Method and system for optimizing the viewing of advertising

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and systems for controlling the frequency that a user views an advertisement. In particular, the systems monitor the number of times an advertisement is played to a user. Once the advertisement has been played a predetermined number of times, the advertisement is replaced by another advertisement.

1 . A client device comprising:
 a control unit comprising one or more processors and configured to:   receive a reference number of times for playing a first media item to a viewer, the reference number of times corresponding to a data stream that provides media that includes the first media item;   play the media included in the data stream;   responsive to one or more actions of the viewer during playback of the first media item, update the reference number of times, the one or more actions of the viewer including at least one of turning off the client device during playback of the first media item or changing a volume of the playback of the first media item;   determine whether the first media item has been played at least the updated reference number of times by the client device; and   replace the first media item with a second media item based on the first media item having been played at least the updated reference number of times by the client device.   
     
     
         2 . The client device of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 detect the one or more actions of the viewer by detecting at least one of the turning off of the client device during the playback of the first media item or the changing of the volume of the playback of the first media item.   
     
     
         3 . The client device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reference number of times is expressed as a numerical value.   
     
     
         4 . The client device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reference number times is expressed as a viewing frequency that identifies a quantity of viewings of the first media item within a time period.   
     
     
         5 . The client device of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 update the reference number of times based on a viewer profile stored by the client device, the viewer profile specifying at least one of an age of the viewer, an income of the viewer, a location of the viewer, an interest of the viewer, or a number of children of the viewer.   
     
     
         6 . The client device of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 receive the second media item prior to the control unit replacing the first media item with the second media item based on the first media item having been played at least the updated reference number of times by the client device.   
     
     
         7 . The client device of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 receive the second media item and the data stream that provides the first media item from a same media source.   
     
     
         8 . The client device of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 receive the second media item and the data stream that provides the first media item from different media sources.   
     
     
         9 . The client device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more actions of the viewer include turning off the client device during play of the first media item; and the control unit is configured by the instructions to:   update the reference number of times for playing the first media item by reducing the reference number.   
     
     
         10 . The client device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more actions of the viewer include leaving the client device on during play of the first media item; and the control unit is configured by the instructions to:   update the reference number of times for playing the first media item by increasing the reference number.   
     
     
         11 . A server system comprising:
 a control unit comprising one or more processors and configured to:   determine a reference number of times for playing a first media item to a viewer, the reference number of times corresponding to a data stream that provides media that includes the first media item;   communicate to the client device the data stream that provides the media that includes the first media item;   responsive to one or more actions of the viewer during playback of the first media item, update the reference number of times, the one or more actions of the viewer including at least one of turning off the client device during playback of the first media item or changing a volume of the first media item during the playback of the first media item; and   communicate to the client device the updated reference number of times to play the first media item, the communicating of the updated reference number enabling the client device to replace the first media item with a second media item based on the first media item having been played at least the updated reference number of times by the client device.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 detect the one or more actions of the viewer by detecting at least one of the turning off of the client device during the playback of the first media item or changing a volume of the playback of the first media item.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the reference number of times is expressed as a numerical value.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the reference number times is expressed as a viewing frequency that identifies a quantity of viewings of the first media item within a time period.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 update the reference number based on a viewer profile that specifies at least one of an age of the viewer, and income of the viewer, a location of the viewer, and interest of the viewer, or a number of children of the viewer.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is configured by the instructions to:
 provide the second media item to the client device prior to the control unit communicating to the client device the updated reference number of times to play the first media item to the viewer.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the one or more actions of the viewer include increasing the volume of the first media item during the playback of the first media item; and the control unit is configured to:   update the reference number of times for playing the first media item by increasing the reference number of times.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the one or more actions of the viewer include decreasing the volume of the first media item during the playback of the first media item; and the control unit is configured to:   update the reference number of times for playing the first media item by decreasing the reference number of times.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
 receive a reference number of times for playing a first media item to a viewer, the reference number of times corresponding to a data stream that provides media that includes the first media item;   play the media included in the data stream;   responsive to one or more actions of the viewer during playback of the first media item, update the reference number of times, the one or more actions of the viewer including at least one of turning off the machine during playback of the first media item or changing a volume of the playback of the first media item;   determine whether the first media item has been played at least the updated reference number of times by the machine; and   replace the first media item with a second media item based on the first media item having been played at least the updated reference number of times by the machine.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the one or more actions of the viewer include increasing the volume of the first media item during the playback of the first media item; and the operations further comprise:   updating the reference number of times for playing the first media item by increasing the reference number of times.