Granted Patent B2

US 8,738,734 · App. 13/245,786 · Granted May 27, 2014

Abstract

Claims (63)

1. A media services platform for providing a content object with an in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object, wherein the content object is audio and/or video, the media services platform comprising:

a first interface configured to receive at a first location:

a content request for the content object from a content object player, and

location information that identifies where a content object can be retrieved;

a second interface configured to:

remap at least one variable to a parameter that is in a format that an ad server can interpret such that the value of the variable and the parameter is the same even though a characteristic definition of the variable and parameter differ, thereby repurposing the parameter;

send an ad request for the in-stream ad unit from the first location to the ad server at a second location, wherein the second location is away from the first location on the Internet, and wherein the ad request comprises the parameter;

a computing system configured to:

process indication of the in-stream ad unit to insert into the slot from the ad server, and

automatically place visual and/or audio content of the in-stream ad unit into the slot of the content object to create a coded content object at the first location, wherein the coded content object is a single visual and/or audio file, and wherein coded content object is configured such that the content of the in-stream ad unit and the content object are presented to an end user upon playing of the coded content object by the content object player;

a modified content store configured to store a plurality of coded content object, each coded content object configured such that content of a different in-stream ad unit and the content object are presented to upon playing of the coded content object, each coded content object being associated with a different identifier, and the plurality of coded content objects comprising the coded content object;

a third interface configured to facilitate download or streaming of the coded content object from the first location with the in-stream ad unit placed into the slot.

2. The media services platform for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first interface is sub-divided into a content request interface and a connector interface.

3. The media services platform for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the second interface to the ad serve includes an application program interface (API) for processing display ad units, and

the ad request is sent to the API.

4. The media services platform for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 1 , wherein the placement of the in-stream ad unit is performed before receiving the content request.

5. The media services platform for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 1 , wherein the computing system transcodes the content object to change at least one of a format, a sampling rate and/or a bitrate.

6. A method for providing a content object with an in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object, wherein the content object is audio and/or video, the method comprising:

receiving at a first location a content request for the content object from a content object player, wherein:

the content object has a slot configured for insertion of the in-stream ad unit,

the content request includes location information, and

the location information:

is received at the first location, and

identifies where the content object can be requested;

remapping at least one variable to a parameter that is in a format that an ad server can interpret such that the value of the variable and the parameter is the same even though a characteristic definition of the variable and parameter differ, thereby repurposing the parameter;

sending an ad request for the in-stream ad unit from the first location to the ad server at a second location, wherein the second location is away from the first location on the Internet, and wherein the ad request comprises the parameter;

receiving indication of the in-stream ad unit to insert into the slot from the ad server;

retrieving the in-stream ad unit;

transmogrifying the content object to effect the placement of the in-stream ad unit into the slot of the content object to create a coded content object at the first location, wherein the coded content object is a single visual and/or audio file, and wherein coded content object is configured such that the content of the in-stream ad unit and the content object are presented to an end user upon playing of the coded content object by the content object player;

associating the coded content object with an identifier;

storing the coded content object and the associated content object in a modified content store configured to store a plurality of coded content object, each coded content object configured such that content of a different in-stream ad unit and the content object are presented to upon playing of the coded content object, each coded content object being associated with a different identifier, and

facilitating download or streaming of the coded content object from the first location with the in-stream ad unit placed into the slot.

7. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 6 , wherein the ad server is spoofed into thinking the sending of the ad request is coming from an end user system.

8. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 6 , wherein the content request from the content object player returns the coded content object without further information beyond the request from the content object player.

9. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 6 , wherein the transmogrification is performed before receiving the content request at the first location.

10. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 6 , further comprising receiving at the first location indication of the slot location within the content object for insertion of the in-stream ad unit.

11. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 6 , wherein:

the ad server is a display ad server (DAS);

the DAS does not natively support in-stream ad units,

the DAS includes an application program interface (API) for providing display ads, and

the ad request is sent to the API.

12. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 6 , further comprising transcoding the content object to change at least one of a format, a sampling rate and/or a bitrate.

13. A storage device having machine-executable instructions configured to perform the machine-implementable method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object of claim 6 .

14. A machine adapted to perform the machine-implementable method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object of claim 6 .

15. A method for providing a content object with an in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object, wherein the content object is audio and/or video, the method comprising:

processing at a first location a content request for the content object from a content object player wherein the content object has a slot configured for insertion of the in-stream ad unit;

processing location information at the first location that identifies where the content object can be retrieved;

processing at the first location indication of a slot within the content object for insertion of the in-stream ad unit;

remapping at least one variable to a parameter that is in a format that an ad server can interpret such that the value of the variable and the parameter is the same even though a characteristic definition of the variable and parameter differ, thereby repurposing the parameter;

sending an ad request for the in-stream ad unit from the first location to the ad server at a second location, wherein the second location is away from the first location on the Internet, and wherein the ad request comprises the parameter;

processing indication of the in-stream ad unit to insert into the slot from the ad server;

automatically placing of the in-stream ad unit into the slot of the content object to create a coded content object at the first location, wherein the coded content object is a single visual and/or audio file, and wherein coded content object is configured such that the content of the in-stream ad unit and the content object are presented to an end user upon playing of the coded content object by the content object player;

associating the coded content object with an identifier;

storing the coded content object and the associated content object in a modified content store configured to store a plurality of coded content object, each coded content object configured such that content of a different in-stream ad unit and the content object are presented to upon playing of the coded content object, each coded content object being associated with a different identifier, and

facilitating download or streaming of the coded content object from the first location with the in-stream ad unit placed into the slot.

16. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 15 , wherein:

the ad server includes an application program interface (API) for processing display ad units, and

the request is sent to the API.

17. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 15 , wherein the automatic placement is performed before receiving the content request.

18. The method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object as recited in claim 15 , further comprising transcoding the content object to change at least one of a format, a sampling rate and/or a bitrate.

19. A storage device having machine-executable instructions configured to perform the machine-implementable method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object of claim 15 .

20. A machine adapted to perform the machine-implementable method for providing the content object with the in-stream ad unit inserted into the content object of claim 15 .

Assignments (9)