Patents by Inventor Lisa L. Lutz

Lisa L. Lutz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20130282495
    Abstract: Various embodiments enable auctioning of segmented advertisement insertion opportunities, e.g., segmented avails, associated with distributed content. In at least some embodiments, bids from advertisers to place advertisements in conjunction with a segmented avail are obtained. The bids that are obtained can have different durations (e.g., 60, 30, 15 seconds) that can be selectively enabled by a segmented avail in various combinations to fill a total duration of the segmented avail. Ranking criteria and/or logic can be applied to rank the bids one to another. In at least some embodiments, the bids are ranked within groups corresponding to different time durations. Bids can be allocated to the segmented avail by testing one or more combinations of the bids and selecting a winning combination based at least in part upon a sum of the ranks associated with bids in the combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gilbane, Jason C. Davenport, James P. Schwartz, Lisa L. Lutz
  • Patent number: 8473337
    Abstract: Various embodiments enable auctioning of segmented advertisement insertion opportunities, e.g., segmented avails, associated with distributed content. In at least some embodiments, bids from advertisers to place advertisements in conjunction with a segmented avail are obtained. The bids that are obtained can have different durations (e.g., 60, 30, 15 seconds) that can be selectively enabled by a segmented avail in various combinations to fill a total duration of the segmented avail. Ranking criteria and/or logic can be applied to rank the bids one to another. In at least some embodiments, the bids are ranked within groups corresponding to different time durations. Bids can be allocated to the segmented avail by testing one or more combinations of the bids and selecting a winning combination based at least in part upon a sum of the ranks associated with bids in the combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gilbane, Jason C. Davenport, James P. Schwartz, Lisa L. Lutz
  • Publication number: 20120041827
    Abstract: Various embodiments enable demand driven allocation of advertisement insertion opportunities, e.g., avails, that are associated with television content or other media entertainment from a provider. In at least some embodiments, projections for an inventory of avails from a provider are obtained using an iterative projection model. Auctions are conducted using the projected inventory to allocate the avails to advertisers using bids from the advertisers. Offers to purchase avails from the providers can be formed based on these auctions and submitted to the provider on behalf of the advertisers. Based on a response from the provider to these offers, yield analysis can be performed to update the projection model to reflect results of the submitted offers. Projections for subsequent iterations can then make use of the updated projection model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Randall B. Laughlin, Lisa L. Lutz, Darren R. Wetzel
  • Publication number: 20110295700
    Abstract: Various embodiments enable auctioning of segmented advertisement insertion opportunities, e.g., segmented avails, associated with distributed content. In at least some embodiments, bids from advertisers to place advertisements in conjunction with a segmented avail are obtained. The bids that are obtained can have different durations (e.g., 60, 30, 15 seconds) that can be selectively enabled by a segmented avail in various combinations to fill a total duration of the segmented avail. Ranking criteria and/or logic can be applied to rank the bids one to another. In at least some embodiments, the bids are ranked within groups corresponding to different time durations. Bids can be allocated to the segmented avail by testing one or more combinations of the bids and selecting a winning combination based at least in part upon a sum of the ranks associated with bids in the combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gilbane, Jason C. Davenport, James P. Schwartz, Lisa L. Lutz
  • Publication number: 20080271070
    Abstract: A technique (and corresponding system) for controlling access to insertion opportunities in a multi-channel streaming media system is provided. The technique receives parameters for access to the insertion opportunities from multiple advertisers, such as desired audience viewership profile characteristics. The technique evaluates the received parameters to select which advertisers gain access to the insertion opportunities to place promotional content. The technique analyzes an audience of the placed promotional content and identifies which of the possible promotional content optimizes the value of the insertion opportunities or other maxima. Unlike traditional advertising in which advertisers pay per expected viewership, the technique may be arranged to charge advertisers only for a targeted audience that viewed the placed promotional content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Chaitanya Kanojia, Matthew B. Emans, Lisa L. Lutz