Sponsored Content Pausing During Feed Transitions

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Solution Overview

Problem

In social networking environments, users are often annoyed by sponsored content items presented before they have a chance to engage with media items, leading to a negative user experience and decreased media consumption, resulting in a loss for users, content creators, and sponsoring entities.

Innovation Solution

A server computing machine determines a user's interest level in a media item based on factors like playback duration and historical usage patterns, and only presents sponsored content items or indicators after the user has demonstrated sufficient interest, pausing sponsored content during transitions and resuming playback from the same point when the user returns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If sponsored content items are presented to users during media item playback, then sponsoring entities can generate revenue, but user experience deteriorates and media consumption decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverevenue loss for sponsoring entitiesVSAvoiduser experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the presentation of sponsored content items based on real-time user engagement metrics. The sponsored content is conditionally presented only when users demonstrate sufficient interest in the media item, creating a flexible advertising delivery mechanism that adapts to user behavior patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of sponsored content presentation timing based on user engagement parameters. By monitoring playback duration and engagement metrics, the system determines optimal moments to present sponsored content, transforming the static advertising model into a dynamic one responsive to user behavior.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If sponsored content items are presented early in media item playback, then advertising revenue can be generated, but user annoyance increases and media consumption decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadvertising revenue generationVSAvoiduser annoyance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary monitoring of user engagement with the media item before presenting sponsored content. By tracking playback duration and engagement metrics in advance, the system ensures that sponsored content is only presented after users have demonstrated sufficient interest, preventing premature advertising delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from user engagement metrics to control the presentation of sponsored content. User behavior data (playback duration, engagement level) serves as feedback that determines whether sponsored content should be presented, creating a closed-loop system that responds to user reactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Quantity of substance

If sponsored content items are presented to all users, then maximum advertising exposure is achieved, but network bandwidth usage and server processing increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadvertising exposure quantityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth and server processing

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by customizing the sponsored content delivery based on individual user characteristics and engagement levels. Instead of uniform advertising delivery to all users, the system selectively presents sponsored content to users who meet specific engagement criteria, optimizing resource allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements partial action by delivering sponsored content to only a subset of users who demonstrate sufficient engagement with the media item. This selective delivery approach reduces overall network bandwidth consumption and server processing requirements while maintaining effective advertising reach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Adaptability or versatility

If users are allowed to transition away from media items, then user freedom of choice is maintained, but sponsored content items may be missed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser freedom of choiceVSAvoidsponsored content viewing

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains continuity of useful action by allowing users to transition away from and return to media items while ensuring sponsored content is ultimately viewed. The pausing and resumption mechanism ensures that sponsored content delivery is not interrupted by user transitions, maintaining the advertising objective while preserving user freedom.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by automatically pausing and resuming sponsored content based on user transitions without requiring manual intervention. The system autonomously manages the sponsored content playback state, ensuring delivery completion while respecting user navigation choices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10796385B2Pausing sponsored content items when transitioning

Publication Date: 2020.10.06 META PLATFORMS INC

AI summary

In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a feed of an online social network on a client computing device of a user, the feed comprising a plurality of media items; receiving a first indication the user is viewing a first media item, wherein the first media item is located at a first location in the feed; sending a first sponsored content item for playing at the first location; receiving a second indication the user is transitioning from the first location to a second location in the feed; and pausing the first sponsored content item from playing in response to receiving the second indication.