Apparatus and methods for enabling targeted insertion of advertisements using metadata as in-content descriptors

Abstract

A mechanism for transmitting metadata that contain identifying characteristics of advertisements to be inserted, details of an advertisement-spot, and targeted viewing group details as in-content descriptors to a mobile handset is disclosed. Tight synchronization and control of the display of advertisements within an advertisement-spot during wireless content transmission is thus provided.

1 . A processor implemented method, comprising:
 receiving on a wireless device a set of targeted advertisements for display on said wireless device within a content stream;   receiving an in-content descriptor associated with each said targeted advertisement on said wireless device, said associated in-content descriptor containing instructions to said wireless device for identifying, prioritizing, and inserting each said targeted advertisement at a specific ad spot in said content stream;   buffering said targeted advertisements and said associated in-content descriptors on said wireless device;   receiving said content stream on said wireless device;   a processor identifying an ad spot in said content stream;   said processor identifying a targeted advertisement be inserted for display in said ad spot by said wireless device based on information contained in said associated in-content descriptor; and   said processor inserting and displaying said targeted advertisement at said specific ad spot in said content stream according to instructions contained in said associated in-content descriptor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said in-content descriptor comprises characteristics and features relating to said associated targeted advertisement. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said characteristics and features comprise any of:
 channel identification, program identification, ad pod identification, device identification, network identification, geo-location identification, start time, end time, and ad list priority.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said received in-content descriptor is encrypted; and wherein said received in-content descriptor is decrypted on said wireless device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said content is received by said wireless device over a connected network using a wireless transmission protocol. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying said content stream containing said targeted advertisement on a display of said wireless device.   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an advertisement serving platform for generating a targeted advertisement and an in-content descriptor associated with said targeted advertisement, said in-content descriptor comprising instructions for inserting said targeted advertisement into an ad spot in a content stream; and   a handset client on a wireless device for receiving, buffering, and inserting said targeted advertisement into said content stream according to instructions that are contained within said in-content descriptor.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said advertisement serving platform generates an encrypted in-content descriptor; and wherein said handset client decrypts said encrypted in-content descriptor. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said in-content descriptor comprises characteristics and features relating to an associated targeted advertisement. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said characteristics and features comprise any of:
 channel identification, program identification, ad pod identification, device identification, network identification, geo-location identification, start time, end time, and ad list priority.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said handset client is on said wireless device. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said content is sent to said wireless device over a connected network using a wireless transmission protocol. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a wireless device for receiving, rendering, and displaying a content stream;   a handheld client on said wireless device for receiving a targeted advertisement and an in-content descriptor associated with said targeted advertisement over a wireless network;   an electronic medium on said wireless device for buffering said targeted advertisement and said in-content descriptor associated with said targeted advertisement;   a processor for recognizing and processing said in-content descriptor to extract metadata contained in said in-content descriptor; and   said processor inserting said targeted advertisement into said content stream at an ad spot in response to information in said metadata contained in said in-content descriptor.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said targeted advertisement and said in-content descriptor are transmitted to said wireless device over said wireless network using a transmission protocol. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said targeted advertisement and said in-content descriptor are buffered before said wireless enabled mobile display terminal receives said content. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , said wireless device further comprising:
 a display for displaying said content stream containing said targeted advertisement.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said in-content descriptor is encrypted.