Hulu, LLC

Wing Chit Mak

Jean-Paul Colaco

Hua Zheng

Richard W Tom

Jason A Kilar

Brian Soebekti

Bryon Edward Schafer

Xin Jin

Eric I Feng

Jessica Page Ivy

Robert Masao Wong

Thomas C Tate

Tony T Zhang

Chaitanya Laxminarayan

Eugene Chuan-Huai Wei

Peter E Sargent

Jason Kilar

Bryon Schafer

A method transmits configuration information including a set of events that define when a media program player should send information regarding playback of an advertisement during an advertisement break in a media program. Also, the method transmits, to the user device, advertising control options configured to be output on the user device. A user selection for a control option in the advertising control options is received from the user device, wherein the control option controls sending of an advertisement to the user device during the advertisement break. The method then receives advertisement viewing data describing a viewing of the advertisement on the user device, wherein sending of the advertisement viewing data by the media program player is triggered based on an event in the set of events occurring at the media program player.

Media player configuration to provide viewing data feedback

Estimating ad inventory in an online video streaming system accurately handles interdependencies among targeted attributes. The estimating includes determining a probability distribution of samples taken from electronic data records of ad impressions in an interactive online video streaming service, among a population comprising each different combination of targeted attributes recorded for each of the samples. In addition, the estimating may include populating an electronic data structure with data relating the each different combination of the targeted attributes to corresponding forecasted number of available impressions in a defined time period, based on the probability distribution and a forecasted total number of available impressions in the time period. Then, estimating the ad inventory is based on the electronic data structure and targeting attributes for an ad campaign, optionally including summing forecasted impressions for combinations of the targeted attributes that include all of the defined set of targeted attributes.

Ad inventory management system

A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to control the presentation of advertisements. In one embodiment, the method receives an identification of the media program to be sent to the user device, transmits metadata defining an advertising break having at least one advertisement opportunity within the media program, at the advertisement opportunity, transmits advertising control options, receives a user selection for the advertising control options, sends the advertisement to the user device according to the user selection for the advertising control options, receives advertising viewing data describing the streaming of the advertisement to the user device, and stores the advertisement viewing data.

Method and apparatus for providing directed advertising based on user preferences

A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to manage the provision of user information such as surveys and advertisement feedback to the media program provider to improve the advertising experience.

Providing a survey during an advertisement opportunity to improve advertising experience

During or prior to streaming of video content to a client device, a server provides data configuring an interactive object on the client device. When activated by user input, the interactive object enables a user to select one or more video ads to be streamed to the client device during an upcoming ad break, during play of the streaming video. The interactive object enables the user to perform the selection without interrupting viewing of the video.

User control of ad selection for subsequent ad break of a video

An auction for ad inventory to be placed in streaming video content is characterized by a floor (minimum) price. A seller component receives, via a real time auction exchange system, a request for a set of ad impressions meeting specified criteria to be delivered by an online video streaming system, sometimes referred to as an 'auction lot'. The seller component determines a floor price based on an inventory pressure calculated for the auction lot in response to receiving the request. The seller component determines the inventory pressure based on an inventory pressure determined for an inventory segment identified by the auction lot. The auction lot may then be entered into a bidding process including at least one bidder wherein bids less than the floor price are not accepted.

Floor price management in an online auction system for ads to be placed in a diversified content inventory

A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to interrupt the playback of the advertisement and continue with the playback of the media program with no further advertisements, or to interrupt the playback of the advertisement to substitute a different version of the advertisement.

Method and apparatus for permitting user interruption of an advertisement and the substitution of alternate advertisement version

Configuration of advertisements in a streaming video segment works in cooperation with a client device. Using a selection algorithm, a server selects a first number of default video advertisements for a video streaming session, and a second number of alternative video ads greater than the first number. The server provides identifiers for the alternative video advertisements and transmits the identifiers to the client device prior to a corresponding ad break in the streaming video. During or before streaming of one of the default video advertisements to the client device, the server detects a signal from the client device requesting that one of the alternative video advertisements be swapped for the one of the default video advertisements, interrupts streaming of the default video, and initiates streaming of the one of the alternative video advertisements, in response to detecting the signal. Corresponding operations may be performed by the client device.

Video ad swapping in a video streaming system

In a streaming video system with included video ad breaks, a pacing component allocates ads to particular ad breaks so as to pace the distribution of ads over a defined ad campaign period according to a pacing protocol using discrete time bins. A curve fitting algorithm may be used to provide increased or adjustable granularity of time bins used in the pacing protocol.

Pacing ad service with adjustable granularity

A processing workflow method, system, and computer program product provide the ability; to recommend alternative programming during playback of a source media program. A media program player plays the source media program to a first viewer and provides information regarding the first viewer to a recommendation engine. The recommendation engine calculates and sends the media player a list of recommended media program candidates (including identifications of the candidates) based on the information. Prior to reaching an advertising break in the source media program, the media player transmits a request (including the identifications) for an advertisement to an advertising server and in response, receives an advertisement that is played to the first viewer during the advertising break.

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Los Angeles, CA, United States of America

Wing Chit Mak