Delivery forecast computing apparatus for display and streaming video advertising

Abstract

A computer-driven apparatus coupled to a network receives data from metadata sources and consumers' display devices. From the sources, the apparatus collects metadata concerning characteristics of a given item of host video and a proposed class of advertisements for web delivery proximate or embedded in the given item. The apparatus continually monitors actual delivery of the given item by receiving transmissions from consumers' display devices. The apparatus develops initial forecasting inputs based on historical data from similar host videos, and then adjusts the forecasting inputs based on the actual deliveries. These forecasting inputs are used to compute an interim supply of advertising opportunities associated with the given item, which is reduced by relevant factors to provide a net available supply forecast. The apparatus provides a human-readable display of information including the net available supply forecast.

1 . A computer-driven apparatus, comprising:
 a local database storing digital data;   an input/output to conduct communication via a network with units including (1) multiple remote metadata sources and (2) multiple consumer-operated website display devices; and   a processor coupled to the database and the input/output, the processor programmed to perform operations to receive various metadata concerning a given item of streaming host video content and a proposed class of advertisements for web delivery proximate or embedded in the given item, and to transform the received metadata into a delivery forecast for the proposed class of advertisements, said operations comprising:
 from the remote metadata sources, receiving machine-readable metadata comprising supply metadata concerning the given item and demand metadata concerning the proposed class of advertisements; 
 storing the metadata in the local database; 
 continually monitoring actual delivery activity of the given item and all advertisements proximate or embedded in the given item, said monitoring comprising receiving machine-readable messages transmitted by the display devices, said receiving occurring directly from the display devices or indirectly via an aggregating agent; 
 developing predetermined forecasting inputs comprising:
 a first input comprising a prediction as to number of views of the given item by display devices during said time window; 
 a second input comprising a prediction as to number of advertising opportunities requested by display devices arising from commencement of viewing of the given item; 
 a third input comprising a prediction as to how many advertising opportunities associated with the given item will be viewed by the display devices; 
 
 if a history of advertising delivery is available for the given item by way of receiving messages transmitted by the display devices, conditioning each of said forecasting inputs according to said history; 
 computing a supply forecast comprising a multiplicative product of the first and second inputs, reduced by the third input; 
 computing an interim supply forecast by reducing the supply forecast to eliminate advertising opportunities of insufficient duration to accommodate a duration of advertisements of the proposed class as stated in the metadata; 
 computing a net available supply forecast by reducing the interim supply forecast to account for advertising opportunities already committed to other advertisements as stated in the metadata; and 
 providing a human-readable display of the net available supply forecast, said display occurring at any of: locally at the apparatus, or remotely at another computer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising the following operations performed before said developing operation:
 determining whether placement of advertisements of the proposed class with the given item is possible, by comparing the following metadata items: a statement of legal rights to present the given item, and a time window for proposed placement of advertisements of the proposed class;   if placement is not possible, outputting an error message, otherwise continuing.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising, before the operation of computing the supply forecast:
 scaling the forecasting inputs according to metadata including the following: number and size of distribution points planned for the given item.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where:
 the operations further include computing a second interim supply forecast by reducing the first interim supply forecast to eliminate advertising opportunities incompatible with the given item due to constraints received in the metadata and including any of machine-readable encoding format, blacklisting, content rating, prohibition as to pre-rolls;   the operation of computing the net available supply forecast is comprises reducing the second interim supply forecast to account for advertising opportunities already committed to other advertisements as stated in the metadata.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the operation of developing the first input of the predetermined forecasting inputs comprises:
 choosing from multiple predetermined delivery patterns one delivery pattern most closely associated with characteristics of the given item, where each delivery pattern comprises predictions as to any of number of views of a host video over time at consumers' display devices.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the supply metadata comprises:
 a duration of said given item;   a statement of legal rights to present the given item;   a statement of constraints on use of advertising with the host video where said constraints include at least subject matter policy restrictions;   format of machine-readable encoding of the given item;   a rating of the given item as to potentially offensive material; and   an indication of distribution points planned for the given item.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the demand metadata comprises:
 a time window for proposed placement of advertisements of the proposed class;   format of machine-readable encoding of advertisements of the proposed class;   a rating as to potentially offensive material applicable to advertisements of the proposed class; and   duration of advertisements of the proposed class.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the processor programmed to perform further operations comprising:
 responsive to manual user input or automatically in response to updating of some or all of the metadata, repeating operations to compute the net available supply forecast according to the updated metadata.   
     
     
         9 . A computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations to receive various metadata concerning a given item of streaming host video content and a proposed class of advertisements for web delivery proximate or embedded in the given item, and to transform the received metadata into a delivery forecast for the proposed class of advertisements, said operations comprising:
 via network connection to multiple remote metadata sources, receiving machine-readable metadata comprising supply metadata concerning the given item and demand metadata concerning the proposed class of advertisements;   continually monitoring actual delivery activity of the given item and all advertisements proximate or embedded in the given item, said monitoring comprising receiving machine-readable messages transmitted via the network by multiple consumer's webpage display devices, said receiving occurring directly from the display devices or indirectly via an aggregating agent;   developing predetermined forecasting inputs comprising:
 a first input comprising a prediction as to number of views of the given item by display devices during said time window; 
 a second input comprising a prediction as to number of advertising opportunities requested by display devices arising from commencement of viewing of the given item; 
 a third input comprising a prediction as to how many advertising opportunities associated with the given item will be viewed by the display devices; 
   if a history of advertising delivery is available for the given item by way of receiving messages transmitted by the display devices, conditioning each of said forecasting inputs according to said history;   computing a supply forecast comprising a multiplicative product of the first and second inputs, reduced by the third input;   computing an interim supply forecast by reducing the supply forecast to eliminate advertising opportunities of insufficient duration to accommodate a duration of advertisements of the proposed class as stated in the metadata;   computing a net available supply forecast by reducing the interim supply forecast to account for advertising opportunities already committed to other advertisements as stated in the metadata; and   providing a human-readable display of the net available supply forecast.   
     
     
         10 . The medium of  claim 10 , the operations further comprising the following operations performed before said developing operation:
 determining whether placement of advertisements of the proposed class with the given item is possible, by comparing the following metadata items: a statement of legal rights to present the given item, and a time window for proposed placement of advertisements of the proposed class;   if placement is not possible, outputting an error message, otherwise continuing.   
     
     
         11 . The medium of  claim 10 , the operations further comprising, before the operation of computing the supply forecast:
 scaling the forecasting inputs according to metadata including the following: number and size of distribution points planned for the given item.   
     
     
         12 . The medium of  claim 10 , where:
 the operations further include computing a second interim supply forecast by reducing the first interim supply forecast to eliminate advertising opportunities incompatible with the given item due to constraints received in the metadata and including any of machine-readable encoding format, blacklisting, content rating, prohibition as to pre-rolls;   the operation of computing the net available supply forecast is comprises reducing the second interim supply forecast to account for advertising opportunities already committed to other advertisements as stated in the metadata.   
     
     
         13 . The medium of  claim 10 , where the operation of developing the first input of the predetermined forecasting inputs comprises:
 choosing from multiple predetermined delivery patterns one delivery pattern most closely associated with characteristics of the given item, where each delivery pattern comprises predictions as to any of number of views of a host video over time at consumers' display devices.   
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 10 , where the supply metadata comprises:
 a duration of said given item;   a statement of legal rights to present the given item;   a statement of constraints on use of advertising with the host video where said constraints include at least subject matter policy restrictions;   format of machine-readable encoding of the given item;   a rating of the given item as to potentially offensive material; and   an indication of distribution points planned for the given item.   
     
     
         15 . The medium of  claim 10 , where the demand metadata comprises:
 a time window for proposed placement of advertisements of the proposed class;   format of machine-readable encoding of advertisements of the proposed class;   a rating as to potentially offensive material applicable to advertisements of the proposed class; and   duration of advertisements of the proposed class.   
     
     
         16 . The medium of  claim 10 , the operations further comprising:
 responsive to manual user input or automatically in response to updating of some or all of the metadata, repeating operations to compute the net available supply forecast according to the updated metadata.