System and Method for An Adaptive Scheduling System Architecture

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments describe an automatic, adaptive system and method for efficiently and effectively scheduling advertising spots in commercial break locations across various networks, zones, channels, dates, times, and specific products, for example. The disclosed embodiments make use of fixed and relative factors, that may be user-defined, which assign a “cost” to one or more particular breaks which thereby allow for quick and accurate scheduling of spots. The “costs” may represent a value, or desirability, of a break for the advertiser and may be a function of both the fixed and relative factors. The fixed and relative factors may be configurable and may change for different advertising clients, different contract lines, different networks, different spot placement, etc. The placement of spots may be accomplished through the use of an ordered list which may be generated based on a number of inputs that may be user-selected. A non-limiting example of user inputs may include: spot length, spot cost, contract line priority, beginning date/time of contract line, ending date/time of contract line, a predefined value index for the client, and contract line number, among others.

1 . A method for scheduling, comprising:
 (a) prioritizing a list of networks for scheduling advertising spots (“spots”);   (b) determining if one or more networks on said list of networks requires spot scheduling;   (c) selecting, from said list of networks, a network which requires spot scheduling;   (d) determining one or more commercial break locations (“breaks”) on said selected network;   (e) assigning a cost to ones of said one or more breaks, wherein said assigned cost is a function of a user-defined predetermined fixed parameter; and   (f) scheduling a selected spot for one of said breaks based on said assigned cost.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (b) further comprises displaying a network spot schedule if none of said networks requires spot scheduling. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (c) further comprises:
 (A) obtaining scheduling information for said selected network; 
 (B) generating an ordered list of spots; 
 (C) selecting a contract line from said ordered list, said contract line containing one or more spots to be scheduled; and 
 (D) selecting a spot for scheduling. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 (g) determining if there is an additional spot to be scheduled from said contract line; and 
 (h) assigning a second cost to ones of said one or more breaks, wherein said second cost is a function of a predetermined relative parameter. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 (g) if said assigned cost is above a predetermined threshold:
 (A) determining if a bump candidate exists; 
 (B) if no bump candidate exists; logging said selected spot as an exception; and 
 (C) if a bump candidate exists; bumping said bump candidate from its associated break, placing said bump candidate on said ordered list of spots, and scheduling said selected spot in said break associated with said bump candidate. 
 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 (D) scheduling a spot logged as an exception in one of said breaks that is not scheduled with a spot. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of said spots has an associated scheduling factor. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said fixed parameter is selected from the group consisting of: day of the week, day part, availability of a commercial break location, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said day part parameter is selected from the group consisting of: an overnight parameter, a morning parameter, an afternoon parameter, a prime parameter, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said relative parameter is selected from the group consisting of: interval of time between said first break and said second break, difference in day part of said first break and day part of said second break, difference between day of the week of said first break and day of the week of said second break, difference between a first product associated with said first spot and a second product associated with said second spot, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said scheduling factor is selected from the group consisting of: ranking identification, product type, stop time, start, time, stop date, start date, cost, contract line identification number, line number, client value, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A method for scheduling, comprising:
 (a) prioritizing a list of networks for scheduling advertising spots (“spots”);   (b) determining if one or more networks on said list of networks requires spot scheduling:
 (A) if none of said networks requires spot scheduling, displaying a network spot schedule; 
 (B) if one of said networks requires spot scheduling; selecting a first network; 
 (C) obtaining scheduling information; 
 (D) generating an ordered list of spots; 
 (E) selecting a first contract line from said ordered list, said first contract line containing one or more spots to be scheduled; and 
 (F) selecting a first one of said spots (“first spot”); 
   (c) based on said scheduling information, determining if one or more commercial break locations (“breaks”) on said selected network are acceptable for placing said first spot, wherein each of said breaks has an assigned first cost which is a function of a predetermined fixed parameter, and wherein said fixed parameter is user defined:
 (A) if one or more acceptable breaks is determined to exist, scheduling said first spot in one of the acceptable breaks; and 
 (B) if one or more acceptable breaks is determined to not exist:
 (1) determining if a bump candidate exists; 
 (2) if no bump candidate exists; logging said first spot as an exception; and 
 (3) if a bump candidate exists; bumping said bump candidate from its associated break, placing said bump candidate on said ordered list of spots, and scheduling said first spot in said break associated with the bump candidate; 
 
   (d) determining if there are any additional spots associated with said contract line:
 (A) if there are additional spots associated with said contract line, selecting a second spot from said first contract line and repeating (c) through (d) for said second spot in place of said first spot; and 
 (B) if there are no additional spots associated with said first contract line, check and assign ad copy to all scheduled spots; 
   and   (e) determining if there are additional contract lines:
 (A) if there are additional contract lines, selecting a second contract line and repeating (c) through (e) for said second contract line in place of said first contract line; and 
 (B) if there are no additional contract lines, placing spots logged as exceptions and repeating (b) through (e) for a second network in place of said first network. 
   
     
     
         13 . A system for scheduling, comprising:
 circuitry for prioritizing a list of networks for scheduling advertising spots (“spots”);   circuitry for determining if one or more networks on said list of networks requires spot scheduling;   circuitry for selecting, from said list of networks, a network which requires spot scheduling;   circuitry for determining one or more commercial break locations (“breaks”) on said selected network;   circuitry for assigning a cost to ones of said one or more breaks, wherein said assigned cost is a function of a user-defined predetermined fixed parameter; and   circuitry for scheduling a selected spot for one of said breaks based on said assigned cost.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising a display for displaying a network spot schedule if none of said networks requires spot scheduling. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising:
 circuitry for obtaining scheduling information for said selected network; 
 circuitry for generating an ordered list of spots; 
 circuitry for selecting a contract line from said ordered list, said contract line containing one or more spots to be scheduled; and 
 circuitry for selecting a spot for scheduling. 
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising:
 circuitry for determining if there is an additional spot to be scheduled from said contract line; and 
 circuitry for assigning a second cost to ones of said one or more breaks, wherein said second cost is a function of a predetermined relative parameter. 
 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising:
 circuitry for determining if said assigned cost is above a predetermined threshold, comprising:
 circuitry for determining if a bump candidate exists; 
 circuitry for logging said selected spot as an exception if no bump candidate exists; and 
 if a bump candidate exists, circuitry for bumping said bump candidate from its associated break, placing said bump candidate on said ordered list of spots, and scheduling said selected spot in said break associated with said bump candidate. 
 
 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  further comprising:
 circuitry for scheduling a spot logged as an exception in one of said breaks that is not scheduled with a spot. 
 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13  wherein each of said spots has an associated scheduling factor. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said fixed parameter is selected from the group consisting of: day of the week, day part, availability of a commercial break location, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein said day part parameter is selected from the group consisting of: an overnight parameter, a morning parameter, an afternoon parameter, a prime parameter, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16  wherein said relative parameter is selected from the group consisting of: interval of time between said first break and said second break, difference in day part of said first break and day part of said second break, difference between day of the week of said first break and day of the week of said second break, difference between a first product associated with said first spot and a second product associated with said second spot, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19  wherein said scheduling factor is selected from the group consisting of: ranking identification, product type, stop time, start, time, stop date, start date, cost, contract line identification number, line number, client value, and combinations thereof.