Interactive product placement system and method therefor

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/024,829, filed Jan. 30, 2008, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety.

[0002] The invention relates generally to interactive video broadcasting, and, more particularly, to placement of products in video broadcast for interactive purchase.

[0003] It is well-known that video may be broadcast or provided through a number of media, such as television, the Internet, DVD, and the like. To finance such video broadcast, commercial advertisements are often placed in the video. Commercials, however, require that the video be momentarily interrupted while the commercial is displayed. Not only is that annoying to viewers, but modern technology has developed digital video recorders (DVR's) that allow video programs to be pre-recorded, and when viewed, to fast-forward through commercials, thereby defeating the effectiveness and, hence, value of commercials. When commercials are de-valued, costs are not adequately covered, and as a result, broadcast service quality suffers. In many cases, costs are made up by charging viewers for the video service.

[0004] Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for advertising commercial products in such a way that they are not annoying and do not interrupt a video production, prompting a user fast-forward through them.

[0005] The present invention, accordingly, provides a method for presenting advertisements for commercial products in video productions, whereby the commercial product is placed in the video production as an element of the video production. A viewer is enabled to interact with the video production to select the product. Information is displayed about the selected product; and the viewer is enabled to purchase the selected product.

[0006] More specifically, the invention comprises a web-based rich media software application allowing non-technical end-users the ability to easily create full frame interactive media overlays into the video production which has been encoded with pre-defined cue points that request immersive full motion video interactive overlay elements from an ad-server.

[0007] The cue points are utilized to trigger pre-defined advertising events stored and indexed with metadata in an ad server or other database. By way of example, an advertising event may include the extraction of a single video frame or a series of frames of the encoded video production, which in turn becomes the interactive advertisement that is triggered by the pre-set cue point and presented to the user as a seamless advertising/entertainment experience.

[0008] Once the cue point triggers an event, the system calls the specific advertisement into the video player and seamlessly overlays the initial video production with the enhanced interactive product ads. The ad is displayed for a predetermined life cycle, such as 5-10 seconds. Once the life cycle of the ad expires, or the ad is clicked or presented to the end user, the advertisement will destroy itself, leaving the viewer with the impression that there was never a break in the viewing experience.

[0009] In conjunction with the integrated overlay advertisements, the process of the invention is supplemented with an information and product integrated timeline residing under the video production. At the triggered cue point, watermarked icons/logos appear under the video production. Users can interact with the icons to garner more information about a particular character, location, or advertisers at a specific point in the feature presentation, employing the same aforementioned calls.

[0017] In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. Additionally, for the most part, details concerning the Internet, HTTP, XML, PHP, FLV, and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.

[0018] It is noted that, unless indicated otherwise, all functions described herein may be performed by a processor such as a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic data processor, a computer, or the like, in accordance with code, such as program code, software, integrated circuits, and/or the like that are coded to perform such functions. Furthermore, it is considered that the design, development, and implementation details of all such code would be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art based upon a review of the present description of the invention.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral 100 generally designates an interactive product placement system embodying features of the present invention. The system 100 includes a video server 104 and an ad (i.e., “advertisement”) server 106 coupled together via a communication information network effective for video streaming, such as the Internet, 110. An interactive video editor 102 is coupled via the Internet 110 to the video server 104 and ad server 106 for creating immersive interactive advertisements in conjunction with video productions displayed by the video server. An interactive video player 108 is coupled via the Internet 110 to the video server 104 and ad server 106 for displaying video productions from the video server 104 and ads from the ad server 106 in accordance with principles of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 3 exemplifies an application of the interactive video editor 102 for enabling non-technical ad representatives to create an immersive interactive advertising experience for users. The editor 102 defines the properties, interactive elements, visuals, and motion of the ad element stored in metadata and XML format and packaged with the ad file. The editor 102 is a rich media application comprising tools, a user interface, and backend connections to the ad server 106. The following lists, by way of example and not limitation, some preferred features of the editor 102:

• • [0021] File: Open
  • [0022] Save: Save an iteration of video project file.
  • [0023] Export: Export in all applicable compiled final production ready formats.
  • [0024] Properties: Set campaign name, lifespan and essential metadata ad formats.
  • [0025] Assign Path: Create guideline to animate overlay object end to end over.
  • [0026] Set Key: Assign animation key frame.
  • [0027] Four Corner Pin: Pin vector points to set start and end frames over underlying video production. Corner Pin effect distorts an image by repositioning each of its four corners. Use it to stretch, shrink, skew, or twist an image or to simulate perspective or movement that pivots from the edge of a layer

[0028] The interactive video editor 102 also enables layers to be added to the video production. More specifically, an overlay element allows users to see an underlying video preview. The first layer on the bottom forms a base layer, and anything layered on top of that at least partially obscures the layers underneath it.

[0029] Still further, the interactive video editor 102 includes a tool kit, comprising the following:

• • [0030] Pen: freeform drawing tool used to define shape
  • [0031] Shape: Set of predefined shapes to use as interactive element
  • [0032] Paint: Brush tool allowing more freeform element creation
  • [0033] Erase: Remove excess erase tool allows you to remove portions of shapes or lines with precision. You can change the size and shape of the eraser as well as the portions of any shape you want to erase by adjusting the options

[0034] FIG. 4 exemplifies an application of the interactive video player 108 configured with the capabilities to read, display, and interact with code supplied by the corresponding application of the interactive video editor 102. The player 108 is a rich media application comprising tools, a user interface, and backend connections to the ad server 106.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 4, the video player 108 advertises a card in an overlay as it moves along a motion path. Also shown are an ad icon/logo for the card in a Timeline under the video display, and under the ad icon/logo, a calling cue point corresponding to a respective icon/logo above it. Optionally, under the calling cue points are episodes of the video production being watched. While the timeline is shown positioned beneath the video production, it may be positioned along the top, left, or right margins of the video production.

[0036] FIG. 2 is a flow chart exemplifying steps in the operation of the invention. In step 202 operation begins, and in step 204 a request is generated by the video player 108 (per input from a user) for a video production and transmitted to the video server 104. In step 206, the video server 104 receives the request for a video production and, in step 208, the video server 104 locates the video production and transmits it to the video player 108. In step 212, the video player 108 begins playing the video production until a cue point is triggered in step 214. Upon triggering the cue point, execution proceeds to step 216 wherein the video player generates and transmits to the ad server 106 a request via HTTP POST requests for an ad, and includes with the request a cue point name and video ID into which the ad will be placed. The following exemplifies a request generated at step 216:

• • [0037] FLVPlayback.addEventListener(Video.CuePoint, function( ){
    • [0038] Var request=new
  • [0039] URLRequest(“filename.php?func=advertisment&movie_id=”+movie_id+“&cue_point=”+this.cuePointName);
  • [0040] }

[0041] In step 218, the ad server 106 receives the ad request and, in step 220, the ad server 106 locates the requested ad and transmits the ad to the video player 108. The ad requests are made form the player application via HTTP POST requests. The response from the ad server or other database will be a small XML that gives the path of the ad, length, and any other information that's related to the ad. The player reacts to events signaled by the cue points request and will execute actions defined inside the event trigger instructing the player with the ad parameters, e.g., kind of ad file requested, the action to take, e.g., pause, lifespan, effect, specifics coordinates of the over-laid ad, and the like, as well as any other custom defined configurations.

[0042] The following exemplifies simple cue point metadata, which is generated by the video editor 102 and stored with the advertisement:

[0043]

	CUE POINT
TIME	NAME	ACTION	DURATION	URL PATH
1:54.02	soda_can	Fade In	10 sec.	http://yoururl.com/ad
2:02.06	pizza_box	Motion Path	10 sec.	http://yoururl.com/ad
9:02.04	sneakers	Glow	5 sec.	http://yoururl.com/ad

[0044] In step 222, the video player receives the ad with an interactive link which a user/viewer may select and click on to obtain further information about the product being advertised, and optionally purchase same. The ad is then displayed as either or both an ad with the link as an overlay on the video production in step 224, or in step 226 as a calling cue point for the ad and link in an icon or logo in a timeline below the video production. In step 224, the ad is displayed for the duration indicated in the cue point data, as exemplified above. The icon or logo in the timeline of step 226 may remain in the timeline as long as space permits, that is, until space is needed for a icon or logo of a subsequent icon or logo.

[0045] In step 228, a determination is made whether the video production is complete. If the video production is not complete, execution returns to step 212; otherwise, execution is terminated as step 230.

[0046] FIGS. 5 and 6 provide additional visual examples of interactive overlay and timeline ads, in which the video player 108 seeks cue points set in the video content triggering an ad event requesting either a timeline advertisement or an embedded live overlay advertisement. More specifically, FIG. 5 exemplifies how timeline information and advertisement offers directly correspond to cue points inside specific video content assets. FIG. 6 exemplifies how cue points trigger pre-defined advertising events stored and indexed with metadata in the ad server or other database. An example of the event may include the extraction of a single video frame or a series of frames of a video production, which in turn becomes the interactive advertisement that is laid over the video production to create a seamless interactive clickable video ad. As shown in FIG. 6, the product being advertised is highlight via rotoscoping, and additional information may be obtained about by clicking on the product.

[0047] By the use of the present invention, an improved method is provided for advertising products by interactively placing them either in a timeline or embedding them in a live overlay on a video production.

[0048] It is understood that the present invention may take many forms and embodiments. Accordingly, several variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. For example, the compositing of elements otherwise non-existing into the finished advertising product or filming green screen products and services into the production to later composite via the video editing application. Means for interconnecting components of the system may be achieved other than via the Internet, such as via fiber optic or cable network or satellite. The video stream may be supplied by alternative means incorporating, for example, DVD technology.

[0049] Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered obvious and desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.