System And Method Of Scheduling Advertising Content For Dynamic Insertion During Playback Of Video On Demand Assets

Abstract

Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for scheduling advertising content for dynamic insertion during play of video on demand assets. A virtual linear program channel is generated that is associated with a plurality of video on demand assets, the virtual linear program channel comprising data defining a plurality of predetermined time bins and a forecast number of views of the virtual channel assets within each of the time bins. The virtual linear program channel data is transmitted to a remote scheduling server. Advertising content and linear program channel scheduling instructions are received from the remote scheduling server, the linear program channel scheduling instructions identifying the virtual linear program channel and a selected time bin for insertion of the advertising content. The linear program channel scheduling instructions are translated into scheduling criteria for dynamically inserting the advertising content during playback of any of the virtual channel assets within the selected time bin.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of scheduling advertising content for dynamic insertion during playback of video on demand assets, comprising:
 receiving, by a data processing apparatus, advertising content and broadcast program channel scheduling instructions from a remote scheduling server, the broadcast program channel scheduling instructions identifying a broadcast program channel and a scheduled time for insertion of the advertising content during a program broadcast over the broadcast program channel;   translating, by the data processing apparatus, the broadcast program channel scheduling instructions into data representing a virtual broadcast program channel, the virtual broadcast program channel being associated with a plurality of video on demand assets having content related to content of the broadcast program, wherein at least one of the plurality of video on demand assets has content different from the broadcast program; and   further translating, by the data processing apparatus, the broadcast program channel scheduling instructions into scheduling criteria for dynamically inserting the same advertising content during playback of any of the virtual channel assets over a video on demand channel that occurs within the same timeframe as the program broadcast over the broadcast program channel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the data processing apparatus, a request from a subscriber device within the selected time bin to playback a virtual channel asset; and   dynamically inserting, by the data processing apparatus, the advertising content during playback of the virtual channel asset to the subscriber device according to the scheduling criteria.   
     
     
         3 . A computerized system for scheduling advertising content for dynamic insertion during playback of video on demand assets, comprising:
 a gateway computer in communication with a remote scheduling server computer that schedules advertising content for insertion in broadcast program channels;   the gateway computer receives the advertising content and broadcast program channel scheduling instructions from the remote scheduling server, the broadcast program channel scheduling instructions identifying a broadcast program channel and a scheduled time for insertion of the advertising content during a program broadcast over the broadcast program channel;   the gateway computer translates the broadcast program channel scheduling instructions into data representing a virtual broadcast program channel, the virtual broadcast program channel being associated with a plurality of video on demand assets having content related to content of the broadcast program, wherein at least one of the plurality of video on demand assets has content different from the broadcast program; and   the gateway computer further translates the broadcast program channel scheduling instructions into scheduling criteria for dynamically inserting the same advertising content during playback of any of the video on demand assets that comprise the virtual broadcast program channel over a video on demand channel that occurs within the same timeframe as the program broadcast over the broadcast program channel.   
     
     
         4 . The computerized system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the gateway computer is in communication with a subscriber device, the gateway computer receives a request from the subscriber device to playback a video on demand asset associated with the virtual broadcast program channel; and   the gateway computer inserts the advertising content during playback of the video on demand asset to the subscriber device according to the scheduling criteria.   
     
     
         5 . A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to schedule advertising content for dynamic insertion during playback of video on demand assets, comprising:
 receive advertising content and broadcast program channel scheduling instructions from a remote scheduling server, the broadcast program channel scheduling instructions identifying a broadcast program channel and a scheduled time for insertion of the advertising content during a program broadcast over the broadcast program channel;   translate the broadcast program channel scheduling instructions into data representing a virtual broadcast program channel, the virtual broadcast program channel being associated with a plurality of video on demand assets having content related to content of the broadcast program, wherein at least one of the plurality of video on demand assets has content different from the broadcast program; and   further translate the broadcast program channel scheduling instructions into scheduling criteria for dynamically inserting the same advertising content during playback of any of the virtual channel assets over a video on demand channel that occurs within the same timeframe as the program broadcast over the broadcast program channel.