Advertisement Patents (Class 705/14.4)
  • Patent number: 8977701
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards modifying when to publish content to a channel for distribution based on monitored actions associated with previously published content. A plurality of publishing slots may be determined from a plurality of time slots. Each publishing slot may indicate a time to publish content to the channel. Content may be published to the channel at each of the plurality of publishing slots. User actions associated with the published content may be monitored. The plurality of publishing slots may be ranked based on these monitored actions. At least one of the plurality of publishing slots may be modified to a different time slot based on the rankings of the publishing slots. The publication of content at a publishing slot may be delayed based on a success of other content published at a previous publishing slot being above a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Wetpaint.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitry Frenkel, Alex David Weinstein, Sean Cappello
  • Patent number: 8977194
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for establishing media data exposure, where a media device, such as a computer, radio, television and the like, receive media data and produces research data from it. The research data may be based on computer-based or computer network-based characteristics, ancillary codes or audio signatures. As the research data is being produced, an inductive coupling is sought for nearby portable computer devices. Once a portable computing device inductively couples to the media device, information is transferred, allowing a system to determine and/or verify that specific users were exposed to particular media data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Anand Jain, John Stavropoulos, Alan Neuhauser, Vladimir Kuznetsov, Jack Crystal, Wendell Lynch
  • Patent number: 8977247
    Abstract: Application developers can request to have their applications registered for use with a content delivery platform. The operator of the content delivery platform establishes perimeters defining geographic areas, and maintains records reserving particular areas for delivery of content associated with particular sponsors. Registered applications running on mobile devices can request content from the content delivery platform. Based at least in part on the request, the content delivery platform can identify a target location, which may be the location of the mobile device, or some other location indicated in the request. A mobile device can be provided content based on the relationship of the target location to the geographic areas, so that a registered application running on a mobile device with a target location contained within a geographic area assigned to a particular sponsor will receive content related to that sponsor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Inventors: Ryan Hardin, Andrew Hill
  • Publication number: 20150067714
    Abstract: An indication from a user is detected by a first content viewing device to transfer an advertisement delivered to the first content viewing device as part of streamed audio and video (A/V) content to an alternative content viewing device. A determination is made, based upon user-specific advertising configuration information, as to whether the user is authorized to perform advertisement deferral during the streamed A/V content. The advertisement is configured as an incentivized deferred advertisement to be viewed by the user at a later time using the alternative content viewing device in response to determining that the user is authorized to perform advertisement deferral during the streamed A/V content. The configured incentivized deferred advertisement is transferred to the alternative content viewing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kulvir S. Bhogal, Gregory J. Boss, Sheryl L. Comes, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Anne R. Sand
  • Publication number: 20150066612
    Abstract: The system and method allows a user to share a portfolio with entities external to the learning management system, e.g. an employer, a potential employer, another learning institution, alumni, friends, family, any party interested in learning about the student's achievements. A portfolio may store all of the materials a user has worked on for one or more courses. Portfolios may also include user progress toward achieving standards at a granular level, such as academic competencies. System users may be able to search for portfolios based on one or more competencies to identify users that are qualified in a particular field or skillset. Through the portfolio web site, a user can share portions of the portfolios with other users via a URL. The URL or internet address may be specific to a student or provide general access to student portfolios. The entity may need to supply credentials, including a username, password, or PKI to access the portfolio associated with the URL or internet address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Laureate Education, Inc.
    Inventors: RISSA E. KARPOFF, Kenny H. Otwell, Jose Luis Henriquez Galarza
  • Patent number: 8973028
    Abstract: Disclosed are an information storage medium storing metadata for providing additional content during a broadcast program, the metadata including information indicating whether to insert second additional content instead of first additional content, which is underlying additional content of the broadcast program, and a locator of the second additional content, a method of providing additional content by using the same, and a digital broadcast reception apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-wook Ahn, Mun-jo Kim, In-chul Hwang, O-hoon Kwon, Eun-hee Rhim
  • Patent number: 8972863
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a standardized schema that can be used by site developers to define a site map and its associated hierarchy. In at least some embodiments, a corresponding user interface can be created within an application such as, for example, a Web browser, to allow the user to specify locations at which they wish to see the site map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Justin Wald
  • Patent number: 8972281
    Abstract: A system and process is provided for distributing branding and content messages to wireless mobile devices such as mobile handsets. The system has a mobile media portal process that enables a content owner and one or more sponsors to cooperate in negotiating, planning, and executing a branding or content campaign. For a campaign, a set of consumers has indicated a desire to receive particular content information on their mobile handset, and may have used a web interface or their phone to provide demographic information and content choices. A media center interface, either automatically or under human control, associates a particular marketing message from a sponsor with the content information, and distributes the marketing message and information to the user's handset. Since the marketing message has been selected and adapted to the demographics and preferences of the user, it is likely that the user will positively respond to receiving the marketing message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Wigglewireless, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas J Pokonosky
  • Patent number: 8965871
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a personalized advertisement for a good or service for display to a user is described. The system includes a communications device operated by the user; a virtual person database comprising information about the user; and a search engine useful for finding advertisements of interest to the user and generating personalized advertisements for display on the communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Mark Kelley, Steven John Caliguri, Souheil Gallouzi
  • Patent number: 8965785
    Abstract: A system for providing advertisement information is disclosed. The system includes a display device, at least one near field communication (NFC) antenna and a control for controlling the display device for displaying advertisement contents and NFC antenna for providing data related to the advertisement contents displayed on the display device. The system may include as advertisement management server to supply the advertisement contents and data related to the advertisement contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: AQ Corporation
    Inventors: Sang Hoon Lee, Jin Hwa Kim
  • Patent number: 8965782
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for tracking transactions over a computer network is provided. An advertisement is provided to a user using a web client, such as a web browser, at a user node. The user selects the advertisement, e.g., by clicking on the advertisement, to request to an ad server for redirection to a transaction node associated with the advertisement. The ad server formats a cookie and provides to the user node. When the user requests a transaction after the redirection, the transaction node sends a transaction confirmation after performing the transaction. The transaction confirmation includes a command to record the transaction. In response to the command, the user node provides a query string and the cookie to the ad server for the transaction to be recorded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Addante
  • Patent number: 8966527
    Abstract: A predefined advertising service identifier, or trigger code, is broadcast along with the digital media in a media distribution system, to give explicit insert triggers to re-distributors in a multi-tiered distribution system. These service identifiers are encrypted so that other parties without access to the triggers that are receiving the broadcast cannot identify ad insert time slots and therefore cannot insert ads without prior agreement. In one embodiment, the triggers are contained within pre-existing conditional access control word packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: John P. Godwin
  • Patent number: 8965835
    Abstract: A method for generating a trend report for a non-sentiment phrase. The method comprises generating a plurality of term taxonomies between non-sentiment phrases and sentiment phrases; storing the plurality of term taxonomies in a database; performing periodically at least a statistical analysis respective of the plurality of term taxonomies in the database; receiving a request for a report with respect of at least a non-sentiment phrase in the database; generating a trend report based at least on the at least statistical analysis; and providing the report to the requestor of the report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Taykey Ltd.
    Inventors: Amit Avner, Omer Dror, Itay Birnboim
  • Patent number: 8959450
    Abstract: A system and method that allows for dynamic conversion path exploration. Users can explore all their conversion paths and narrow events they want to investigate by prepending or appending events to the analysis view. In addition, users segment the neighboring events by one of the event dimensions (e.g., source, medium, campaign, keyword).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore Nicholas Choc, Sissie Ling-Ie Hsiao, Leo Baghdassarian
  • Publication number: 20150046269
    Abstract: Systems and methods deliver advertisements to electronic billboards, additionally deliver social media content relevant to the advertisements, control content of the electronic billboards, including through social media interactions, and deliver interactive applications to the electronic billboards and control the interactive applications. An advertisement is delivered to an electronic billboard for display, and social media content relevant to the advertisement is also delivered to the electronic billboard for display in real time. The social media content is used to update the display of the electronic billboard in temporal proximity to a time of posting of social media content. Content and applications are received at the electronic billboard by push, and may be removed from storage of electronic billboard after display to make storage room available for additional interactive applications and to ensure that updated content is always displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Nanxi Liu, David Zhu, David A. Ross, Zach Spitulski, Navdeep Reddy
  • Publication number: 20150039406
    Abstract: A system may include a database configured with individual partitions, one of the partitions corresponding to a sponsored content campaign of a social network. The system may further include multiple servers each communicatively coupled to the database, and each configured to implement a campaign having a campaign termination criterion. Each of the servers may include a processor configured to track sponsored content event data received from a user device based on the campaign and transmit the event data to the database and terminate the campaign based on a comparison of the event data as received from a partition of the database corresponding to the campaign and an estimation of event data not received from the database. The database may be configured to store the event data as received from the servers in the partition corresponding to the campaign upon receipt of the event data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: LinkedIn Corporation
    Inventors: Sanjay Sureshchandra Dubey, Nihar N. Mehta, Sanjay Kshetramade, Ashvin Kannan, Carleton Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 8949155
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed herein for protecting personally identifying information (PII) and behavioral data while delivering targeted assets. In one aspect, a profile is created based on a template and desired characteristics of users to receive one or more targeted assets. The template provides a framework for the user characteristics. One or more clients are provided the template. A manifest that identifies the targeted assets is encrypted based on the profile. The encrypted manifest is sent to the one or more clients. A user profile is generated at a client based on a template. The client attempts to decrypt the encrypted manifest based on the profile created at the client. The client sends a request for any targeted assets that were identified through the attempt to decrypt the encrypted manifest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Erik Ramberg
  • Patent number: 8948357
    Abstract: A directory assistance service includes a database and an interface module. The database stores a set of audio advertisements, and the audio advertisements are priced based on a tiered pricing model. The interface module is in communication with the database and receives a directory assistance request from a caller, plays the caller one or more audio advertisements from the database, and charges an advertiser for playing the audio advertisements based on the tiered pricing model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Rand, Erik Trusler, Timothy Sheridan, Gary Alpert, Denise Archibald, Nelson Cain, Debra J. Wilke, Gary Hensley, Janie Mercado Braun, Denise Perry, Sidney A. Minnick, Jr., Jeffrey C. Reid
  • Patent number: 8949141
    Abstract: A method is described for rewarding a viewer of a broadcast program in exchange for the viewer proving his presence at the time that certain program content is being broadcast. The method involves the use of running an application in a television environment, said application displaying a graphic inviting the viewer to intervene in some manner and to subsequently log the viewer's intervention, thereby documenting his viewing activity. The method further allows for the convenient and mobile reporting of the status of a log of the viewer's viewing activity. Finally, the method allows for the convenient and flexible redemption of accrued credit, as documented in the viewing log, against goods and/or services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Nagravision S.A.
    Inventors: Alexandre Delidais, Gilles Rapin, Stelio Tzonis
  • Publication number: 20150032518
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide systems, devices, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media and computer-executable methods for managing publication of online advertising. In exemplary embodiments, computer-based publication techniques may include, but is not limited to, automatically determining whether the content of a particular web page article is suitable or unsuitable for accompaniment with one or more advertisements, automatically determining whether an advertisement is suitable or unsuitable for publication on a web page associated with a web page article, and automatically determining a category that may be used to classify the content of a web page article in order to select one or more categories of advertisements suitable for accompaniment with the web page article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Jeffrey Revesz
  • Publication number: 20150032517
    Abstract: A method for playing back advertisement and video content and an electronic apparatus using this method are provided, which allows an electronic apparatus to simultaneously play back advertisement and video content. Therefore, a user no need to waste time on waiting until the advertisement is finished. The method includes the following steps: detecting whether an advertisement need to be played back or not; when detecting that the advertisement needs to be played back, splitting an available presenting window of the electronic apparatus into a primary presenting part and at least one secondary presenting part according to a split policy; presenting a video content on the primary presenting part of the available presenting window; and presenting the advertisement on the at least one secondary presenting part of the available presenting window; wherein the video content and the advertisement are presented on the available presenting window of the electronic apparatus simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Shanghai PowerMo Information Tech. Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Qi Pan
  • Patent number: 8942993
    Abstract: In one aspect, this application describes a method for determining personal advertisements for display with personal content in an online social network. The method includes obtaining personal content for a first member of an online social network, and obtaining information that characterizes a personal advertisement that advertises a second member of the online social network. The method also includes comparing the personal content for the first member to the information that characterizes the personal advertisement to determine whether the personal advertisement is related to the personal content for the first member, without determining whether the first member is related to the second member in the online social network. The method also includes providing the personal advertisement for display with the document for the first member in response to determining that the information that characterizes the personal advertisement is related to the personal content for the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Tomasz J. Tunguz-Zawislak, Shannon P. Bauman
  • Patent number: 8941467
    Abstract: A display case system has a display case, a gateway, and a communication device. The display case houses a product. The gateway is coupled to the display case and communicates with a client device associated with the product in the display case. A communication device is coupled to the gateway and enables a communication session between the communication device and the client device associated with the product. The client device remotely locks and unlocks the display case to allow access to the product based on the communication session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Next Level Security Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter A. Jankowski, Daniel T. Petkevich, Bill Jacobs, Jumbi Edulbehram
  • Publication number: 20150025949
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable storage medium stores one or more computer programs adapted to cause a processor based system to execute steps that include analyzing an image, identifying one or more faces in the image using a face recognition technique, designating at least one of the identified faces collectively as a first area of interest, and determining whether an insertion area exists in the image where additional content can be inserted without obstructing the first area of interest. Another computer program is adapted to cause a processor based system to execute steps that include determining whether the insertion area can be divided into two or more regions based on color. Methods and processor based apparatuses that perform one or more of these steps are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventor: Gary M. Zalewski
  • Publication number: 20150025948
    Abstract: An example brand aware advertising system includes: (a) an advertising server interface operative to receive an advertisement request from an advertisement requestor; (b) a brand affinity engine coupled to the advertising server interface and operative to develop a brand affinity list from the advertisement request; and (c) an advertisement matching engine operative to provide a result to the advertising server interface if there is a match with the brand affinity list which can then be provided to the advertisement requestor. An alternate example embodiment further includes a brand aware ad exchange server operative to receive the brand affinity list from the advertisement matching engine if there is no match and to provide a result to the advertising server which is one of an advertisement and a null.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: YuMe, Inc.
    Inventors: Ayyappan Sankaran, Frank Barbieri, Jayant Kadambi, Halim Damerdji
  • Patent number: 8938060
    Abstract: A user may utilize a communication device, e.g., a wireless phone, mobile device or personal digital assistant (PDA), to contact an information/call center where an operator provides personalized information and communications services to the user in accordance with the invention. Such services may include, e.g., private directory and calendar data synchronization, identity pre-validation, etc. To personalize the services, at least one profile record associated with the user which may specify, among others, the devices used by the user to communicate with the information/call center, and preferred information/call center to which an information assistance call is routed. Accordingly, services and service features provided to the user may be tailored for use with the specified devices. Security measures may also be instituted in the profile record to restrict use of certain services and service features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy A. Timmins, Nathan B. Baker, John S. Miller, Christopher A. Huey, Philip A. Ljubicich, Gary E. Henry
  • Publication number: 20150019305
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method of following-up on business leads, including a system and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for implementing the same. In one embodiment, the invention is directed to an automatic generation of an electronic message based on captured business lead data for a selected business lead and a selected pre-formed message template. In another embodiment, the Invention is directed to displaying a list of business leads associated with, a selected user that have been captured by that user so that the user's business development efforts can be evaluated. In yet another embodiment, the invention is directed to automatically displaying secondary information based on captured business lead data upon selection of a business lead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: Manish M. Gorawala
  • Patent number: 8935243
    Abstract: A system and method for transacting retrieval of inventory data, such as real estate property listing(s), over an information network and dynamically transmitting the listing(s), in near or real time, to one or more subwindows of a web browser window. The listings contain customized rendering instructions that are encoded into an inventory data string and sent to an ad server that renders the listings in the subwindow according to the customized rendering instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: iNOVENTIV (Canada) Corp.
    Inventor: John Marshall
  • Patent number: 8935177
    Abstract: Anonymous measurement of online advertising using offline sales is disclosed. The measurement uses anonymized online ad exposure data and anonymized offline sales, or conversion data, to measure effectiveness of online advertisement. The anonymized exposure and conversion data are matched using tokens from each data set; each token corresponds to a user and is generated from personally identifiable information of the user that is anonymized to preserve the user's privacy. The anonymized exposure and conversion data is aggregated using the tokens to map records in the data sets for a given user. Users' ad exposure and sales history is used, anonymously, to gauge ad effectiveness of a corresponding ad campaign. The effectiveness measure, or measures, can further be used to configure another ad campaign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Shane Wiley, Amir Cory
  • Patent number: 8935091
    Abstract: High resolution images are imprinted onto precise and consistent lawns and fields by use in combination of a global positioning system; a processor for generating a desired pattern which is translated into patterning instructions; and a patterning implement which is used for generating detailed patterns and for imprinting said patterns on any of natural or artificial lawns and fields, covered areas, and landscapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Inventor: Pete J. Davis
  • Publication number: 20150012332
    Abstract: A method and a system for providing, on one side, businesses customer communities they can manage and offer services to. An aspect of the invention is the concept of shared communities between two or more businesses (customers belonging to two or more businesses at the same time). This shared community signals a potential relationship between the businesses sharing it. The current invention captures and defines such a relationship. On the other side, it allows customers to opt for and join businesses that are relevant to them. The system includes a number of components to help businesses keep their communities active and interested such an event manager, a reward manager, a campaign manager, an aftersale manager, an address book, a social engine etc. It provides also components to the businesses that help them understand their communities such as the analytics manager. The system's structure allows the creation of embedded advanced sensor network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: Caterina Papachristos
  • Patent number: 8930990
    Abstract: A method for displaying interactive advertisements on a television having a controller connected thereto and configured for receiving input from a viewer of the television is disclosed. The controller has a receiver operable to receive advertisements and a processor operable to modify the advertisements. The method generally comprises requesting action by the viewer of the television, modifying an advertisement based on the action of the viewer, and displaying the modified advertisement on the television.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Interval Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Malcolm Slaney, Bonnie M. Johnson, Annarosa Tomasi, Steven E. Saunders, J. Thomas Ngo, Gavin Miller, Michele M. Covell, Paul A. Freiberger
  • Patent number: 8930237
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for augmenting information on business directory databases and communicating with businesses is disclosed. Using the enriched business directory database and Web mining technology, customized email message are sent inviting businesses to enter their enriched business information into the directory or even subscribe to other paid services provided by the directory service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Narendra Gupta, Mazin Gilbert, Benjamin J. Stern
  • Patent number: 8930971
    Abstract: A user may activate an embedded advertisement in an embedded window in a document, such as a web page. This embedded advertisement may be associated with a domain (a granddaughter domain) that is different than the domain associated with the embedded window (a daughter domain) and the domain associated with the document (a parent domain). In older browsers, cross-domain communication may not be supported in this circumstance. This problem is solved by opening a series of windows from the granddaughter domain, each of which is associated with a candidate origin of the document. Then, access commands associated with the windows are communicated to the domain of the document. Only the access command for the window having the correct origin of the domain of the document is processed, which results in content associated with the embedded advertisement being linked at a source and presented or displayed in the embedded advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation
    Inventors: Aviad Pinkovezky, Kevin R. Mikles, Eldo K. Cherian, Kancheng Cao, Meera G. Bhatia, Sanjay Kshetramade
  • Patent number: 8930987
    Abstract: Embodiments provide methods and systems for presenting advertisements associated with a particular media. The advertisement may have several versions, any one of which may be presented, based on several factors, including the length of time between transmission and receipt of any particular version. The transmission of the advertisements and related media content is optimize in order seamlessly transition between advertisements and media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: United Video Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Dow, Eric Grab, Walt Klappert, Jim Theberge, Paul T. Stathacopoulos
  • Publication number: 20150006266
    Abstract: In a method for broadcasting advertisements on an electronic device, an advertisement currently being broadcasted on an electronic billboard is identified, and a communication connection between the electronic device and the electronic billboard is built. Information of the identified advertisement is obtained from the electronic billboard through the communication connection. The obtained formation of the advertisement is broadcasted on the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (WUHAN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: HUNG-CHI HUANG, CHING-JOU CHEN
  • Patent number: 8920243
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing an in-game offer to one or more players of an online game. The offer is provided to players that have newly joined the game and/or to players that have not yet made a purchase. In some implementations, the offer may be meant to incentivize purchase upon entry into the game. The in-game offer may comprise an offer to one or more items and a bonus comprising one or more bonus items provided to the player responsive to the offered items being purchased. The in-game offer may only be made available to a qualifying player for a certain amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Curtis, Kellen Christopher Smalley, Christopher Pitz, Michael C. Caldarone
  • Patent number: 8924996
    Abstract: A method may include receiving a request, from a user device, associated with accessing a multi-media asset/content, identifying a location associated with the user device and identifying a profile for a subscriber associated with the user device. The method may also include determining whether the multi-media asset/content is available, identifying, based on the location, a content distribution network or network device to deliver the first multi-media asset/content, and identifying, based on the profile, advertisements associated with the multi-media content or asset. The method may further include inserting the identified advertisements into the multi-media asset/content and providing, via the identified content distribution network or network device, the multi-media asset/content to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Mohammad Reza Shafiee
  • Patent number: 8924250
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may be used to place a targeted advertisement on a billboard (or other advertising location) in an immersive virtual environment by determining the interests of a group of users at a given location to calculate an advertisement matching the whole group. The selected advisement may be based not only on the sum of individual interests for the avatars present in the particular location, but also current interaction between the avatars. As groups of users communicate with one another within a virtual world, the substance of their communications may contribute to what advertisement is selected and presented to the avatars at the advertising location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cary Lee Bates, Jim Chun-Ta Chen, Zachary Adam Garbow, Gregory Edward Young
  • Patent number: 8924251
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing one or more pages of an electronic document are provided herein. Some of the methods may include evaluating one or more pages obtained from an electronic document to determine at least one of a pagination and an order for each of the one or more pages, reducing the size of each of the one or more pages, while utilizing at least a portion of the pagination of the each of the one or more pages, associating the one or more pages together according to the determined order, and providing at least one of the one or more pages to a network-enabled computing system upon receiving a request to obtain at least one page of the electronic document from the network-enabled computing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: VLSI Research Inc.
    Inventors: Manjesh Singh Ailaney, Gerald Dan Hutcheson
  • Patent number: 8924252
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying advertisements on a portable device that utilizes an Activity-based operating system are described. The method includes receiving an indication that an Activity is being transitioned away from, and determining whether or not the Activity is finishing. Upon determining that the Activity is finishing, the method includes causing an advertisement display routine to be executed immediately, otherwise submitting the advertisement display routine into a processing queue to be executed subsequently. The advertisement display routine displays the advertisement only upon determining that the state of the Activity and the state of the portable device are characterized by one or more predetermined conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: IQzone, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Aaron Feadler, James Alex Wolfinger, Sean Robert Wagner
  • Patent number: 8918331
    Abstract: A method for placing online advertisements includes the step of displaying a primary advertisement on a first web page. The method includes the steps of initiating a timer to measure a first time period for which the primary advertisement is displayed. At the end of the first time period, the primary advertisement is switched to display a secondary advertisement on the first web page. In another embodiment, a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium when executed by a processor, performs the method for placing online advertisements. In yet another embodiment, a system to place online advertisements includes a display output to display a primary advertisement on a first web page. The system includes a timer to be initialized to a first time period. The system further includes, an advertisement controller, coupled to the display output and the timer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Yahoo ! Inc.
    Inventor: Dustin Edwards
  • Publication number: 20140372201
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for generating a promotional form and/or for maintaining a promotional activity catalog. For example, a promotional activity catalog comprising one or more promotional activities may be exposed to an advertiser entity (e.g., a restaurant business). A set of promotional activities selected from the promotional activity catalog may be identified (e.g., a coupon activity, a reserve table activity, a view slideshow activity, etc.). A promotional form, such as an interactive user interface, comprising promotional activity interfaces for the set of promotional activities may be generated. Monetization schemes may be associated with such promotional activity interfaces. In this way, the promotional form may comprise various promotional activities and/or monetization schemes. The promotional form may be presented to users to promote the advertiser entity (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Jose D. Saura
  • Publication number: 20140365284
    Abstract: A system for providing access to a distributed marketing platform is disclosed. In particular, the system may be utilized to allow a local marketer to access marketing resources for one or more brands through the use of a sub-account. The system may generate the sub-account for the local marketer, which may be utilized by the local marketer to access a master account associated with a particular brand that the local marketer desires to connect with. Access to the master account and its resources may be granted to the sub-account if the local marketer submits valid key and account information to an online portal associated with the master account. Additionally, the sub-account may be allowed to connect to other master accounts associated with other brands by using the online portal and without violating master account agreements of direct-solicitation and cross-promotion of the master accounts to the sub-account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Anjan Upadhya, Jared Shusterman
  • Patent number: 8909752
    Abstract: Systems and methods for associating data with advertisements include storing a relationship between a first user and a second user in a memory, receiving an identification of user data from a first user of a website, assigning interest data for the second user based on the identified user data from the first user, associating the interest data with advertisements provided by an advertiser, and providing display data representing the advertisements associated with the interest data to the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Filip Lidman, Christoffer Lotebo
  • Patent number: 8910199
    Abstract: The invention enables and/or facilitates the display of personalized content to content observers by content providers (e.g., advertisers) who disseminate content over a network. In particular, the invention can be used to enable the display of targeted content to television viewers and/or targeted product placements within a television program. The invention can advantageously enable identification of the content observer(s) observing a content display device at a particular time and/or identification of the content display site, and selection of targeted content for display based on a determination of content appropriate for display to those content observer(s) in accordance with a criterion based on the identity and/or a characteristic of the content observer(s) and/or the content display site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Interval Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Malcolm Slaney, Bonnie M. Johnson, Annarosa Tomasi
  • Patent number: 8910045
    Abstract: A system receives notification of a processing action associated with a video, and determines a time interval associated with the processing action. The system selects an advertisement, based on the time interval associated with the processing action. The system then renders the advertisement during the time interval associated with the processing action associated with a video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: Geoffrey King Baum
  • Patent number: 8909546
    Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can mitigate privacy concerns in connection with ad targeting or data collection. In particular, architecture can be included in a personal mobile communication device such as a cell phone. During communication transactions between the host device and a peer device, shared information can be extracted either from content included in the communication or from metadata. Based upon the shared information, a social graph maintained on the host device can be updated. In addition, the host device can receive a large set of ads and select or tailor a custom ad from the set based upon the social graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Horvitz, Brett D. Brewer, Mary P. Czerwinski, Melissa W. Dunn, Karim T. Farouki, Jason Garms, Alexander G. Gounares, Milind V. Mahajan, Jayaram NM Nanduri, Timothy D. Sharpe, Darrell Leroy Blegen
  • Publication number: 20140358691
    Abstract: A system for detecting an advertisement is configured to sense a first information associated with the advertisement by a first wearable-computing device, and identify the advertisement from one of a multitude of stored advertisements. The system is further configured to request, in response to a user input, a second information associated with the identified advertisement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Evan Gregory Tann, Wendell Brown
  • Publication number: 20140358696
    Abstract: An advertisement system which uses a retailer inventory is described, for example, to dynamically generate advertisements with data from the retailer inventory. In various examples product data from a retailer inventory such as numbers of remaining units of a product, is available to an advertising server by querying a retailer inventory. In various examples a retailer is able to create an advertisement design for a selling period; the design is used to dynamically generate advertisements in response to advertisement impression requests from information retrieval systems, dedicated sales sites, and other entities. In various examples, prices, minimal bids and other data is calculated using data retrieved from a retailer inventory and input to advertisements generated for display at end user devices. In an example group buying is facilitated by generating advertisements stating a current number of participants out of a target number of participants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Karen Master Ben-Dor, Kfir Karmon, Yagil Engel