Abstract:
A system and method for synchronizing broadcast advertising inventory data between a broadcast vendor system and a media buyer&#39;s media resource planning system features a database that stores advertising inventory data received from the broadcast vendor system and the media buyer&#39;s resource planning system. A matching application in communication with the database performs a comparison between a previous package of advertising inventory data and a revised package of advertising inventory data. An analysis application in communication with the matching application and the database enables a user to review results of the comparison and directs uploading of the revised package of advertising data from the database to the media buyer&#39;s resource planning system.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/722,795, filed Sep. 30, 2005, and U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/741,102, filed Nov. 30, 2005. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates generally to the management of advertising media and, more particularly, to the management of the inventory and invoicing of advertising time on broadcast media. 
     In the advertising media industry, corporations and other businesses (“clients”) purchases broadcast advertising time or spots from media buying companies (“buyers”). More specifically, clients and buyers agree on a broadcast media buying plan on an annual basis. The buyer then negotiates deals on a quarterly basis with cable networks (“networks” or “vendors”) or other broadcasting vendors, such as over-the-air broadcast television and radio and satellite television and radio, to meet the requirements of the media buying plan. Buyers typically operate a media resource planning system, such as Donovan Data Systems (DDS) Netpak, to assist in managing media campaigns. Such a system processes billings to clients, posts their payments and processes invoices from broadcast vendors and payments to them. 
     The advertising media landscape is changing very rapidly including increases in cable television advertising investment by businesses. Cascading from this, advertising time inventory is being exchanged at higher frequencies and unit (of advertising time) volume is increasing. This is making it increasingly difficult for buyers to ensure that client advertising dollars are invested as intended. In addition, the paper-based flow of unit inventory tracking is driving up labor costs and the turn-around or cycle time for invoice processing by buyers as they attempt to resolve discrepancies between advertising time units purchased and the actual advertising time units provided by the networks. 
     To reduce the invoice cycle time, buyers need to reduce the number of discrepant invoices for clients. To reduce the number of discrepant invoices, and address other shortcomings of a paper-based invoice tracking system, buyers require a system and method that automates synchronization of unit inventory between the buyers&#39; media resource planning systems and cable networks&#39; systems. Such a system and method would act as a bridge between the buyers&#39; media resource planning systems and the cable network systems so that the data relating to the inventory of advertising time available for cable networks stored on the computer systems is automatically synchronized on a daily basis. The present invention offers such a system and method. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a flow diagram illustrating the workflow of an embodiment of the system and method of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating the workflow of  FIG. 1  in terms of the system of the present invention, a network system and a buyer media resource planning system; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating the workflow of the inventory processing portion of an embodiment of the system and method of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a table illustrating the 8-way matching tiers in an embodiment of the system and method of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 5   a - 5   e  illustrate the inventory analysis screens presented to a user in an embodiment of the system and method of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating the workflow of the invoice processing portion of an embodiment of the system and method of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 7   a - 7   c  illustrate the invoice processing screens presented to a user in an embodiment of the system and method of the present invention; 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     The workflow of an embodiment of the system and method of the present invention, in relation to a buyer&#39;s media resource planning system (“DDS”) and a network&#39;s computer system, is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . More specifically, the buyer&#39;s DDS system is indicated at  10  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , while the network system is indicated at  12  and the system of the present invention (“MIM”) is indicated at  14 . As an example only, the MIM and DDS systems may communicate via a local area network, another network such as the Internet or other data transmission systems known in the art. The MIM and DDS systems may communicate with the network system via a network such as the Internet or other data transmission systems known in the art. 
     While the invention is described below in terms of use with a cable television network and DDS Netpak as the media resource planning system, it is to be understood that the system and method of the present invention could be used with other types of broadcast advertising media, including, but not limited to, over-the-air broadcast television and radio and satellite television and radio, and media resource planning systems. 
     The purchase of cable television advertising time is a combination of annual, quarterly and monthly transactions. On an annual basis, a client sends a budgeted amount for media buys to a buyer. The buyer presents to the client various scenarios for buying broadcast media to meet the budgets. The client and buyer then agree to a media buying plan. The buyer then negotiates deals with cable networks to fulfill the media buying plan. 
     On a quarterly basis, the client advises the buyer of any “options”, i.e. the amount by which to reduce the media buys. As illustrated at  16  in  FIG. 2 , the buyer then advises the cable networks of the reduction in purchases for the quarter. Each cable network responds with a flowchart that shows the dollars and inventory split out as number of units (30 second blocks of advertising time) by program by week in the quarter. There may be negotiation back and forth between the buyer and cable networks to arrive at an acceptable flowchart. 
     Acceptance of the flowchart is signaled by the buyer creating a package for a quarter in DDS, as illustrated at  20  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and a corresponding PHeader (technical parameters of the package in DDS). The package contains units of advertising time (a unit typically equals 30 seconds of advertising time). As illustrated at  22  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the buyer then sends the PHeader to a cable network. While the discussion below is presented in terms of a single cable network, it is to be understood that the process applies to multiple cable networks that all interact with the MIM system. 
     Receipt of the PHeader allows the cable network to send an original or initial inventory for the quarter, in other words, an original or initial package, to the system of the present invention, as indicated at  24  in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 . As indicated at  26  and  28  in  FIG. 3 , respectively, the package may be sent in TECC flat file format or an X.12 format EDI feed via Sterling Commerce. If the latter format is used, the EDI feed is translated into TECC flat file format, as indicated at  32  in  FIG. 3 . The package is then stored in the MIM system database, which is indicated at  34  in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and should be understood to include a database server. 
     The transmission of the original package for a quarter establishes the financial commitment to the cable network and the audience delivery commitment from the cable network. As an example of timing, the 1st Quarter 2007 inventory or package may be sent around the middle of October 2006. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the PHeaders created during a day are downloaded from DDS  10  into the MIM database  34  during a nightly refresh or update  36 . As indicated at  38 ( b ) in  FIG. 3 , a software application of the MIM system compares the header of the original package to the PHeaders in the MIM database to determine if the original package has valid codes. As indicated at  42  in  FIG. 3 , a user (buyer employee) reviews the results of the comparison using an analysis screen that is displayed via a “mission control” or analysis application  40 . If the package features valid header codes, the user approves the package, marks it as original and uploads it to the DDS system, as indicated at  44  in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The header comparison application may be resident on the same server  40  as the mission control application, or it may reside on a different server, indicated in phantom at  41  in  FIG. 2 , that also communicates with the MIM database  34 . 
     The original package uploaded into DDS does not have a product designated for the advertising units of the package. As indicated at  46  in  FIG. 1 , the “Steward” application of the DDS system  10  allocates brands or products to the advertising units of the original package and, as indicated at  48 , the updated packages are downloaded to MIM with the nightly update  36 . 
     After an initial or original package is submitted by a cable network to the buyer, the package will typically require updating as programming changes and other occurrences will require that the cable network make changes regarding the advertising units of the package. As a result, the cable networks will transmit revised versions of the original package in the same manner used for the original package ( 24  in  FIGS. 1-3  and  26 ,  28  and  32  in  FIG. 3 ). After the revised package is received by the MIM database ( 34  in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), it is compared with either the original package or the last version of the package received by the MIM database, as indicated at  38  in  FIG. 3 . 
     In addition to checking for a valid header for the package at  38 ( b ), the MIM system uses a multi-tier (8-way) match to compare the revised package with either the original package or the last version of the package received by the MIM database from the cable network, as indicated at  38 ( a ). The multi-tier (8-way) matching application may be resident on the same server as the mission control application ( 40  in  FIG. 2 ), or it may reside on a different server, indicated in phantom at  41  in  FIG. 2 , that also communicates with the MIM database  34 . This 8-way match is illustrated by the table of  FIG. 4 , where the columns of the table represent the fields of the units that make up a package. There are 8 tiers to the match logic summarized in the table of  FIG. 4  and described below. 
     In addition to the fields identified in the columns of table of  FIG. 4 , all matches are done within unique inventory sets identified by a cable network ID, an agency ID, a client code, an estimate no. and a package no. All matches include a comparison of the Cost per Second to within +/−2% even when Cost or Seconds themselves are ignored. Cost per Second never varies for matching units, even if split (splitting a 30 second unit into two 15 second spots), joined (joining two 30 second units into a 60 second spot) or moved to different programs or weeks. The match is done +/−2% to allow for rounding errors. Programs are identified by cable network, broadcast year, broadcast quarter, program name, start time and duration. A Week is the broadcast “week of” identified by the date of the Monday of the week. 
     In performing the 8-way match, the MIM system compares the units of the packages that are being compared for the applicable tier starting from the top of the table of  FIG. 4 , beginning with Tier  1 , and progressing to the bottom of the table of  FIG. 4 , ending with Tier  8 . As illustrated in the table of  FIG. 4 , the tiers of the 8-way match are as follows: 
     Tier  1 : Exact match by Network Serial Number (plus Program, Week, Cost and Seconds [length]). 
     Tier  2 : Match by Program, Week, Cost and Seconds—Essentially an exact match, but finds units that have changed products.
         a. With matching Product code   b. Without matching Product code       

     Tier  3 : Match by Week, Cost and Seconds (i.e., ignoring Program)—Detects units that have moved programs within a week.
         a. With matching Serial Number   b. With matching Product code   c. With matching Program       

     Tier  4 : Match by Program, Cost and Seconds (i.e., ignoring Week)—Detects units that have moved across weeks within the same program.
         a. With matching Serial Number   b. With matching Product code   c. Without Serial Number nor Product code       

     Tier  5 : Match by Program, Week and Seconds (i.e., ignoring Cost)—Detects units that have been re-priced.
         a. With matching Serial Number   b. With matching Product code   c. Without Serial Number nor Product code       

     Tier  6 : Match by Cost and Seconds (i.e., ignoring Product and Week)—Detects units that have moved to new weeks and programs.
         a. With matching Serial Number   b. With matching Product code   c. Without Serial Number nor Product code       

     Tier  7 : Match by Program and Week (i.e., ignoring Cost and Seconds—This tier detects split units (e.g., 1 unit of 30 seconds is matched to 2 units of 15 seconds), and/or joined units (e.g., 2 units of 30 seconds are matched to 1 unit of 60 seconds). 
     Tier  8 : The residue of units that cannot be matched. Any from the previous feed are flagged as deletions (pre-empts), and units from the new feed are flagged as insertions. 
     As a result of the 8-way match, the revised package, which has been compared by the match to either the original package or the last revised package received by the MIM database from the cable network, is assigned the appropriate tier number (1-8). This tier number is reviewed by a user (employee of the buyer) using the analysis screens of the MIM system as described below and indicated at  42  in  FIG. 3 . 
     After the 8-way match takes place, a user (buyer employee) may review the results to determine if the revised package is acceptable to the client. New original and revised packages from cable networks are constantly received by the MIM system throughout the day so that whenever the user logs onto the MIM mission control application ( 40  in  FIG. 2 ), he or she is presented with a listing of packages. To review the packages, with reference to  FIG. 5   a , after the user logs onto the MIM mission control application, he or she first selects a client code from a pull-down menu. As a result, all packages loaded into the MIM database ( 34  in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) for the client will be displayed to the user, as illustrated in  FIG. 5   b  for the client having client code “KG”. As will be explained below, packages that have been reviewed and approved or rejected by a user are indicated as “Processed” in the first column of the review screen. Packages that have not yet been reviewed by the user are indicated as “Pending.” 
     The user selects a “Pending” package from the screen of  FIG. 5   b  and the Mix Analysis by Week screen of  FIG. 5   c  is presented for the selected package. This screen compares total gross dollars, 30 second equivalized units and package percentages between the original or last approved package and the current selected package totals by week. This data is one of the key negotiation points for media buys. After the user analyzes any changes/fluctuations by week, he or she clicks on the “Next” button to perform a Mix by Analysis by Program. The user may click on “Back” to select a different package. 
     After the user clicks on the “Next” button of  FIG. 5   c , the Mix Analysis by Program screen of  5   d  is displayed. This analysis screen allows the user to analyze any inventory changes/fluctuations at the program level. Reviewing the mix of programs is done to ensure that purchased units are not being moved to lower value programs or bad time slots. The user may on the “Back” button to return to the weekly comparison, or may click on the “Next” button to enter the Comparison by Unit screen of  FIG. 5   e.    
     The Comparison by Unit screen of  FIG. 5   e  displays matched units, as detected using the 8-way matching tier logic above. The Comparison by Unit screen is divided into “Last Approved” and “Current Buys” columns. When the units are sent to MIM initially, they are all displayed under the “Current Buys” column. When the units are approved, they move to the “Last Approved” column. The tier column (first column on the left) of the analysis screen of  FIG. 5   e  displays a number 1 through 8 to represent the match status for each unit (each row of the screen of  FIG. 5   e ). The second column of the analysis screen of  FIG. 5   e  is the Change or “Chg” column. This column displays the change status for the unit using one of the following four codes:
         D=Deleted unit (row displays in grey)   A=Added unit (row displays in grey)   C=Changed unit (row displays in pink)   —=No change (row displays in white)       

     Using the analysis screen of  FIG. 5   e , the user can quickly review units moved across programs, weeks, both programs and weeks or that have been re-priced, split or joined. The user can also use the unit review screen to flag unacceptable units as not to be paid (No-Pay) and/or not to count toward audience delivery guarantees (No-Impressions) via audit codes. More specifically, after the user identifies and reviews revisions using the analysis screen of  FIG. 5   e , he or she marks each unit with the proper audit code using the “Audit Code” pull-down menu. In order to do so, the user selects the row of the unit of interest and then selects the appropriate audit code (for example: “A” for Approved, “NP” for No-Pay or Not Approved and “NI” for No-Impressions) from the “Audit Code” pull-down menu. The “All Units” box is part of the audit code function and, if checked, MIM will apply the selected audit code to every unit on the screen. If a unit is Approved, the user next selects the “Upload” button near the middle of the screen to accept the unit, and the selected unit is uploaded to the DDS system, as indicated by  44  in  FIG. 3 . This process is repeated for the units of all pending packages that are approved. Original units, i.e. units that have been received by MIM for the first time, such as with an initial or original package transmission or an added unit, may be indicated by selecting the “Original” button, also near the center of the analysis screen of  FIG. 5   e.    
     Once all of the units for a package have been analyzed, approved or rejected and successfully uploaded if approved, the “Status” column of the screen of  FIG. 5   b  changes to “Processed”. 
     As indicated at  50  in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an allocation spreadsheet listing the rejected units (No-Pay and No-Impressions) is sent by the MIM system via e-mail to the cable networks on a weekly basis. The spreadsheets may alternatively be sent at other time intervals, such as instantly after analysis by the buyer. 
     Once the approved packages are uploaded to DDS system, the Steward application ( 46  in  FIG. 1 ) allocates brands or products to the advertising units where necessary. The updated packages (having units with brands allocated) are downloaded to MIM with the nightly update  36  (illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 ). In addition, accepted packages are processed by the “Traffic” application of DDS, indicated at  52  in  FIG. 1 , which assigns actual commercials to the units of the accepted packages. This information is transmitted to the cable networks, as indicated at  54  in  FIG. 1 , preferably on a weekly basis. As an example only, the traffic information may be submitted to the cable network on a Wednesday of the current week for the next week&#39;s activity. 
     The inventory processing portion of the MIM system may optionally include a cable program estimator application program, which may be resident on either server  40  or  41  of  FIG. 2 . The estimator calculates a program rating for the next quarter by applying a year-over-year ratio, which is calculated using the most recent 3 month&#39;s ratings versus the ratings of corresponding months of the previous year. The year-over-year ratio is multiplied by the ratings for the same program during last year&#39;s quarter corresponding to the quarter being estimated (i.e. the quarter that the estimate is being created for). More specifically, the estimator may use the following algorithm:
 
Rating=( MR 3 /MRYA )* SQYA  
 
                                         Where:   MR3 =   the most recent of available 3 months of actual ratings           MRYA =   the actual ratings from the same 3 months last year           SQYA =   the ratings for the program being estimated from the               same quarter last year                    
The estimated rating is useful during analysis performed using the screens of  FIGS. 5   a  through  5   e  and may be uploaded to the DDS system.
 
     Clients are billed by the buyer using the DDS system for advertisement airings on a monthly basis. As an example only, clients may be billed mid-month for the expected airings that month. In addition, client payments are posted to the DDS system as they are received by the buyer. 
     Cable networks send invoices to the MIM system, as indicated at  60  in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , where they are stored on the system database. As an example only, the invoices for advertisement time aired during the month may be sent at the month&#39;s end. As indicated at  62  and  64  in  FIG. 6 , respectively, the invoices may be sent in TECC flat file format or an X.12 format EDI feed via Sterling Commerce. If the latter format is used, the EDI feed is translated into TECC flat file format, as indicated at  66  in  FIG. 6 . 
     Valid cable network invoices feature identifiers including the client code, product code, estimate number and package number. These are preferably obtained by the cable network from the PHeader data transmitted from DDS to the cable network as described above with reference to transfer  22  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . As indicated at  68  in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the MIM system, using an invoice application that resides on either server  40  or  41  of  FIG. 2 , checks that the invoice transmitted from the cable network contains a valid client code, product code, estimate number and package number. If so, the invoice is then stored in the MIM system database  34  ( FIG. 6 ). 
     As indicated at  70  and  71  in  FIG. 6 , the invoice application of the MIM system provides an invoice “Lookup” capability for users. More specifically, as illustrated by the initial Lookup screen presented in  FIG. 7   a , a user can search for invoices by client code/name, product code/name, estimate number, package number, station ID, month/year of service, invoice number or media type. After selecting the appropriate search filters, the user selects the “Submit” button to display a list of invoices, per the request parameters. The invoice items are displayed in the grid on the bottom of the page by invoice number, as illustrated by the screen of  FIG. 7   b . The user may select one of the invoices listed on the screen of  FIG. 7   b  to view a printable version of the invoice, as illustrated by the screen of  FIG. 7   c.    
     As indicated at  72  in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the cable network invoices are also passed to DDS from the MIM system for matching with client payments, as indicated at  74  in  FIG. 1 , and clearing and payment, as indicated at  76  and  78  in  FIG. 1 . More specifically, the identifiers of the cable network invoices are used in the DDS system to synchronize the invoices with the cable network inventory which, as described above, also features the PHeader identifiers. The identifiers of the cable network invoices are also used in DDS to synchronize the invoices with the bills to be sent to the client (which speeds getting bills out to the client). 
     While embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.