On demand product placement

Abstract

In at least one aspect, methods and corresponding systems are provided herewith for mixing media and advertising content on demand The systems preferably include at least one computing device coupled over a communication network to a plurality of other devices. The at least one computing device is preferably operable at least to: receive a request for media content from a user of a device, retrieve a media file associated with the media content requested and product placement data, and mix the media file with product placement data such that the product placement appears in the media content disposed in at least a portion of a defined null space within the media file.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising at least one computing device coupled over a communication network to a plurality of other devices, the at least one computing device operable at least to:
 receive a request for media content from a user of a first device;   receive a request for the media content from a user of a second device;   retrieve a media file associated with the media content requested by the first and the second users, wherein the media content comprises a defined null space;   retrieve data for a first and second product placement;   mix in response to the request from the user of the first device the media file and the data for the first product placement such that the first product placement appears in the media content disposed in at least a portion of the defined null space;   mix in response to the request from the user of the second device the media file and data for the second product placement such that the second product placement appears in the media content disposed in at least a portion of the defined null space;   communicate the media content with the first product placement data to the user of the first device; and   communicate the media content with the second product placement data to the user of the second device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing device is further operable to mix the media file and the product placement data, and communicate the mixed content to users in real time. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing device is further operable to determine demographic data associated with at least one of the user of the first device and the user of the second device and select at least one of the first product placement and the second product placement based on the demographic data. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first product and the second product placements comprise a banner advertisement. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the media content comprises a video and wherein the null space comprises at least one defined area of a plurality of frames of the video over a period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first product and the second product placements comprise an image of a product. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one computing device is further operable to conform the image of the product to the null space. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein operability to conform the product to the null space consists at least two of expanding, cropping, rotating, panning, zooming in or out, transforming the image, skewing and tilting the image. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein null space comprises a plurality of areas of a plurality of consecutive frames of the video and wherein the at least one computing device is further operable to conform the image of the product into each of the plurality of the areas to simulate movement of the product in the media content. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the media file comprises a default image in the null space. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving a request for media content from a user of a first device;   receiving a request for the media content from a user of a second device;   retrieving a media file associated with the media content requested by the first and the second users, wherein the media content comprises a defined null space;   retrieving data for a first and second product placement;   mixing in response to the request from the user of the first device the media file and the data for the first product placement such that the first product placement appears in the media content disposed in at least a portion of the defined null space;   mixing in response to the request from the user of the second device the media file and data for the second product placement such that the second product placement appears in the media content disposed in at least a portion of the defined null space;   communicating the media content with the first product placement data to the user of the first device; and   communicating the media content with the second product placement data to the user of the second device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein media file and the product placement data are mixed and communicated to users in real time. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising determining demographic data associated with at least one of the user of the first device and the user of the second device and selecting at least one of the first product placement and the second product placement based on the demographic data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first product and the second product placements comprise a banner advertisement. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the media content comprises a video and wherein the null space comprises at least one defined area of a plurality of frames of the video over a period of time. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are configured to, when executed by at least one processor of at least one computer coupled over an electronic communication network to a plurality of networked devices, direct the at least one processor to:
 receive a request for media content from a user of a first device;   receive a request for the media content from a user of a second device;   retrieve a media file associated with the media content requested by the first and the second users, wherein the media content comprises a defined null space;   retrieve data for a first and second product placement;   mix in response to the request from the user of the first device the media file and the data for the first product placement such that the first product placement appears in the media content disposed in at least a portion of the defined null space;   mix in response to the request from the user of the second device the media file and data for the second product placement such that the second product placement appears in the media content disposed in at least a portion of the defined null space;   communicate the media content with the first product placement data to the user of the first device; and   communicate the media content with the second product placement data to the user of the second device.   
     
     
         17 . The A non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , thereon that are configured to, when executed by at least one processor direct the at least to direct the at least one processor to: mix the media file and the product placement data, and communicate the mixed content to users in real time. 
     
     
         18 . The A non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , thereon that are configured to, when executed by at least one processor direct the at least to direct the at least one processor to: determine demographic data associated with at least one of the user of the first device and the user of the second device and select at least one of the first product placement and the second product placement based on the demographic data. 
     
     
         19 . The A non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , thereon that are configured to, when executed by at least one processor direct the at least to direct the at least one processor to: conform the image of the product to the null space. 
     
     
         20 . The A non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , thereon that are configured to, when executed by at least one processor direct the at least to direct the at least one processor to: conform the product to the null space consists at least two of expanding, cropping, rotating, panning, zooming in or out, transforming the image, skewing and tilting the image.