Patent ID: 8326685
Filing Date: 2012-12-04
Classification: G06Q,H04H,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of scheduling, comprising: (a) generating an ordered list of advertising spots (“spots”) from a select group of spots to be scheduled, wherein each of said spots has an associated scheduling factor; (b) selecting a first one of said spots; (c) assigning said first spot to a first commercial break location (“first break”) chosen from plural breaks as a function of a first cost assigned to each of said plural breaks, wherein each of said first costs is a function of a predetermined fixed parameter and wherein said fixed parameter is user defined; (d) selecting a second one of said spots; (e) determining a second cost for each unassigned break of said plural breaks, said second cost determined as a function of said first cost and as a function of a predetermined relative parameter; and (f) assigning said second spot to one of said unassigned breaks (“second break”) as a function of said second cost; wherein the steps of generating, selecting and assigning are performed by a microprocessor based system, wherein said relative parameter is selected from the group consisting of: interval of time between said first break and said second break, difference in day part of said first break and day part of said second break, difference between day of the week of said first break and day of the week of said second break, difference between a first product associated with said first spot and a second product associated with said second spot, and combinations thereof.