Abstract: A system, including a planning module, a control module and a receiver module, configured to schedule display of one or more advertising impressions of available advertising inventory. The planning module enables scheduling a requested quantity of advertising impressions in accordance with target criteria. Further, the planning module enables selecting an advertising impression goal for advertisement, assigning an advertising type and defining a weight for the advertisements. The control module receives the schedule, the advertising type and the defined weights and generates one or more metadata files that contain target criteria, advertising type and weights for the advertisements. The one or more metadata files, with the advertisements, are delivered to the receiver module that is configured to define a display frequency for the advertisements based upon one or more of the metadata files.

Abstract: A system, including a planning module, a control module and a receiver module, configured to schedule display of advertisements to achieve an advertising impression goal. The planning module enables scheduling of advertising impressions in accordance with target criteria. Further, the planning module enables selecting an advertising impression goal for advertisements, assigning an advertising type and defining a weight for the advertisement. The control module receives the schedule, the advertising type and the defined weights and generates one or more metadata files that contain target criteria, advertising type and weights for the advertisement. The one or more metadata files and advertising content for the advertisement, are delivered to the receiver module that is configured to define a display frequency for the advertising content based upon one or more of the metadata files. The receiver module selectively displays the advertising content of the advertisement to achieve the advertising impression goal.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for generating a data stream for broadcast to one or more client systems. A source identifier identifies where the data for the data stream may be obtained. Scheduling information associated with the identifier determines when the data should be added to the data stream for broadcast. The data is requested and received from the data source using the identifier and added to the data stream to arrive at the one or more client systems in accordance with the scheduling information. The generated data stream may comprise one or more sub-streams. The scheduling information may be checked or validated to assure consistency and accuracy. Client systems may simultaneously receive data, including real-time data, from multiple sources.

Abstract: An interactive apparatus for use with a computer, comprising a transceiver for two-way wireless communication with a plaything, the transceiver having terminals for connection to the computer, and a control device for causing the computer to send and receive information to and from the plaything via the transceiver to enable the plaything to provide interactive fantasy simulation of the behavior of a corresponding real-world object. In another aspect, the invention provides a method for enabling fantasy play using a computer and a plaything, comprising at the plaything, delivering output and receiving input associated with the fantasy play, and generating control signals at the computer for controlling the output based on the input, and by wireless communication sending the control signals from the computer to the plaything and sending the input from the plaything to the computer.