Abstract: A progress bar for a multi media device, such as a television or a computer, can depict digital media streaming or otherwise where a progress bar operates during the media playback function. One embodiment of the present invention includes the progress bar as an advertisement including company logos. The progress bar is the advertisement and is operable to morph into various positions allowing the advertisement to develop during the playing of the video. Marketers promote their logo as the progress bar to increase brand exposure.

Abstract: A product catalog includes information regarding products for sale online by various merchants. An analysis software module can identify brand names in the product catalog that relate to the same brand. The analysis module can compute parameters of pairs of product offers having matching product identifiers. The analysis module can group the product offer pairs into brand pair groups based on the brand names for the products subject to the product offers. The analysis module can compute parameters of each brand pair group based on product offer pairs in the brand pair group and attributes of product offers in the product catalog. The analysis module can use the computed parameters to determine whether the brand names of each brand pair are related. The analysis module can use the identified related brand names and additional attributes of product offers to identify product offers related to the same product.

Abstract: A time interval during which to present an offering to a consumer is determined using a cadence consistency score calculated for the consumer. In addition, it is determined which of a plurality of items to offer to the consumer is determined using an item diversity score calculated for the consumer. Thereafter, provision an offering for the determined item during the determined time interval is initiated. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Abstract: An Internet advertisement method and system that issues an authentication key for enabling selected target customers to receive a commercial sample at a membership-based offline store by performing an advertisement in the form of a banner on a web page of an online market, such as an Internet shopping mall, such that an advertiser can conveniently satisfy needs of customers desiring to purchase goods after receiving the sample without delivering the sample, a targeting goods advertisement can be effectively performed, membership-based offline stores can be publicized, and increasing visits from customers can lead to an increase in sales. The Internet advertisement method includes providing an advertisement including information on providing a sample, and generating an authentication key for enabling a customer terminal selecting the advertisement and requesting a sample of advertised goods to receive the sample at an offline store.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving location data for a plurality of mobile devices located in an area comprising a display screen, processing at a network device, the location data to generate location analytics for the area, the location analytics comprising dwell time for users of the mobile devices, and transmitting the location analytics to a content source operable to select content for display on the display screen based on the location analytics. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards dynamically managing contextual recommendations that can be employed with content when provided to a channel. A test for a variable having at least two outcomes may be determined to be employed with selected content. Each outcome may correspond to a different contextual recommendation. An outcome to employ with the content may be randomly determined/selected such that each of the outcomes of the test is selected a substantially similar number of times. The content may be modified and/or provided to the channel based on contextual recommendations that correspond to the determined outcome. Actions associated with a plurality of content may be monitored and/or analyzed to determine metrics for each outcome of a test. A comparison of the metrics for each outcome may be utilized to determine a preferred outcome for the test.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for active push advertising, the method including: providing a server to which a user connects personal electronic devices; logging in the server for matching and comparing advertiser demand variables with an advertising receiving condition; sending a plurality of advertisement from the server to the personal electronic device; providing a user interface for showing an advertising prompt to inform the user of the availability of the advertisements for playing after the server confirms whether the advertising playing condition is fulfilled or not by a terminal program; providing an advertising interface which appears immediately after a point tool triggers the advertising prompt; playing the advertisement immediately after an induction condition in an induction zone of the advertising interface is triggered; and issuing virtual currency and accumulated usage value when the induction condition is continuously triggered until the end of the advertisement.

Abstract: The amount of time that an advertisement-presenting web page is displayed by a browser is tracked. The amount of money that is charged to an advertiser, whose advertisement is contained within the web page, is determined based on this amount of time. One way of tracking this amount of time is by tracking the amount of time that passes in between the moment that the web page is loaded by the web browser and the moment in which the web page goes out of focus. If the web page is displayed for less than a specified minimum amount of time during a first session, then the advertisement is displayed again during a second session. Once the advertisement has been displayed for a specified maximum amount of time, the advertisement is replaced with another advertisement on the web page.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for advertising with an influential participant in a virtual world. A facilitator rating is determined for each of a plurality of participants in the virtual world. The facilitator rating may indicate an influence of each of the plurality of participants on other participants in the virtual world. One or more participants are identified from the plurality of participants based on the facilitator rating. The one or more participants are utilized to provide an advertisement in the virtual world.

Abstract: A method for promoting and provisioning of products and services including: creating a first business account for a first business offering first products or services; creating a second business account for a second business offering second products or services; creating a promoter account for a plurality of promoters to promote the first and second products or services; linking the first business, the second business, the first and the second products or services to the promoters. The linking enables a respective promoter to promote a selected portion of the first and second products or services and enables the first and second businesses to provision the first or second products or services, respectively; presenting the selected portion of the first and second products or services to a user; receiving a user selection of a presented product or service; and scheduling a time for rendering the selected product or service to the user.

Abstract: A computer implemented method and system for enabling service providers to fairly distribute advertisement placement opportunities containing inventory splits is disclosed. A router receives a play list containing inventory split percentages of ownership of a number of placement opportunities. The router associates ownership of each of the placement opportunities at random, but weighted by the inventory split percentages. The router inserts the placement opportunities into designated time intervals of a stream. The router transmits the stream to a user.

Abstract: Social media content items are mapped to relevant time-based media events. These mappings are used as the basis for calculating metrics based upon the mappings, and ratings of the time-based media there from. Audience response metrics (ARMs) are calculated from the mappings, which provide an indication of audience engagement or response. In addition, ARMs provide information about the virality, depth, and breadth of the response by the viewing audience. The calculated metrics are stored and are used to generate ratings for the time-based media. The ratings may be published in whole or in part, e.g., as part of a ratings system.

Abstract: Users are rewarded for viewer interaction (based on tracked eye-gaze patterns) with Internet advertisements rendered on a display (such as a computer display), wherein the reward is computed based on the visual activity of the viewer. Payments are disbursed to any of the following: viewer, sponsor of the advertisement, creator of advertisement. Examples of reward computations include, but are not limited to, computing payments based on: the level of viewer interaction with the rendered advertisements, the amount/proportion of content interacted with by the viewer, the value of the text interacted with by the viewer. In one example, rewards are based on a combination of previously recorded viewer interests and computed payments based on user interaction.

Abstract: A method for scheduling advertising comprises the steps of: estimating a respective fraction of delivered advertisement impressions that result in a response from a user for each of a plurality of advertising contracts, estimating a value per impression for each of the advertising contracts, and scheduling an advertising line under the contract having the highest value per impression at a next available advertising window.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for processing events related to presented content. In one aspect, a method includes determining a time window count of a number of advertising events associated with an advertisement during at least one time window before a conversion event; and determining a credit that represents a strength of an association between the advertisement and the conversion event, wherein determining a credit includes selecting a weighting model for the at least one time window count.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamic interaction mapping for online advertizing is disclosed in one embodiment. Metric information relating to interaction with a creative is received from a number of user computer from across the Internet. The metric information is correlated to playback time of the creative and position of interaction with respect to the creative. A graphic overlay or heatmap is formulated according to display options, event triggers, playback time and position of the interaction relative to the creative. The graphic overlay is presented in a way that the graphic overlay changes according to playback time. Display options include creative transparency, graphic overlay transparency, selection from a number of interactions and/or events, selection of one or more panels, choosing clicks and/or rollovers, choice of different colors or shading for different interaction, etc.

Abstract: A gaze tracking technique is implemented with a head mounted gaze tracking device that communicates with a server. The server receives scene images from the head mounted gaze tracking device which captures external scenes viewed by a user wearing the head mounted device. The server also receives gaze direction information from the head mounted gaze tracking device. The gaze direction information indicates where in the external scenes the user was gazing when viewing the external scenes. An image recognition algorithm is executed on the scene images to identify items within the external scenes viewed by the user. A gazing log tracking the identified items viewed by the user is generated.

Abstract: An online advertising system receives ads and ad exposure goals, such as a desired number of impressions or amount of presentation time, from advertisers. The online advertising system may also receive a time-based advertising purchase. A request for an ad is received for a client, and an amount of exposure is determined for each received ad across a plurality of ad mediums. The ad mediums may include both controlled ad mediums and external ad mediums. The advertising system selects an ad for presentation among the received ads based on the received ad exposure goals associated with the ads and the determined amount of exposure for each ad. The advertising system may select an ad by determining bids for each ad and conducting an auction among the ads. In such an embodiment, the advertising system may determine the bids for ads that have met their ad exposure goals to be zero.

Abstract: An advertisement system includes an advertising manager that receives a content-event indicator, which indicates playback of an advertisement for viewing on a first display screen at a media-playback device or indicates playback of recorded content that includes advertisements. The advertising manager can determine an optimal time offset as a duration of time before or after playback of an advertisement to the start of an event that is associated with the advertisement for viewing on a second display screen at a mobile device. For recorded content, an optimization schedule is determined that replaces and time-shifts advertisements during playback of the recorded content. The advertising manager can also determine a fulfillment criterion for a product or service based on latency constraints to indicate a duration of time within which fulfillment of the product or service is expected when offered as a second advertisement corresponding to a first advertisement.

Abstract: A network-based system of providing an advertisement stream to at least one user, the system including a computing cloud configured to receive different media data from a plurality of advertisement data sources and generate from said media data at least one advertisement data stream to be provided to at least one remote user; a network entity configured to transmit said at least one advertisement data stream to a user device of the at least one user; the user device configured to display the content of the at least one advertisement data stream within a network-based online presentation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for displaying content through recognition of a designated web site and web page is provided. The apparatus includes an operating server which has a database storing information on at least one designated web site and web page as well as at least one advertisement content matched with the information and a user terminal which includes a user program provided by the operating server, wherein when the user terminal senses a set mouse action within a set area in a web page of in a designated web site, advertisement content matched with the web page of in the designated web site is outputted.

Abstract: A wagering game system and operations are described herein. The operations can include presenting selectable casino content on a casino display device and determining a selection of the casino content (e.g., by a wagering game player account, by a casino patron, etc.). The operations can further include determining data from the selectable casino content, such as viewable portions of the casino content or metadata associated with casino content. The operations can further include sending the data to be saved in a user accessible storage, such as to a user accessible storage device or a web account associated with a casino user or social contact. In some embodiments, the operations can also include analyzing the selected casino content to generate analytics that can be used to determine targeted content (e.g., targeted advertisements, targeted wagering games, etc.) that can be presented or suggested to a wagering game player.

Abstract: A embodiment, a computer implemented method of generating a multi-tier dynamic value promotion thread generator may include: creating, by a computer processor(s), the thread generator, including: receiving, by the processor(s), terms of the at least one multi-tier dynamic value promotion thread generator adapted to generate at least one thread, wherein the terms may include: at least one tier-specific benefit term, and at least one tier-specific requirement term for each of at least two tier levels of the thread generator; and at least one thread-specific countdown timer, wherein upon generation of a generated thread by a first customer user, a value of the tier-specific benefit term of the generated thread may be determined by comparing: a number of joined customer users upon expiration of the countdown timer, to the tier-specific requirement terms, to identify the tier corresponding to the number of joined customer users.

Abstract: An electronic shelf label system according to an embodiment includes a shelf label terminal, an advertisement terminal, and a management server. The shelf label terminal displays shelf label information based on received shelf label data. The advertisement terminal displays advertisement information based on received advertisement data. The management server transmits the shelf label data to the shelf label terminal and transmits the advertisement data to the advertisement terminal.

Abstract: An advertising system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes an advertising display configured to provide an advertisement to potential customers and a camera configured to capture images of the potential customers when the potential customers pass the advertising display. The system may also include an image processing system having a processor and a memory. The memory may include application instructions for execution by the processor, and the image processing system may be configured to execute the application instructions to derive usage characteristics of the potential customers with respect to the advertising display through analysis of the captured images. Additional methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for messaging over a data network, such as the Internet and interactive TV, which allows every registered user to generate and update one or more user portfolio(s) containing information relative to Providers and/or individuals of which the user is willing to view their messages. The messages are displayed inside the space of the webpage where usually banners are shown. The system may provided benefits to the user upon displaying messages with commercial value to him. The disclosed messaging system allows an easy and effective communication path between providers and users any time publicly or privately in the banner area of a web site, which does not occupy additional space on the user's browser, and does not require the user to load another application besides his browser.

Abstract: Methods and Systems for facilitating caching of advertisements are described. The methods include receiving an ad request and generating a serving plan in response to said receiving the ad request. The serving plan includes multiple cache lines that identify corresponding advertisements. Each of the cache lines is associated with a corresponding expiration. Also, each cache line is readable by logic to display one of the advertisements corresponding to the cache line. The cache lines include a first cache line. The first cache line includes ad information, which is associated with a first one of the advertisements. Moreover, the ad information includes one or more parameters for expiration of the first cache line of a client device. The client device is configured to display the plurality of advertisements. The method includes sending the serving plan to the client device to store in the client device.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for displaying advertisements on a plurality of display monitors where each display monitor is associated with and mechanically coupled to a traffic signal. The system includes a plurality of display computers where each display computer is operatively connected to one of the display monitors for providing video or other digital content information to the display monitor to be displayed. A wide area network is operatively coupled to the display computer for use in transmitting video and other information to the display computer. A local area network provides video and other information to the display computers via the wide area network, and a router is operatively connected between the local area and wide area networks for directing information from the local area network to said display computers. The system has a display (preferably rectangular) that displays the traffic signal in the same frame as the advertisement display.

Abstract: The illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, an apparatus, and a computer usable program product for varying the amount of received advertising content. A content editor provides a portion of a plurality of levels of advertising to a user, wherein the portion of the plurality of levels indicates an amount of advertising content to be received by the user. Responsive to receiving a user input selecting the portion of the plurality of levels, the content editor inserts the amount of advertising content into a media content to form a modified media content, wherein the amount of advertising content corresponds to the portion of the plurality of levels selected by the user. The content editor then transmits the modified media content to the user.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method serves advertisements. The method includes identifying a first advertising opportunity for a user. The advertising opportunity includes an opportunity to display an advertisement to the user. A threshold exposure value is determined. The advertisement is served to the user during the first advertising opportunity. An exposure duration is tracked through the use of at least one processor. The exposure duration represents a total length of time that the advertisement is displayed to the user. The exposure duration is compared to the threshold exposure value. A second advertising opportunity for the user is identified. The method also includes serving the advertisement to the user during the second advertising opportunity when the exposure duration is less than the threshold exposure value, and not serving the advertisement to the user during the second advertising opportunity when the exposure duration is not less than the threshold exposure value.

Abstract: Increasing a number of advertising impressions in a system configured to facilitate user interaction with an interactive environment containing one or more advertising targets is described. A scene of a portion of the simulated environment is displayed from a camera point of view (camera POV) on a video display. The scene may change as the camera POV changes in response to movement of the camera POV along a camera path during the user's interaction with the simulated environment. By adding movement to the camera path that directs the camera POV toward one or more advertising targets encountered along the camera path advertising targets may be placed within the scene displayed on the video display to increase a likelihood a number of advertising impressions associated with the advertising targets.

Abstract: A social networking system provides relevant third-party content objects to users by matching user location, interests, and other social information with the content, location, and timing associated with the content objects. Content objects are provided based on relevance scores specific to a user. Relevance scores may be calculated based on the user's previous interactions with content object notifications, or based on interests that are common between the user and his or her connections in the social network. Context search is also provided for a user, wherein a list of search of results is ranked according to the relevance score of content object associated with the search results. Notifications may also be priced and distributed to users based on their relevance. In this way, the system can provide notifications that are relevant to user's interests and current circumstances, increasing the likelihood that they will find content objects of interest.

Abstract: A system and method for presentation of advertising content at a communication device are disclosed herein. A notification is provided corresponding to an advertisement event for presentation of at least one advertisement at the communication device. An indication is received associated with presentation of the advertisement at a scheduled time. And checking whether the indication is a permitted action on the advertisement event, wherein a network service is continued to be enabled for the communication device based on the indication being the permitted action.

Abstract: A method for dynamically reassigning in-game advertisements within a video game in order to maximize impression counts for the advertisements includes the steps of: determining when an advertisement at a first view location qualifies as on screen and incrementing an elapsed time for the advertisement while it qualifies as on screen. The method also includes the steps of calculating a current impression count for the advertisement and determining whether a maximum impression count for the advertisement has been reached or is within a prescribed value of being reached. If so, another advertisement is dynamically assigned to the first view location by removing the initial advertisement therefrom in order to maximize the cumulative impression counts for the advertisements.

Abstract: Programming media and advertising media may be presented in a manner that approximates or equals a target ratio. In one implementation, a total temporal length of one or more programming media segments is accessed after the user has selected the programming media segments. One or more advertising media segments are then selected. The advertising media segments have a total length that is based on the total temporal length of the programming media segments and a target temporal ratio between programming media and advertising media. The client system may present the one or more selected advertising media segments.

Abstract: A cost-per-second (CPS) based technology for Internet advertising is introduced. In one embodiment, the systems and methods described herein improve efficiency and efficacy of Internet based advertisements. Efficiency is improved by making advertisements relevant to the user; decreasing loss or waste in advertisement space and opportunity for the publisher; and displaying advertisements only for an appropriate duration and being charged according to actual duration for the advertiser. In embodiments, the cost for a certain branding effect can be measured and used with higher accuracy. In embodiments where multiple advertisements are shown simultaneously or at various timings, the technology introduced here provides unique bidding models to allow an advertiser to bid for advertising space, of an advertisement display. The bidding models incorporate bidding based on CPS, a function of CPS and cost-per-click, effective CPS, etc.

Abstract: Introduced is a method for presenting online advertisements based on a visibility of an advertisement (ad) spot in online content. The method includes determining ad spots that are visible or at least a substantial portion of the ad spots that are visible for a pre-defined duration, and serving advertisements in those ad spots. The method includes auctioning only the selected ad spots to the advertisers. Another method for measuring effectiveness of an ad creative is disclosed. The effectiveness of an ad creative is measured using a metric, such as an engagement rate of the ad creative. The engagement rate is determined as a ratio of a number of users that responded to the ad creative to a total number of users to whom the ad creative was served, wherein number of users who responded to the ad creative is a function of response score of the ad creative.

Abstract: An apparatus for tracking an advertising object is disclosed. A mobile device is capable of receiving an identification code to identify the advertising object. An identification device associated with the advertising object is capable of transmitting the identification code to the mobile device. A location media is capable of providing location information to the mobile device. A first set of executable instructions is capable of executing on a mobile device to detect the reception of the identification code, and forwarding the identification code and the location information to a server that is capable of storing the location information and the identification code.

Abstract: Necessary display count information about a count that predetermined content data should be displayed in a predetermined display device in a displayable period is acquired, display result count information about the display result count that the predetermined content data is displayed between a start of the displayable period and a present time is acquired, the display estimated count that the predetermined content data should be displayed in any period of the displayable period from the present time is decided based on the displayable period, the necessary display count information, and the display result count information, display time zone information about time zones in which the predetermined content data can be displayed in the predetermined display device is acquired, and a display start time at which the content data is displayed in the predetermined display device is decided based on the display estimated count and the display time zone information.

Abstract: In various example embodiments, a system and method for offering and billing advertisement opportunities are provided. In example embodiments, an advertisement opportunity in media to be communicated to a user device associated with a viewer is identified. Attributes of the advertisement opportunity are determined. Based on these attributes, a value to assign to the advertisement opportunity is determined. The advertisement opportunity is offered to a potential advertiser based on the assigned value determined using the attributes of the advertisement opportunity.

Abstract: A method is provided that includes receiving message data at a server from a first remote device. The message data is associated with a message and the message includes text of one or more words, one or more characters, one or more symbols, or any combination thereof. The method also includes determining an intended recipient of the message and parsing the message data to identify text that matches criteria associated with an advertisement campaign. Further, the method includes composing an advertisement based on characteristics of the intended recipient and based on the text that matches the criteria associated with the advertisement campaign. Additionally, the method includes creating an audio file based on the message data and the advertisement and sending the audio file from the server to a second remote device, the second remote device associated with the intended recipient.

Abstract: Content item presentation slots (e.g., advertisement slots) can be grouped into a slot group so that more than one presenter (e.g., advertiser) can share a corresponding number of slots on the publisher's property over a defined time period. The presenters can be scheduled to the slots within the slot group to maximize a performance measurement (e.g., number of clicks) that each presenter realizes according to budget constraints that are defined by the presenters.

Abstract: A gaze tracking technique is implemented with a head mounted gaze tracking device that communicates with a server. The server receives scene images from the head mounted gaze tracking device which captures external scenes viewed by a user wearing the head mounted device. The server also receives gaze direction information from the head mounted gaze tracking device. The gaze direction information indicates where in the external scenes the user was gazing when viewing the external scenes. An image recognition algorithm is executed on the scene images to identify items within the external scenes viewed by the user. A gazing log tracking the identified items viewed by the user is generated.

Abstract: A software system with a “single page buy” capability—both product information and purchase information on a single webpage. The software does the backend work needed to display both, in order to simplify the user experience. In one embodiment, commerce is “atomized” by pushing out the capability to purchase throughout the Internet—to ads on 3rd party sites, references in blogs, articles, etc. In one embodiment, a gliding product display is provided. The ad has a banner-type ad dimension, with product icons scrolling or gliding across it.

Abstract: A management apparatus for managing a content display change time on a display apparatus and content information to be transmitted to a terminal determines the content information to be transmitted to the terminal on the basis of a reception time of a content information request command transmitted from the terminal and the content display change time on the display apparatus.

Abstract: A method for content insertion is provided. In this method, a first media data is received from a server and a placement request is transmitted to a content provider service. As a result, a placement response is received from the content provider service. The placement response includes data identifying a second media data associated with the first media data. The second media data is retrieved and merged with the first media data. After the merge, the first and second media data are transmitted to the server.

Abstract: A system and method are directed towards identifying advertisement keywords within a variety of content types, identifying similarity rankings of advertisements based on the keywords, and to the guiding of keyword purchases. In one embodiment, a search is performed based in part on defined selection criteria, and/or scheduling rules. Content that may include advertisements is processed to identify advertisement keywords. A similarity ranking of different advertisements based on keywords therein may be determined. The similarity rankings may be used, with keyword pricing data, to identify instances of keyword arbitrage, guide purchase of keywords, and to control traffic flow to and from advertisements to obtain a benefit from price differentials between what one keyword seller charges for a keyword and what a click buyer will, pay for traffic directed to advertisements with the same or related keyword.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for a Media Expiration System (MES) that improves upon current content control systems by better managing media recordings. The MES enables media owners to disable recordings of their broadcast content and/or advertising, locally, after the content has been recorded by a consumer. In one embodiment, the MES places expiration stamps into broadcast media as it is recorded by a consumer electronics device. The MES tracks viewing habits, enables the purchasing of extended views of programs, and removes expired media programming content. The manner and way in which this is achieved results in the expiration of stale media content.

Abstract: A video server provides video content to a client via a network. At the instruction of the video server, a player at the client contacts an ad server and downloads one or more creatives and a controller file to the client. The controller file indicates how the creative manifests itself in play. The player displays the video content in a display area at the client. The controller file causes the creative to appear as an animated overlay over the video content. User interface elements indicate the point in the video when the creative appears, and allow the user to minimize and replay the creative. The player can also display other creatives, such as a static creative that is associated with the animated creative. A user can select the creative to view additional information about a product advertised by the creative.

Abstract: The occurrence of a request event is monitored during the rendering of a browser page. In response to monitoring the occurrence of the request event, content item request instructions are loaded and executed to generate one or more content item requests based on the content item request instructions.