Implementing video contests

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to providing contests on the Internet. In particular, the present invention is directed toward determining a winning video from among entries in a video contest.

2. Description of Background Art

Promoters of goods and services have historically used contests as a way of generating interest in their products. From the world-famous Miss America pageant, which began in 1921 as a way to boost tourism for Atlantic City, N.J.; to soft drink manufacturers that affix a prize-winning bottle cap to a single bottle of a nationally-distributed product; to a radio station giving away free tickets to listeners who call in at precisely the right moment following the playing of a specified song, contests remain immensely popular because of their ability to attract attention, to the benefit of the contest promoter.

SUMMARY

The present invention enables the popularity of contests to be advantageously implemented in the digital video space. A video hosting site allows a contest owner to specify parameters to be used for a contest. Examples of parameters include contest name, description, how the contest will be judged, who may enter the contest, etc. Once the parameters are set, a contest manager initiates the contest on behalf of the contest owner. Contests have a submission phase, a voting phase, and a results phase. During the submission phase, contestants submit video entries to be judged in the contest. During the voting phase, visitors to the video hosting site cast votes on some or all of the entered videos. During the results phase, the votes are tabulated and a winning video is determined. Alternative embodiments allow variations on each phase, as described below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates a video hosting site100for providing video contests in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Video hosting site100includes a video database112for storing videos, a contest manager110managing creation and operation of video contests, a tabulation engine108for tabulating votes cast for each video entered in the contest, a contest database for storing contest-related data, a video upload server116for receiving videos uploaded by contest owners102, a video distribution server118for providing contest videos to voters106.

Video hosting site100enables video contests to be implemented on a video hosting site accessible over a network such as the Internet. YouTube of San Bruno, Calif., is an example of a suitable video hosting site. In operation, the site includes many additional components related to uploading, downloading, streaming, pre- and post-processing and other analysis of videos not described here in an effort to maintain clarity, as those functions are not germane to the described invention.

In general, video hosting site100receives uploaded video content from content providers, including contestants, and allows content to be viewed by content viewers, including voters. Video content may be uploaded via the Internet from a personal computer, through a cellular network from a telephone or PDA, or by other means for transferring data over a network known to those of skill in the art. Video content may be downloaded in a similar manner; in one embodiment video content is provided as a file download to a content viewer; in an alternative embodiment, video content is streamed to the content viewer. The means by which video content is received by video hosting site100need not match the means by which it is delivered to a content viewer. For example, a content provider may upload a video via a browser on a personal computer, whereas a content viewer may view that video as a stream sent to a PDA.

Content viewers view video content on video hosting site100via a user interface. Typically, a viewer runs a web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, and video distribution server118includes a web server such as Microsoft Internet Information Services. Using her browser, a viewer browses for content provided by video distribution server118and views content of interest, including video content.

A video contest may be run by the video hosting site100, or it may be run by a user of the hosting site. For convenience, we use the term “Contest owner” to refer to the entity running the contest, whether it be the hosting site100or a user of the site.

In an embodiment of the present invention, when a user submits a video as an entry in a contest, the video is assigned an entry identifier, for example a number. The number may be serial—i.e. the third entry receives the number “3” as its identifier; it may be determined by a function; or it may be random.

In one embodiment, when the entry is viewed, the entry's identifier is displayed alongside the entry. An entry may be accessed directly via the user interface, if the identifier is known. For example, a web page on video hosting site100may include a search criteria for an entry identifier. A voter that would like to view entry number “55” enters “55” into the search field and submits the query. The entry having the identifier of “55” is then returned for viewing.

The operation of video hosting site100is considered in greater detail below.

When a contest owner102indicates that she is ready to create a contest, she is provided by contest manager110with a contest creation page200such as that illustrated inFIG. 2. Contest creation page200allows the contest owner102to enter information about the contest, including general information202, submission acceptance information204, voting information206, and result announcement information208.

General information section202allows contest owner102to specify a name210for the contest; to supply tags212that facilitate a search for the contest by would-be contestants; a description214of the contest; a URL216that the contest owner102would like to use for the contest page; a selection of a contest icon218, which may be one provided by the owner218, or determined automatically220by contest manager110, for example by using an image associated with the contest owner's account on video hosting site100. Contest owner102also can specify whether the contest will allow voting by viewers222, or will instead be judged by the contest owner224. A link226is also provided to allow contest owner102to review the terms and conditions of contests hosted by video hosting site100.

The accepting submissions region204allows contest owner102to specify a start date228and end date230during which the contest will take place. The contest owner102can also specify using drop-down menu232whether the contest will be open to all users of video hosting site100, or to only certain users, such as those specifically invited by contest owner102, or those belong to pre-defined groups of users. Contest owner102can also specify at option234whether submissions should be viewable by others immediately, viewable only after approval by the contest owner102or her designee, or viewable after approval, but only during voting dates.

In voting region206, the contest owner102can specify a start date236and end date238during which voting will take place. Contest owner102can specify in region240whether vote counts will be viewable by others as votes are received, or only after results have been announced. In one embodiment, the contest owner can prohibit votes from being viewed at all, e.g., by not selecting either option in region240.

In the results section208, the contest owner102specifies the date242on which results will be announced, as well as how winners will be determined244—either automatically, based on the received vote counts, or manually, based on a selection by contest owner102. Finally, the contest owner102can specify which labels246should be displayed next to the first place video and second place video after the results have been announced. In one embodiment, additional labels such as third place, fourth place, etc., can also be specified.

Once the contest owner has specified all of the information for contest creation, she submits the information to contest manager110by clicking on a “Create Contest” button248.

Contest manager110then uses the received parameters to initialize a new contest. The contest parameters are associated with contest owner102, and are stored in contest database120. A contest web page300such as that illustrated inFIG. 3is automatically created in one embodiment at the URL specified by contest owner102in region216of the contest creation page200. Contest web page300provides the contest name302, status304, and relevant contest dates306. A “submit a video” button308invites viewers to submit an entry to the contest. In one embodiment, web page300also includes a link310to a discussions board, maintained by video hosting site100, where users of the site can discuss the contest and related entries. Finally, web page300includes a link312to a list of videos that have been entered into the contest (subject to the parameters specified in region234of the contest creation page). In the illustrated case ofFIG. 3, no videos are available for viewing, since the contest was just created.

To submit a video entry, a contestant104selects the “submit a video” button308. The contestant104is then presented with a web page400such as that inFIG. 4. In the illustrated embodiment, a contestant104can submit an existing video that she previously uploaded to hosting site100and stored in video database112, or she may upload a new video. Two buttons402,404, allow the contestant104to indicate whether to use an existing video or upload a new one.

If the contestant indicates that she would like to use an existing video, i.e. by clicking button402, a web page500is presented from which contestant104can select a previously uploaded video from a drop-down box502.

Alternatively, if the contestant104chooses to upload a new video by selecting button404, a web page600is presented. Web page600allows contestant104to fill in descriptive information602about the video being entered, such as its title, description, category, tags, and the like. In one embodiment, privacy parameters may be set by contestant104for the video, e.g., so that only the contest owner102can see the video; in alternative embodiments any video entered in the contest is automatically made publicly available.

Once the contestant has entered the descriptive information602, she may choose either to upload a video from her computer by selecting button604, or she may indicate that she would like to record a video in real time using a video input device by selecting button606.

Once the video has been uploaded to video upload server116, it is stored in video database112, and contest manager110stores an association in contest database120between the uploaded video and the contest it was entered into. In one embodiment, the uploaded video is also made available for distribution to the public by video distribution server118outside of the contest context, e.g., being viewable in the same manner as a stored video that is not part of a contest. In one embodiment a page on which the video is viewed includes indicia that the video is part of a contest. The indicia may include a link to the contest web page300.

Once the voting time window arrives, voters106may vote on videos in the contest. Voters may discover a contest by browsing video hosting site100for a list of contests, searching for a specific contest, or coming randomly upon a video that indicates it is part of a contest.FIG. 7illustrates a web page700suitable for receiving contest votes in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, when a voter106arrives at the contest voting page, a main video702is presented. The main video702is the video that is to be voted on, and is selected randomly from among all videos in video database112that are entered into the contest. In an alternative embodiment, a voter enters a specific URL or follows a link from a specific entry's page in order to vote on a desired video. Web page700includes descriptive information704about the video702, including the entry number716of the video, a contest status indicator706, and voting buttons708,710. In one embodiment, web page700includes a banner712or other advertisement placed by contest owner102. In one embodiment, web page700also displays a set714of other videos entered in the contest. A voter can immediately access any of the other displayed videos by clicking on the desired video.

To vote, the voter106selects one of the voting buttons708,710. In the illustrated embodiment, the voter's choices are “I like it!”708and “Not so much”710, accompanied by a thumbs-up sign and thumbs-down sign, respectively. Many other rating methods may be employed in other embodiments, examples including a star rating system, a numerical rating system, a comparative rating system (e.g., “this is my favorite video”, “this is my least favorite video”, etc.), and the like.

In one embodiment, a voter106must be logged in to video hosting site100before being allowed to cast a vote in order to prevent a single voter from voting multiple times for the same video. In an alternative embodiment, when a voter votes on a video, a cookie is placed on the voter's computer to indicate that the vote has taken place and prevent future voting on the same video.

Tabulation engine108receives votes from voters106and keeps track of the score for each video in the contest. In one embodiment, once voting has begun a video's score is displayed along with the video. In an alternative embodiment, the video's score is hidden during the voting period. At the end of the voting period, the score for each video is tabulated in order to select a contest winner.

A video's score in one embodiment is the total number of positive votes it receives. In another embodiment, its score is the number of positive votes received, minus the number of negative votes it receives. In an another embodiment, tabulation engine108normalizes the voting score based on the number of views a video has received—e.g., a video with 51 positive votes and 49 negative votes should score less favorably than a video with 9 positive votes and 1 negative vote. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, these and many other scoring algorithms may be employed to determine a score for each video.

Once the tabulations are complete, a winning video is determined. In one embodiment, the winning video is the video with the highest tabulated score. In one embodiment, runners-up are also determined, i.e., second-highest score, third-highest score, etc. In an alternative embodiment, contest owner102manually selects the winner of the contest. This may be done with regard to the votes received for each video, including any weightings or other scoring applied by tabulation engine108, but need not be.

In one embodiment, results of the contest are made available on the contest web page800as inFIG. 8.FIG. 8includes the winning video, as well as descriptive information804about the winning video. A “First Place” emblem806announces that the video802has received the first place award. A status indicator808indicates the status of the contest (“Results Announced”, in this case). Thumbnail links810to the second, third and fourth-place winners are also provided in one embodiment. An “About this contest” area812displays the description of the contest previously supplied by contest owner102. In one embodiment (not shown), the total votes received by each of the displayed videos is also included.FIG. 9illustrates another embodiment in which the runner-up videos are not displayed.

FIG. 10illustrates a method for providing video contests in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Initially, contest manager110receives1002contest parameters from contest owner102. Content manager110then initiates1004the contest with the specified parameters. Video hosting site100receives1006votes from voters106, and tabulation engine108stores1008the votes in contest database120. Following the end of the voting period, tabulation engine108tabulates1010the received votes to determine a score for each video. From the scores, tabulation engine108then determines1012which is the winning video.

In one embodiment, a voter106can subscribe to a contest owner's contests—that is, the voter can ask to be notified by video hosting site100whenever there is a change in a contest belonging to a specific contest owner, e.g., when voting opens or closes, or when results are announced. In addition, a voter can be notified when that contest owner begins a new contest. Notification by video hosting site100may be, for example, via e-mail, telephone or postal mail, or by a notification to the voter106when the voter logs on to video hosting site100.

In one embodiment, contest owner102integrates the contest on a web site associated with the contest owner. For example, contest owner102may have a page on its web site, or a portion of a page, on which contest videos are displayed via an embedded video player calling back to contestant videos located at video hosting site100. Visitors to the contest owner's web site can vote as described above, and data is passed back to video hosting site100for tabulation and scoring.