Advertising that is relevant to a person

A person is viewing a display. By evaluating tracked information about the person, the display and/or the content being viewed, a tracking system determines that an opportunity exists to present an advertisement that is relevant to the person in the context of the person currently viewing the display. The tracking system provides advertiser data for the advertisement and instructions for generating the advertisement to a synthesis system local to the viewer and the viewer's display system, which dynamically synthesizes the advertisement and provides it to the display.

BACKGROUND

Conventional broadcast television advertising models developed during the 1950's and 1960's are threatened by numerous forces in today's broadcast market. Costly, pre-produced commercials are today seen by ever fewer people as viewers disperse across a broad range of choices, channels and networks. Additionally, new technologies such as digital video recorders, also known as personal video recorders or digital personal video recorders, enable viewers to skip commercials altogether. Techniques for the targeting of advertisements are meager allowing rough targeting based only on the content of the media, the demographics of the audience of a particular television show, or the demographics of residents in an area having a particular zip code.

Some industry experts question how long the old world approach can last before the entire system becomes impossible to justify.

SUMMARY

A person is viewing a display. By evaluating tracked information about the person, the display and/or the content being viewed, a tracking system determines that an opportunity exists to present an advertisement that is relevant to the person in the context of the person currently viewing the display.

The tracking system provides advertiser data for the advertisement and instructions for generating the advertisement to a synthesis system local to the viewer and the viewer's display system, which dynamically synthesizes the advertisement and provides it to the display.

The tracking system may also generate additional data for the advertisement. The additional data may be based on information that is not accessible by the advertiser or that the advertiser is unable to correlate to the advertisement. This additional data may target and/or personalize the advertisement without compromising the person's privacy.

While the tracking system may notify an advertiser of the opportunity and request advertiser data, the advertiser is not aware to which person the advertisement is going to be presented, and therefore cannot personalize the advertisement at its end.

The synthesis system may include a three-dimensional (3D) rendering engine, and the advertiser data (and possibly also the additional data) may be data from which at least one three-dimensional (3D) object can be rendered. Such data is generally far less expensive to create, requires less storage space and can be transmitted more quickly than pre-produced elements.

The advertiser data may include pre-produced elements. For example, the advertisement may be a complex advertisement with pre-produced video incorporated as an animated texture map into a 3D object.

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described below is a new approach to advertising where opportunities to present advertisements that are relevant to a particular person are based on multiple contexts including the identity of the particular person. Those advertisements are generated dynamically in real-time for display to that particular person. The advertisements are filtered and scaled in context and presented to the person currently viewing a display.

A person may be willing to let a tracking system collect, monitor and evaluate tracked information about multiple contexts, including, for example, the person, the content being viewed on the display and logistical information about the display and its environment. The tracking system may be located inside the person's home or at some other trusted location, so that the personal information stored therein is protected. The tracking system will then evaluate the tracked information to determine the opportunities to present relevant advertisements.

The advertisement may be composed from data that originates with the advertiser and additional data that is based on information that is not accessible by the advertiser or that the advertiser is unable to correlate to the advertisement. The additional data targets and/or personalizes the advertisement without releasing personal information about the person to the advertiser.

The advertisement may include rendered three-dimensional (3D) objects. The data that originates with the advertiser may be instructions on how to render these objects.

FIG. 1is a schematic diagram of an exemplary advertising system. In a premises102, one or more persons are viewing a display104of a device106. A non-exhaustive list of examples for device106includes a television set, a cellular telephone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a monitor of a computer, a computer with an integrated display, a home-entertainment hub, an ambient information display system (e.g. projections, etc.) and the like.

Device106receives media content from one or more sources. A non-exhaustive list of examples for the sources of media content include satellite communications via a satellite dish and receiver; cable communications via a head-end, cables and a set-top box; Internet communications via an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and modem; a wide-area wireless network provider (e.g. phone carrier) and a radio receiver; a local-area wireless network provider (e.g. hotel, apartment, university) and a radio receiver; and the like.

Regardless of the source, media content received by device106passes through or is accessible by one or more devices108. One of devices108may be integrated into device106. One or more of devices108may be coupled to device106via any combination of wired, wireless or other suitable connections, possibly via one or more networks110. If not integrated into device106, device108is not necessarily located inside premises102but is preferably in a trusted environment.

The person may also have another device116with a display114that is able to be viewed by the person inside and outside premises102. A non-exhaustive list of examples for device116includes a cellular telephone, a smart phone, a PDA, a portable computer, an automotive entertainment and telematics system, and the like. Device116may receive media content from at least one source, and this media content passes through or is accessible by one or more of devices108. One of devices108may be integrated into device116. One or more of devices108may be coupled to device116.

FIG. 2is a block diagram of an exemplary advertising system. A system200comprises an advertisement synthesis system202coupled to display104, a tracking system204coupled to synthesis system202, and an advertiser system206coupled to tracking system204.

Tracking system204receives as input media content (indicated by arrow209) and other input (indicated by arrow210). As explained below, tracking system204receives advertiser data from advertiser system206, either in advance or in response to a request for such advertiser data. Tracking system204generates additional data and determines instructions for generating the advertisement in a manner that is configured for imminent presentation in display104. Tracking system204provides the advertiser data, additional data and instructions to synthesis system202. Synthesis system202builds the advertisement and provides it along with presentation control data to display104.

In one embodiment, device108comprises tracking system204and synthesis system202, and device108is integrated into device106.

In another embodiment, device108comprises tracking system204and synthesis system202, and device108is coupled to device106.

In yet another embodiment, device106comprises display104and synthesis system202, and device108, whether integrated into device106or coupled thereto, comprises tracking system204.

Advertiser system206may be implemented in a server112that is coupled to at least one of one or more networks110. Advertiser system206may be operated by or on behalf of a business, a public relations firm, an advertising agency, a content provider, a public service organization, a government agency, or any other suitable organization. Advertiser system206may comprise a repository of advertiser data.

FIG. 3is a block diagram of exemplary information collected, monitored and evaluated by a tracking system. Tracking system204may collect, monitor and evaluate various types of information, including, for example, logistical information310, content information320and viewer information330. At least some of content information320is gleaned from the media content input to tracking system204. Logistical information310and viewer information330are exemplary types of other input received by tracking system204. This collection and monitoring may be ongoing, independent of whether anyone is currently viewing the display.

Logistical information310may include characteristics312of display104(114), for example, its size, resolution, color, depth, polychromatic/monochromatic screen, and the like. Logistical information310may include information314on networks available to tracking system204. Tracking system204uses this information to know which networks are available to it to reach advertiser system206. Logistical information310may include location information316regarding device106(116). For example, if device106(116) includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, it can assess its location and share that with tracking system204. Logistical information310may also include ambient sensor data regarding device106(116). The ambient sensor data may include, for example, light and sound levels, motion, and other data from the user's environment that help establish context.

Content information320may include, for example, any of the following information regarding media content currently being viewed by the person on display104(114): title322, genre324, category326, and any other suitable metadata328of the media content. Content information320may also include the placement and/or size of the particular media feed(s) on display104(114).

Tracking system204may store viewer information330for one or more persons. For example, if used in a home setting, tracking system204may store viewer information330for different members of the family. If used in a purely individual setting, tracking system204may store viewer information330for one person. Viewer information330may include, for example,a) a profile332of the person, which may include, for example, the person's interests and hobbies, the person's sex, age, locale, profession, subscriptions and memberships, ethnicity, marital status, personal characteristics such as parent, pet owner, very tall or short, and the like;b) a personal information management system334for the person, which may include, for example, the person's address book (list of contacts), calendar, mail and/or message store, a task list, notes and the like;c) a purchasing history336of the person;d) the person's advertising preferences340, which may include, for example, a record of which advertisements the person has interacted with in the past, and/or a record of which advertisements the person has immediately dismissed, if such a capability to dismiss exists, search terms the person has used, media consumption (viewing and listening) history, a preferred look and feel for advertisements, and the like; ande) general system filters342configured by or on behalf of the person. For example, in a family setting, parents may configure tracking system204not to present any advertisements to children.

FIG. 4is a flowchart of an exemplary method for advertising to be implemented by tracking system204. For example, tracking system204may implement the method using hardware, software, firmware, or any suitable combination thereof.

At402, tracking system204collects and monitors tracked information. The tracked information may include, for example, any or a combination of logistical information310, content information320and viewer data330.

At404, tracking system204checks whether it has received an identification of a person currently viewing display104(114). If not, then the method resumes from402. This identification may be done in any number of ways. For example, a biometric sensor in device106(116) or a remote control or other accessory of device106(116) may identify the person. In another example, the person may log onto device106(116) and/or device108, thus providing identification. In yet another example, cameras or other sensors may detect and identify the person. In yet another example, the device having the display may be used solely by the person, so any use of the device may imply that the person is viewing the display.

If tracking system204has received an identification of the person currently viewing display104(114), then at406tracking system204evaluates the tracked information corresponding to that person and to the context of the person viewing currently viewing display104(114). The evaluation may be performed by weighting different factors in the tracked information, assessing a relevancy function in the weighted factors, and setting a relevancy threshold that, when met (checked at408), triggers tracking system204. The relative weights and relevancy threshold may be configured as part of the general system filters342.

If the relevancy threshold is not met, the method resumes from402. If the relevancy threshold is met, this means that an opportunity to present an advertisement that is relevant to the person in the context of the person viewing the display exists, as indicated at410.

Tracking system204then checks at412whether advertiser data for such an advertisement is resident locally in device108. If not, tracking system204then notifies advertiser system206at414of the opportunity, without identifying the person to advertiser system206. If tracking system204is unable to retrieve advertiser data from advertiser system206(checked at416), the method resumes from402. Otherwise, at418tracking system204retrieves the advertiser data for the advertisement from advertiser system206.

If tracking system204already has advertiser data or retrieves it, then the opportunity can be realized. At420, tracking system204generates additional data for the advertisement. This data is generated based on information that is not accessible by advertiser system206or that advertiser system206is unable to correlate to the advertisement.

At422, tracking system204determines instructions for generating the advertisement in a manner that is configured for imminent presentation in display104(114), and at424, the advertiser data, the additional data, and the instructions are provided to synthesis system202. Some of the instructions may have originated at advertiser system206and may relate to how the advertisement is to be presented, including how the advertisement looks, sounds and behaves. For example, an advertiser may specify a minimum size for an advertisement or may provide different sets of advertiser data for different types of displays.

When determining the instructions, tracking system204may take into account how much space is available in display104(114) for the advertisement. This will depend both on logistical information (for example, the size of display104(114)) and content information (for example, the placement and/or size of the particular media feed(s) currently being presented on display104(114)).

The instructions determined by tracking system204may specify how long the advertisement is to persist, how loud it is to play relative to other feeds on the display, how much motion the advertisement is to have, how much of the resources of synthesis system202can be used to synthesize the advertisement, and the like.

The advertiser data may include pre-produced elements for inclusion in the advertisement. A non-exhaustive list of examples for pre-produced elements includes audio, video, text, animations, data sets, and the like.

Synthesis system202may comprise a 3D rendering engine208. The advertiser data and/or additional data may include data that is used by 3D rendering engine208to build, composite and animate a 3D advertisement dynamically. The style and look of the resulting advertisement may depend on several factors, including, for example, the context, the capabilities of 3D rendering engine208, the context and the advertising preferences of the targeted viewer. For example, some rendered advertisements may be photorealistic, while others may be cartoon-like.

A 3D advertisement rendered dynamically by synthesis system202may also have pre-produced elements embedded therein.

The additional data generated by tracking system204may personalize the advertisement to the person currently viewing the display.

Specific examples of advertiser data, additional data and instructions are described below with respect toFIGS. 5,6,7and8.

FIG. 5is an illustration of an example view of a display. The display has a multiple picture-in-picture (PiP) environment, which is a layout in which the viewer can have multiple panes of content open and/or playing at the same time. The viewer is free to jump around or change focus as desired. A pane502contains the main in-focus feed—a televised downhill ski competition.

A 3D object504is an advertisement promoting a weekend getaway offer, rendered by synthesis system202. In this example, tracking system204has been triggered to present this advertisement because the weighted combination of the following tracked information monitored by tracking system204has been evaluated and found to exceed the relevancy threshold: (a) the person viewing the display has listed skiing as an interest or hobby (in profile332), (b) the person is watching media content that involves downhill skiing, (c) at some point in the past (as recorded in purchasing history336) the person stayed at an area ski lodge, possibly even the Alpine Ski House that is being advertised. 3D object504may be interactive. For example, focusing on and selecting the snow globe may link to a website or some other type of sales media, or may cause a more detailed advertisement to be rendered by synthesis system202and presented in the display.

The more information made available to tracking system204, the more targeted and/or personalized the advertising experience can be. For example, if, when requesting advertiser data from advertiser system206, tracking system204notifies advertiser system206that the person is a vegetarian (as stored in profile332), advertiser system206may compile an offer that includes a vegetarian meal plan.

FIG. 6is an illustration of another example view of the display ofFIG. 5. Pane502now contains a different main in-focus feed—a ski event broadcast through the Internet. The televised downhill ski competition is in a smaller pane602. Since more of the display is dedicated to media content, less space is available for the presentation of advertisements. A 3D object604is a smaller version of the advertisement promoting the weekend getaway offer.

Another 3D object606is an advertisement for flowers. The advertisement was generated from advertiser data that instructs synthesis system202how to create a photorealistic bouquet. Tracking system204has generated additional data that personalizes the advertisement with the message “A beautiful bouquet for Julie's birthday tomorrow?” and instructions that synthesis system202uses to animate the bouquet and the message. In this example, tracking system204has been triggered to present this advertisement because the weighted combination of the following tracked information monitored by tracking system204has been evaluated and found to exceed the relevancy threshold: (a) tomorrow is Julie's birthday, which is noted in the calendar of the person viewing the display, (b) flowers were sent on previous birthdays according to the person's purchase history, and (c) the tracking system204stores a frequent-customer virtual punch-card. Even though this advertisement is unrelated to with the media content being watched, the weighted combination of the tracked information is sufficiently high to trigger tracking system204.

FIG. 7is an illustration of a further example view of a display. In this example, the display is being watched by a teenaged girl and her father. As withFIGS. 5 and 6, the display has a multiple picture-in-picture (PiP) environment. A pane702contains a main in-focus feed—a televised fashion show. A 3D object704is a time-sensitive advertisement from a local business. Tracking system204has been triggered to present this advertisement because the weighted combination of the following tracked information monitored by tracking system204has been evaluated and found to exceed the relevancy threshold: (a) the teenaged girl has received services from this business in the past (as recorded in her purchasing history336), (b) her profile332indicates a strong interest in this type of service, (c) she is watching media content related to the services that this business offers, and (d) tracking system204was recently notified by this particular business that time-sensitive offers are available (an attempt by this business to elevate its status or visibility among competitors). Focusing on and selecting the compact will lead to a more detailed advertisement which states that a haircut, manicure or makeup application will be 25% off if the appointment is made for this afternoon.

3D object704is a complex advertisement that is rendered dynamically. 3D object704is a composite of rendered 3D elements such as a mirrored makeup compact706and a lipstick708, and pre-produced elements such as a looping video clip and audio voiceover track. The looping video clip is displayed in the lower mirror, referenced710, while a partial reflection712of the video clip is displayed in the upper mirror. The advertiser data includes not only the code for determining size, color, texture, text and type of model to build and animate, but also the looping video clip and audio voiceover track. The video is incorporated into the 3D object as an animated texture map and synchronized to the moving images.

A 3D object714is an advertisement from a garage that winter tires are on sale. Tracking system204has been triggered to present this advertisement, which is relevant to the father, because various tracked information monitored by tracking system204has been evaluated and found to exceed the relevancy threshold: (a) the father's purchase history indicates that five years ago, he bought tires that are supposed to last 50,000 miles—statistically, these tires must be replaced now, and (b) the father's purchase history indicates that he does business with this garage.

FIG. 8is an illustration of yet another example view of a display. This display is in a mobile device that has location information. In this example, the person using the mobile device and viewing its display enjoys music. A portion802of the display shows which music is currently being played on the device. A 3D object804is an advertisement for a music store. Tracking system204has been triggered to present this advertisement because the weighted combination of the following tracked information monitored by tracking system204has been evaluated and found to exceed the relevancy threshold: (a) the person's strong interest in music (as expressed in profile332), (b) the current location of the mobile device (location316), and (c) the person's purchasing history336indicates frequent purchases at music stores, although not at Manny's Music, since this is the person's first visit to the city where Manny's Music is located.

FIG. 9is an illustration of an exemplary system for implementing embodiments of the invention, the system including one or more computing devices, such as computing device900. Devices106and116, server112and device108are all computing devices. In its most basic configuration, device900typically includes at least one processing unit902and memory904. Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device, memory904may be volatile (such as random access memory (RAM)), non-volatile (such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, etc.) or some combination of the two. This most basic configuration is illustrated inFIG. 9by dashed line906.

Additionally, device900may also have additional features or functionality. For example, device900may also include additional storage (removable and/or non-removable) including, but not limited to, magnetic or optical disks or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated inFIG. 9by removable storage908and non-removable storage910.

Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Memory904, removable storage908and non-removable storage910are all examples of computer storage media. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, compact disk ROM (CD-ROM), digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by computing device900. Any such computer storage media may be part of device900.

Device900may also contain communication connection(s)912that allow the device to communicate with other devices. Communication connection(s)912is an example of communication media. Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media. The term computer readable media as used herein includes both storage media and communication media.

Device900may also have input device(s)914such as keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, etc. Output device(s)916such as a display, speakers, printer, etc. may also be included. All these devices are well known in the art and need not be discussed at length here.