-Sheng
• Lai Wei
• Ma Wei-Ying
• Li Shipeng

Classifications

• H04N21/2387

  Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play · CPC title

• H04N21/23424 Primary

  involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement · CPC title

• H04N7/17318

  Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests · CPC title

• H04N21/812 Primary

  involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02) · CPC title

• H04N21/8133

  specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video programme · CPC title