Patent Publication Number: US-2015073908-A1

Title: Method for broadcasting content on a plurality of communication channels

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a §371 application from PCT/EP2013/053981 filed Feb. 27, 2013, which claims priority from French Patent Application No. 12 51833 filed Feb. 29, 2012, each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of methods and systems for broadcasting content. 
     The present invention more particularly relates to a method for broadcasting a dynamic and interactive piece of advertising content on a plurality of communication channels comprising a synchronization step. 
     PRIOR ART 
     Advertising has acquired great importance in today&#39;s economy, in the measure that it enables the stimulation of product sales, which has strategic value for companies. 
     Currently, pieces of advertising content can be broadcast on various communication channels. Examples include print media, television, radio, digital or traditional displays, or the Internet channel. 
     Thus, a commercial company wishing to launch a new product, or else improve the sales of an existing product, may choose one or more of the above-mentioned channels to launch an advertising campaign. 
     A mobile telecommunications operator can for example launch a new type of contract by accompanying this launch with displays in the streets of a town or on public transport, and by leading a parallel campaign on the Internet channel. 
     However, no technical solution exists today for broadcasting a piece of advertising content on a plurality of communication channels in a synchronized manner. 
     OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention intends to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a method making it possible to broadcast a piece of advertising content on a plurality of communication channels in a synchronized manner. 
     For this purpose, the present invention concerns, in the most general sense of the term, a method for broadcasting content, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: 
     broadcasting a dynamic and interactive piece of advertising content on a plurality of communication channels; and 
     synchronizing with the aim of broadcasting a piece of advertising content linked to one and the same advertiser on said communication channels in a given time interval and at a given geographical location. 
     Thus, the method according to the present invention allows the real-time synchronization of the information channels to deliver a piece of advertising content at the same moment. 
     According to one embodiment, said communication channels comprise the Internet channel. 
     According to one embodiment, said communication channels comprise the television channel. 
     According to one embodiment, said communication channels comprise the radio broadcasting channel. 
     According to one embodiment, said communication channels comprise print media. 
     According to one embodiment, said communication channels comprise the cinema. 
     According to one embodiment, said communication channels comprise outdoor displays. 
     According to a particular implementation, said communication channels comprise digital outdoor displays. 
     In a variant, said communication channels comprise a mobile telecommunications network. 
     Advantageously, said method furthermore includes a step of recognition of a user, following an action carried out by this user, by said advertiser following the broadcasting of said piece of advertising content. 
     In a variant, said time interval has a duration of half an hour. 
     In another variant, said time interval has a duration of one hour. 
     In another variant, said time interval has a variable duration. 
     Advantageously said method furthermore includes a step of exploiting data related to users for broadcasting the piece of content. 
     Preferably, said method furthermore includes a step of exploiting information linked to current events for broadcasting the piece of content. 
     The present invention also relates to a system for broadcasting content comprising at least one data server, characterized in that it comprises means for: 
     broadcasting a dynamic piece of advertising content on a plurality of communication channels; and 
     performing a synchronization with the aim of broadcasting a piece of advertising content linked to one and the same advertiser on said communication channels in a given time interval and at a given geographical location. 
     Advantageously, said system furthermore includes geolocation subsystem, e.g., a global positioning system (GPS), to obtain and store geolocation information related to users in a digital database. 
     Preferably, said system furthermore includes a digital database including data related to users. 
     According to one embodiment, said system furthermore includes a Decision-Making Artificial Intelligence sub-system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood using the description, given hereinbelow for purely explanatory purposes, of an embodiment of the invention, with reference to the figures wherein: 
         FIG. 1  represents the system according to the present invention in one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the system according to the present invention in one embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  represents an example of synchronization of advertising content on different channels; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the various steps of the method according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  represents the system according to the present invention in one embodiment; and 
         FIG. 6  represents a server according to the present invention in one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     The method according to the present invention allows the synchronization in real time of the information channels to deliver a piece of advertising content at the same moment. 
     The present invention relates to a method for broadcasting content, including the following steps: 
     broadcasting a dynamic and interactive piece of advertising content on a plurality of communication channels; and 
     synchronization with the aim of broadcasting a piece of advertising content linked to one and the same advertiser on said communication channels in a given time interval and at a given geographical location. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the various steps of the method according to the present invention. 
     The various broadcasting channels are as follows:
         Television;   Print media/Magazines;   Internet;   Mobile;   Cinema;   Digital and conventional displays; and   Radio.       

     The present invention allows a change in the way multimedia content, such as advertisement, is broadcasted on certain channels (Displays, Cinema, TV, Print media, Radio). Specifically, an advertisement will have a priority dependent on the price that the advertiser is prepared to pay; this can work as an auction system, for example. 
     On digital displays, the system according to the present invention uses an Internet connection (3G, optical, satellite, WiMAX). 
     On digital displays, the sending of multimedia files on digital displays is done by way of a peer-to-peer system, or ftp, or else http, or else streaming. 
       FIG. 3  represents an example of synchronization of multimedia content, e.g., advertising content, on different channels. 
     At an instant T, an advertisement can be broadcast on different communication channels at the same moment. 
     For example, with reference to  FIG. 3 , during the time interval  2 , advertisements for RENAULT® cars are broadcast on a plurality of broadcasting channels: television, displays, mobile and radio. RENAULT® is a registered trademark of Renault. 
     In the same way, during the time interval  7 , advertisements for LEVI&#39;S® jeans are broadcast on a plurality of broadcasting channels: displays, mobile and offline. LEVI&#39;S® is a registered trademark of Levi Strauss &amp; Co. 
     During the time interval  9 , advertisements for the DISNEYLAND® Paris theme park are also broadcast on a plurality of broadcasting channels: television, displays, mobile, offline and radio. DISNEYLAND® is a registered trademark of Walt Disney Productions Corporation. 
     Based on Decision-making Artificial Intelligence sub-system  310 , the real-time server  300  and/or automated database management system  400  according to the present invention learns every day by drawing this information from the behavior of a web surfer and his or her environment. 
     The automated database management system  400  and/or the real-time server  300  according to the present invention extracts this information and stores in the database  405 :
         Sites visited by a web surfer;   Layout of the Internet connections;   The current economy of the country;   New burgeoning industries;   Sudden events that can change a way of life (natural disaster, discovery of a new natural resource).       

     This learning and analysis involves the Internet in the measure that it is the place where Information congregates (news, blogs, forums, scientific research sites etc.) 
     The consumers  800 , i.e. the web surfers that have been found, will be placed in pools or segments  810  as a function of the collected information (tastes, type of purchase, behavior, time slot). 
     This grouping into pools  810  (segments  810 ) by the real-time server  300  and/or the automated database management system  400  makes it possible to increase targeting (conversions). This also makes it possible for the centralized multimedia server  200  to target specific segments (audiences). 
       FIG. 1  represents the system  1000  according to the present invention in an embodiment. A dynamic content system  100  and a static content system  110 , which house or stores various multimedia content in their respective databases  105 ,  115 , are represented in  FIG. 1 . These two content systems  100 ,  110  interact with a centralized multimedia or advertising processor-based server  200 , which is connected to a real-time server  300  and an automated digital database manager  400 . 
     The centralized multimedia server  200 , illustrated in  FIG. 1 , is connected to a synchronization system  500 , itself connected to a centralized distribution system  600 , which interacts with various distribution systems  700 : the distribution system for television, the distribution system for the Internet channel, the distribution system for the “mobile” channel, the distribution system for radio etc. These different distribution systems  700  make it possible to distribute multimedia content, e.g., advertising content, to the consumer. 
     In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the centralized multimedia or advertising server  200  and real-time server  300  comprises a server processor  210 , a memory  220 , a network connection facility  230  to connect/communicate with various components of the system as shown in  FIG. 1 , an optional graphics processor  240  to process multimedia content for distribution on the various distribution systems  700  and an optional video processor  250  to process multimedia content for distribution on the various distribution system  700 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the system  1000  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention. This figure more specifically represents the automated digital database manager or automated analyzer  400 . Data to be analyzed are selected from the database  405  by the automated digital database manager  400  to obtain the target data, at step  410 . Then, the automated digital database manager  400  performs a collection phase to obtain pre-processed and converted data, which are stored in the database  405 , at step  420 . The server processor  210  of the real-time server  300  performs analysis on the data to obtain sequences, which are stored in the database  405  and/or temporarily stored in memory  220 , at step  430 . The server processor  210  of the real-time server  300  then interprets the analyzed data at step  440  to obtain so-called “knowledge” data that can be exploited by the system  1000  at step  450 . That is,  FIG. 2  indicates the operation of the automated analyzer  400  of consumer behavior. In accordance with an aspect of the claimed invention, the server processor  210  of the real-time server  300  can implement an approach of Fayyad et al. (1996), which represents the general process in the context of data resulting from the observation of consumer activity. 
       FIG. 5  represents the system  1000  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention. As represented in this  FIG. 5 , the system  1000  according to the claimed invention broadcasts multimedia content on the different communication channels: radio, cinema, Internet, TV, print media and outdoor displays. 
     The system  1000  according to the present invention allows advertisers to have a “holistic/360° ” type of communication: a communication without borders that will bear the brand message on different communication channels. This will directly affect the audience, revenues and customer loyalty. 
     The system  1000  for broadcasting content according to the present invention comprises the centralized multimedia server  200 , centralized distribution system  600 , the synchronization system  500  and the automated digital database manager  400 . The centralized distribution system  600  broadcasts a dynamic and interactive piece of multimedia content selected by the centralized multimedia server  200  on a plurality of communication channels  700 . The synchronization system  500  synchronizes the broadcasting of the piece of multimedia content linked to one and same advertiser on the communication channels  700  in a predetermined time interval and at a given geographical location. The geolocation subsystem  320  (e.g., GPS  320 ) determines geolocations of users. The automated digital database manager  400  stores geolocations and data related to users in a digital database  405 . The communication channels  700  comprise digital outdoor displays. 
     The centralized multimedia server  200  according to the present invention selects the piece of multimedia content to target a consumer segment. The centralized distribution system  600  broadcasts the selected piece of multimedia content on the communication channels  700 . 
     The centralized multimedia server  200  according to the present invention selects the piece of multimedia content based on information linked to current events. The centralized distribution system  600  broadcasts the selected piece of multimedia content on the communication channels  700 . 
     The system  1000  according to the present invention further comprises a Decision-Making Artificial Intelligence (Al) sub-system  320 . 
     This “holistic” approach allows the globalization of communication campaigns. 
     The invention is described hereinabove by way of example. It is understood that those skilled in the art will be able to embody different variants of the invention without in any way departing from the scope of the patent.