Automated Secondary Content Scheduling Across Managed Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems lack a suitable mechanism for substantially automated, dynamic analysis and management of secondary content insertion opportunities across multiple content networks, accurate projection of penetration and impressions, correlation between desired results and customer budgets, and coordination of advertising schedules, especially for unsophisticated advertisers, leading to inefficiencies and exclusion of lower-budget customers.

Innovation Solution

A computerized method and apparatus for managing secondary content schedules, utilizing simulations and data analysis to determine optimal insertion opportunities, validate results, and generate advertising campaigns, enabling automated and accurate management of secondary content across different content networks and platforms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual management methods are used for secondary content insertion opportunities, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but productivity and efficiency deteriorate due to the inability to handle large volumes of data and complex simulations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomation of secondary content managementVSAvoidcomplexity of automated management system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a computerized simulation system as an intermediary between advertisers and content networks. This intermediary automatically analyzes insertion opportunities, runs simulations to predict performance metrics, and generates optimized schedules, eliminating the need for manual management while handling the complexity internally through automated algorithms and data processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by allowing advertisers to input their own campaign parameters and budgets, after which the automated system independently performs all analysis, simulation, and schedule generation without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by automatically managing the entire workflow from data input to schedule output

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If comprehensive data analysis and simulations are performed to accurately project penetration and impressions, then measurement precision improves, but loss of time increases due to the computational resources required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of penetration and impression projectionVSAvoidtime required for simulations and data analysis

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and storing baseline performance metrics and historical data before actual campaign execution. Simulations are run in advance to establish expected performance ranges, allowing the system to quickly adjust to actual campaign conditions without performing full-scale simulations in real-time, thus reducing time loss while maintaining precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If automated systems are implemented to manage secondary content, then ease of operation improves for unsophisticated advertisers, but device complexity increases requiring sophisticated technical infrastructure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of advertising campaign managementVSAvoidtechnical infrastructure requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automated system acts as an intermediary that shields unsophisticated advertisers from technical complexity. Advertisers interact with a simple interface to input campaign goals and budgets, while the complex simulation engine, data analysis tools, and schedule optimization algorithms operate in the background, translating simple user inputs into complex automated management tasks without requiring the user to understand the underlying technical infrastructure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250227346A1Apparatus and methods for automated secondary content management in a digital network

Publication Date: 2025.07.10 TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC

AI summary

Apparatus and methods for generating secondary content scheduling and product offerings for users of a managed content distribution network, such as a cable, satellite, of HFCu network. In one embodiment, the secondary content comprises advertising content to be distributed across a plurality of content networks carried by the managed content distribution network. A plurality of computerized models (including various simulations) are generated based on various data sources, including historical tuning event data for the managed network's subscribers), and subsequently implemented to structure advertising schedules or campaigns (“bundles”) for each customer in a substantially automated fashion, and that will achieve the desired level of performance specified by the customer, consistent with their budget. Hence, the customer is relieved of having to possess any intrinsic knowledge of advertising channels, demographics (and their correlation to certain content networks), and can merely specify a desired result in terms of e.g., reach and/or viewing frequency.