IP Library Granted Patent US 11,995,689
Granted Patent B2
US 11,995,689 · App. 17/366,500 · Granted May 28, 2024

Split control of spot breaks

Inventors: Jeffrey Lee Littlejohn (Mason, OH); Jeffrey James Bengel (Springboro, OH); David C. Jellison, Jr. (Ogallala, NE); Daniel N. MacTiernan (Ocean City, NJ)
Assignee: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
G06Q30/0272G06Q30/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,995,689
App. No.
17/366,500
Granted
May 28, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A transfer time, at which control of automatically inserting advertisements into a broadcast is to be passed from a first advertisement management system to a second advertisement management system, is scheduled to occur within a spot break. During a first portion of the spot break controlled by the first advertisement management system, a determination is made that playout of a final advertisement scheduled for broadcast during the first portion of the spot break cannot be completed prior to the transfer time. A run-last-spot parameter indicating whether the first advertisement management system is permitted to pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast prior to the transfer time is obtained. Control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast is conditionally passed from the first advertisement management system to the second advertisement management system based on the run-last-spot parameter.

Claims (49)

1. A method comprising:

scheduling a transfer time at which control of automatically inserting advertisements into a broadcast is to be passed from a first advertisement management system to a second advertisement management system, wherein the transfer time is scheduled to occur within a spot break;

determining during a first portion of the spot break controlled by the first advertisement management system, that playout of a final advertisement scheduled for broadcast during the first portion of the spot break cannot be completed prior to the transfer time;

obtaining a run-last-spot parameter indicating whether the first advertisement management system is permitted to pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast prior to the transfer time; and

conditionally passing control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast from the first advertisement management system to the second advertisement management system based on the run-last-spot parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including:

in response to the run-last-spot parameter indicating that the first advertisement management system is permitted to pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast prior to the transfer time, passing control to the second advertisement management system early.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including:

in response to the run-last-spot parameter indicating that the first advertisement management system is not permitted to pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast prior to the transfer time, passing control to the second advertisement management system as scheduled.

4. The method of claim 3 , further including:

cancelling playout of the final advertisement; and

inserting filler material to be broadcast until the transfer time.

5. The method of claim 1 , further including:

passing an ad conflict message from the first advertisement management system to the second advertisement management system, wherein the ad conflict message includes information about advertisements inserted by the first advertisement management system.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ad conflict message includes a rule reference identifier.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving, at the first advertisement management system, an ad conflict message including information about advertisements inserted by the second advertisement management system.

8. A device comprising:

at least one processor and memory implementing a first advertisement management system, the first advertisement management system configured to:

determine, during a first portion of a spot break controlled by the first advertisement management system, that playout of a final advertisement scheduled for broadcast during the first portion of the spot break cannot be completed prior to a transfer time, wherein the transfer time is a scheduled transfer time at which control of automatically inserting advertisements into a broadcast is to be passed from the first advertisement management system to a second advertisement management system, wherein the transfer time is scheduled to occur within a spot break;

obtain a run-last-spot parameter indicating whether the first advertisement management system is permitted to pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast prior to the transfer time; and

conditionally pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast from the first advertisement management system to the second advertisement management system based on the run-last-spot parameter.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the first advertisement management system is further configured to:

in response to the run-last-spot parameter indicating that the first advertisement management system is permitted to pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast prior to the transfer time, pass control to the second advertisement management system early.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the first advertisement management system is further configured to:

in response to the run-last-spot parameter indicating that the first advertisement management system is not permitted to pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast prior to the transfer time, pass control to the second advertisement management system as scheduled.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the first advertisement management system is further configured to:

cancel playout of the final advertisement; and

insert filler material to be broadcast until the scheduled transfer time.

12. The device of claim 8 , wherein the first advertisement management system is further configured to:

pass an ad conflict message from the first advertisement management system to the second advertisement management system, wherein the ad conflict message includes information about advertisements inserted by the first advertisement management system.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the ad conflict message includes a rule reference identifier.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the first advertisement management system is further configured to:

receive an ad conflict message including information about advertisements inserted by the second advertisement management system.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions configured to be stored in a memory and executed by a processor implementing a first advertisement management system, the program of instructions including:

at least one instruction to determine, during a first portion of a spot break controlled by the first advertisement management system, that playout of a final advertisement scheduled for broadcast during the first portion of the spot break cannot be completed prior to a transfer time, wherein the transfer time is a scheduled transfer time at which control of automatically inserting advertisements into a broadcast is to be passed from the first advertisement management system to a second advertisement management system, wherein the transfer time is scheduled to occur within a spot break;

at least one instruction to obtain a run-last-spot parameter indicating whether the first advertisement management system is permitted to pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast prior to the transfer time; and

at least one instruction to conditionally pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast from the first advertisement management system to the second advertisement management system based on the run-last-spot parameter.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the program of instructions further includes:

at least one instruction to, in response to the run-last-spot parameter indicating that the first advertisement management system is permitted to pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast prior to the transfer time, pass control to the second advertisement management system early.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the program of instructions further includes:

at least one instruction to, in response to the run-last-spot parameter indicating that the first advertisement management system is not permitted to pass control of automatically inserting advertisements into the broadcast prior to the transfer time, pass control to the second advertisement management system as scheduled.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the program of instructions further includes:

at least one instruction to cancel playout of the final advertisement; and

at least one instruction to insert filler material to be broadcast until the scheduled transfer time.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the program of instructions further includes:

at least one instruction to pass an ad conflict message from the first advertisement management system to the second advertisement management system, wherein the ad conflict message includes information about advertisements inserted by the first advertisement management system.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the program of instructions further includes:

at least one instruction to receive an ad conflict message including information about advertisements inserted by the second advertisement management system.

Assignments (8)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 29, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 069795/0912 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 28, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069793/0758 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 28, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069794/0248 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 27, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069792/0335 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 23, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069762/0453 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 22, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069752/0941 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2021
From: LITTLEJOHN, JEFFREY LEE; BENGEL, JEFFREY JAMES; JELLISON, DAVID C., JR.; MACTIERNAN, DANIEL N.
To: CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 056745/0815 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 2, 2021
From: CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 056757/0964 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16459974 · Jul 2, 2019
Continuation 14076420 · Nov 11, 2013
Related Publication 20210334858A1 · Oct 28, 2021